July Harvest Begins
Harvesting, I guess, starts now. Last year I pulled 35 gallons (okay, that's about 420 pounds.). And it was in 7 or 11 supers.
So last year, July went fine, no massive stinging craziness, but then in August after Knotweedweek, it all went to hell, so this year- always improving!- I am up for making it better.
So I built vortex escapes- 6 of them- and tested one by screwing it to an inner cover, and setting it on top of super 3 for the night- and next day, pulled it apart.
There were two supers above- and though the hives weren't completely clear- there were few bees- maybe 30 left. Out of thousands. So it worked well, but I didn't figure on the thousands of bees below the inner cover- and I had placed a 2 inch spacer there, and they were already building tall bridge comb. But the bees were thick, and I wondered how it is that I did this before- how did a hive thats 8 high, reduce to 3?
I placed two more Vortex removers this evening. One sting only- but it had been too long since I pulled these hives apart, and there was a messs of bridge comb between the hives, filled with honey.
But still- I think this will be better- less bee drama.
So last year, July went fine, no massive stinging craziness, but then in August after Knotweedweek, it all went to hell, so this year- always improving!- I am up for making it better.
So I built vortex escapes- 6 of them- and tested one by screwing it to an inner cover, and setting it on top of super 3 for the night- and next day, pulled it apart.
There were two supers above- and though the hives weren't completely clear- there were few bees- maybe 30 left. Out of thousands. So it worked well, but I didn't figure on the thousands of bees below the inner cover- and I had placed a 2 inch spacer there, and they were already building tall bridge comb. But the bees were thick, and I wondered how it is that I did this before- how did a hive thats 8 high, reduce to 3?
I placed two more Vortex removers this evening. One sting only- but it had been too long since I pulled these hives apart, and there was a messs of bridge comb between the hives, filled with honey.
But still- I think this will be better- less bee drama.
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