1/3 of honeybee population died last winter..Is this true?

We completed the Norfolk County Beekeepers Association Bee School this year...... Excellent coverage of everything you need to know to get started...

beeschool

Might be something to consider for next year....[thumbsup]
 
Also, to anyone wishing to take a class...buy a book or two. I like the Backyard Beekepeer and Beekeeping for Dummies, lots of good info you can glean from there.
 
Man you people are serious about keeping those insects around? I personally wouldn't do it. I understand the need for them but damn, 180K bees? You've got to be freaking kidding me. Why would you keep them - especially in number like that which can easily kill you?

Honey is cheap cheap at the store.... and you don;t have to risk your life to get it.
 
I just started this year. Shook two packages into hives two weeks ago and the hives seem to be really taking off. Looking forward to seeing what they can do once the populations start building up.

On another note- how do the local keepers up here guard against the awful winter and the accompanying wind? We get a lot of wind on our lot and I think it could really negatively affect them in the winter time when it's bitter cold.

As someone mentioned above, we use hay bales as a wind block and as another person called out, moisture is the real culprit. We've "wrapped" three sides (usually the side facing the haybales and the two adjacent sides) of the hive with a foil blanket held on by bungee cords and also put a 1" foam insulating board on top of the outer cover (held on with a football size rock) so it sticks out a little beyond the front of the hive to help keep the snow off the landing board. We've also had our best luck keeping a any empty super on top of the inner cover.. its dead air that needs to be warmed early in the season but also allows for feeding honey/sugar water later into the cold season. My wife keeps a blog (link below) that has some photos showing the insulation.

Blue Hive Journals
 
Man you people are serious about keeping those insects around? I personally wouldn't do it. I understand the need for them but damn, 180K bees? You've got to be freaking kidding me. Why would you keep them - especially in number like that which can easily kill you?

Honey is cheap cheap at the store.... and you don;t have to risk your life to get it.

Honey is cheap at the store but its not real honey-mostly Chinese Honey loaded with pesticides and no pollen (pollen is filtered out to hide country of origion) that help you build up an immunity to ragweed and hay fever. Fresh honey is great-no comparison. Good organic honey runs about $10 a pound and can be a bit pricey for I eat about 2 to 3 punds of honey a week. I find it really gives me a good boost for the gym. There were some good articles on that about adulturated honey if you search the net. Also it does not hurt that my vegeatable garden has gone into overdrive-about 200 pounds of squash last year the size of baseball bats-insane.

Bees are easy to keep. Many people around you keep them and you probably would never guess who because bees want to be left alone to do thier their thing. I actually use a lawn mower right next to the hives and they could not care less. A little smoke makes them very managable when you inspect them and you only get into them about a 1/2 hour every two weeks-thats when they get pissy. But then again my 2 your old runs right up to the hives and watches them-no issues.

Of course each hive produces about 100 pounds of honey. In the fall hit me up and you can have a jar (serious here) and see the and taste the difference.
 
Man you people are serious about keeping those insects around? I personally wouldn't do it. I understand the need for them but damn, 180K bees? You've got to be freaking kidding me. Why would you keep them - especially in number like that which can easily kill you?

Honey is cheap cheap at the store.... and you don;t have to risk your life to get it.

They do it because they can.
 
I don't keep honey bees myself, but as I said I know people that do. So I buy my honey from the guy down the street that I know and man it makes a difference. The local stuff can't be beat, I sure don't eat as much of it as, goodlife, but the benny's of the local stuff and my allergy's is showing and I like it. I will have a big tablespoon full on top of my Cheerios. :)
 

Don't forget about Big Foot......The internet says he exists, therfor it is true.
ffs, when a buddy of mine (who is a major pothead) told me about chemtrails I couldn't help but laugh at him...He was extremely devoted to it all being true and a gov't conspiracy.
Yep, and politicians are secretly giant Iguanas which have tooken over the bodies of politicans like Hillary Clinton.
Call governor Ventura! We need to get to the bottom of this.

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Is 9mm enough for Japanese killer hornet?
I'm not sure but looks like you can be our test subject so we can all know the answer.[smile]
 
Man you people are serious about keeping those insects around? I personally wouldn't do it. I understand the need for them but damn, 180K bees? You've got to be freaking kidding me. Why would you keep them - especially in number like that which can easily kill you?

Honey is cheap cheap at the store.... and you don;t have to risk your life to get it.

You can also buy milk, eggs, beef, fish and poulty at the store...People still have their own farms and produce their own.
IMO its about the hobby and its not just about "oh, you can buy that at Stop 'n Shop so why bother with producing it and everything?"
I can order trout fishing flies online or buy them locally, I still tie my own. I could buy a fully tricked out rifle or pay some one to build one for me, I will still build it my self.
 
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