February Again, Two Hazels
February again! and the I'm excited and happy to be thinking about and planning for the coming season in beekeeping. This will be, I think, my 25th year, and a good solid decade of being seriously serious about beekeeping. I just turned 60, and certainly feel the age, but happy to have such a hobby for this next patch of life.
There was a a beginning time- where I just had two or three or sometimes one hive, and was coached by my bee mentor friend Brian, but besides him, I just had Richard Taylor's book, there was no internet, and I knew no other beekeepers. So I didn't know very much, and my friend Brian was notoriously taciturn.
But now- I don't know a lot- but I know a heck of a lot more than I did. And most importantly, I know what I don't know, and am OK with it.
And I am pretty sure I know how to get a bevy of hives to survive our winters, and do well through the season. That might be over confidence- but that's OK too.
What's new is that the most critical part of the puzzle I think I have now licked, thanks to some other fellow travelers wiser than I, and some Fall experiments, mine own and a few other's.
(commercial break, below, yesterday- the bees were pulling in pollen from the Hazelnut here's one resting:
I have about 30 hives right now- I lost 3 in Fall due to mites, directly and indirectly. I think I want to stay at about 30. 40 plus was too hard for a working person.
Speaking of over confidence: Next winter I will have no losses. As it was in the past. I think I know enough to do this- I have confidence now-its the Provap. Mites have always, since I started in '95 with Apistan, been the great killer and disease maker. I think I now have a tool that really erases this problem- as long as I am diligent.
I don't even plan to do mite counts any longer- just mite kills- with counts afterwards. A great time saver!
I'll share my wintering method later- it's changed this year. One thing I did was to not use my vent boxes, and try just stacking my telescoping covers on lath pieces on the inner cover. This was a problem- worked great for the bees- but the moisture on the covers started buckling them. So it was destroying equipment.
But I took a cue from my friend Jim (my new mentor), that many people use- which is to just use rigid insulation, He glues strips on it, as below, and has the metal surface reflecting back in, and a big generous top opening (my bees LOVE this in winter), and the spacers allow for a nice ring of sugar, also as below. Not a requirement at all - but easy to do, and some level of insurance. Most hives seem well stocked with stores still- but I don't entirely trust what I am feeling- so this is extra (and I have always done it).
Back to it being February. Its a great bee month here- because our very native plant, Western Hazelnut, launches its catkins, and even earlier, there was Witch Hazel. A massive amount of rain- and the valley flooded badly- but I think it all bodes well for a fun Spring!
There was a a beginning time- where I just had two or three or sometimes one hive, and was coached by my bee mentor friend Brian, but besides him, I just had Richard Taylor's book, there was no internet, and I knew no other beekeepers. So I didn't know very much, and my friend Brian was notoriously taciturn.
But now- I don't know a lot- but I know a heck of a lot more than I did. And most importantly, I know what I don't know, and am OK with it.
And I am pretty sure I know how to get a bevy of hives to survive our winters, and do well through the season. That might be over confidence- but that's OK too.
What's new is that the most critical part of the puzzle I think I have now licked, thanks to some other fellow travelers wiser than I, and some Fall experiments, mine own and a few other's.
(commercial break, below, yesterday- the bees were pulling in pollen from the Hazelnut here's one resting:
So what's different this year? Why am I so happy and positive about the year to come?
Well, its one word, and it costs about 500 bucks, and its changed the whole game for me. Its a Provap. A mite killing machine. And I am not afraid to pull it out and use it- and I use it plenty- and plan to use it as often as needed in the coming year. If you're not a beekeeper, its hard to explain how frustrating and horrible mites are- how so many of our problems (not all of them by any means!) are due to them- and how our winter losses, and Spring losses- are so often due to them.
And now I can kill them quickly, safely, and often. And- I have more knowledge about it than I did. There are lots of upcoming things I don't know- and lots of things I know I could do better- but there is nothing like this. It turns the clock back- you can focus more on the things that matter in beekeeping. For me, the primary one is swarm control.
And not only that, I now have a metal file box that fits the whole mite killing shebang, including my mask, and its perfectly packed away and ready to use anytime. As below. All I need (except power). So I just carry this about like it was a spare tire, and I'm ready to treat for mites any time, any place. And- anyone's.
I have about 30 hives right now- I lost 3 in Fall due to mites, directly and indirectly. I think I want to stay at about 30. 40 plus was too hard for a working person.
Speaking of over confidence: Next winter I will have no losses. As it was in the past. I think I know enough to do this- I have confidence now-its the Provap. Mites have always, since I started in '95 with Apistan, been the great killer and disease maker. I think I now have a tool that really erases this problem- as long as I am diligent.
I don't even plan to do mite counts any longer- just mite kills- with counts afterwards. A great time saver!
I'll share my wintering method later- it's changed this year. One thing I did was to not use my vent boxes, and try just stacking my telescoping covers on lath pieces on the inner cover. This was a problem- worked great for the bees- but the moisture on the covers started buckling them. So it was destroying equipment.
But I took a cue from my friend Jim (my new mentor), that many people use- which is to just use rigid insulation, He glues strips on it, as below, and has the metal surface reflecting back in, and a big generous top opening (my bees LOVE this in winter), and the spacers allow for a nice ring of sugar, also as below. Not a requirement at all - but easy to do, and some level of insurance. Most hives seem well stocked with stores still- but I don't entirely trust what I am feeling- so this is extra (and I have always done it).
Back to it being February. Its a great bee month here- because our very native plant, Western Hazelnut, launches its catkins, and even earlier, there was Witch Hazel. A massive amount of rain- and the valley flooded badly- but I think it all bodes well for a fun Spring!
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