Winter Feeding

 

February 22, 2014

Winter Feeding

Marshmallow Fondant, Pollen Pattie

2:1 Sugar Syrup with Honey B Healthy and Tee Tree Oil 

 

Winter in the bee yard

 

February 17, 2014

 

 

Season 2014 begins

Today February 1st, we find ourselves with a 65 degree temperature. I have taken the opportunity to remove the beetle traps, clean the trays, and check the hives for additional supplemental fondant and pollen patties.

Downed walnut tree; Clays Mill School Area in Halifax County, VA.

The colony of bees is just above the broken limb that is laying parallel to the trunk.

Old lightning strike from the crown to the base.

Big CAT skidder

Cuts on each side of the log allowed the skidder to break out the section with the bees.

Headed to the trailer with the pay load.

Loaded and ready to go in less than 1 hour.

Removing Honey Bees From Trees; Hampden-Sydney College, VA

At Hampden-Sydney College, VA

 

Locust Tree near East White House

Getting collection box ready for vacuum process

Attaching collection hose to collection box

Checking out as to where to drill small access hole

Inserting camera into 3/8" drilled hole to verify that we are above the colony in the hollow.

Operating vacuum collection hose.



Larger hole drilled with pipe fitting inserted to allow special herb mix to be placed over nest.. All holes will be pegged.



Using camera to see how far up comb is in the hollow.

Using hair dryer / blower to force smell throughout nest.

The nozzle is off and suction increased to pull in exiting bees. 

 

Large swarm ball, Charlotte Court House, VA June 29,2013

A monster of a ball of honey bees



We think that this colony came from a storm downed tree

Too large for the funnel. I used the vacuum system

I had to use 3 - deep supers to house this colony. Once settled I will split and add to developing nucs.

Storm downed tree, Scuffletown Community, Charlotte County, VA June 28,2013

This section broke away from the top of the Oak tree that was 25 feet from the ground

Fist cut was 6" too short. Long cuts have been made into log. There is one splitting wedge in place.