Suburban apiary, beehives and beekeeping

[signates]

Wedged my meat thermometer through the top cover to get an internal temp reading of the hive. Currently the top of the hive is reading 37°C.

Bees regulate the temp to 35°C which is the ideal temp for the brood so they are not at risk currently of over heating.

 

[signates]

DIY internal hive temperature monitor.

 

[signates]

They managed to get the temp down to 35° by 17:15.

I use this for when I braai. Temp on the right is the target temp and it beeps when it reaches it.

The flow super is off and I just have a top cover with some bricks holding it down and then another piece of ply board on top of the bricks so there's not y direct sun on the cover board.

Flow hive will go back on when 80% of the brood box is full.

Will leave the temperature probe in for now to see if they keep it at 35° even at night.

 

[signates]

Bee jackets were delivered today so if the weather is good I will be able to have my first hive inspection this weekend.

 

[signates]

Ventilated bee jackets, gloves, hive tool, smoker and small hive beetle trap.

Really impressed with the jacket. It's woven fabric and not the PVC material used on some jackets and full suits which can get very hot.

 

[signates]

Worked from home today and decided to have a go at doing the hive inspection this morning.

Started inspection at about 9:30. Got the smoker stated fairly easily using some dry leaves and other garden waste. Smoked the entrance and i could heat the change in the sound from the hive. Waited a couple of minutes and then opened the top cover.

Was a bit disappointed as I was expecting to see more fresh drawn out comb. Spotted some nectar and pollen stored in cells as well capped worker brood. No drone brood or queen cells or eggs but then I didn't want to look to hard or disturb them too much.

If there are capped brood then it is an indication that the eggs were laid 9 to 20 days ago. Still to early to tell if any of the brood were laid by the Queen after i got the bees.

The next inspection will be 22 days after the bees were installed so if there are brood then they were laid after I received them. Hopefully I will also be able to spot some eggs and larvae.

 

[signates]

Bringing in the pollen. Easier to upload to YouTube and share here.

I went back to feeding them sugar syrup to encourage more comb production.

 

[signates]

Some slow motion bees.

 

[signates]

Not the best video with my first attempt. Need a cameraman for my next video.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Holy smoke thats a busload of bees

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

The camera stopped rolling after 12 minutes because you exceeded the 4GB file size limit on FAT card is my guess.
Something like that, i can't remember the exact details

 

[signates]

The camera stopped rolling after 12 minutes because you exceeded the 4GB file size limit on FAT card is my guess.
Something like that, i can't remember the exact details

I think that's it. File size was 3.99 gig. Will reduce the quality settings which should allow for longer videos.

 

[Geoff.D]

So what is the hive inspection all about? What are you looking for?
Is it not better to just leave them bee?

 

[Sinbad]

This is the scale inside the viewfinder from the one I got from takealot. Second pic is from the replacement I'm getting. View attachment 1026072 View attachment 1026074

Top one is for marine aquariums where you make your own water mix

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

That hive inspection was awesome, waaaaaay more bees than I thought there would be
Looking forward to more videos, thanx @signates

 

[signates]

So what is the hive inspection all about? What are you looking for?
Is it not better to just leave them bee?

For a new hive you need to inspect after about 21 days to see if there is any new drones, larvae or eggs as this would indicate that the hive is queen-right. Basically that the queen is alive and laying as it takes 21 days for new bees to be come out mening that she's there.

If I split the hive in future only one would have a queen so an inspection would indicate if the split colony has created their own new queen of the are eggs present.

It's best to leave them. Next inspection would be in about 3 months before winter sets in to see if they have enough stores to last them through winter otherwise I'll need to feed them 1:1 sugar water syrup. Established colonies are easier with less inspections.

Inspections are also for small hive beatles and any other health issues. Normally there would only be 3 to 4 full hive inspections per year where all frames are checked.

 

[signates]

That hive inspection was awesome, waaaaaay more bees than I thought there would be
Looking forward to more videos, thanx @signates

That's not all as a third of the colony would be out foraging for nectar and pollen.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Dig the slow motion of them coming in for landing
They look drunk
Or confused
For intelligent little critters i assumed there would be a tight military procedure of using 1 hole as an entry and the other as an exit.
These okes look drunk in slow mo LOL

 

[signates]

Dig the slow motion of them coming in for landing
They look drunk
Or confused
For intelligent little critters i assumed there would be a tight military procedure of using 1 hole as an entry and the other as an exit.
These okes look drunk in slow mo LOL

They are literally full of nectar so they are heavy when they come back from foraging.

 

[Grant]

Not this?