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As busy as a Bee.

Jim Boxberger - Correspondent
Posted 7/17/20

Back in 2017 we started a beehive in the back yard of the store to test a new type of beekeeping system called the FlowHive. You can see videos on Youtube as to how the FlowHive works.

We were …

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As busy as a Bee.

Posted

Back in 2017 we started a beehive in the back yard of the store to test a new type of beekeeping system called the FlowHive. You can see videos on Youtube as to how the FlowHive works.

We were novice beekeepers at best, but our hive did well and in fact produced a second queen and we started another hive as well. But with the harsh winter we had in 2017/2018 both of our hives died.

We didn't have time in the next couple years to get the hives going again, but then came along Covid-19 and like everyone else we found ourselves with a little extra time, well at least in March.

So we cleaned up our hives and ordered a new batch of bees. We were late to the game this spring in ordering as most bee suppliers take orders in January for bees that will ship in April or May depending on the cold.

Because we were so late we paid almost twice as much as normal, but we did get our package of bees and started one hive back up. Now because we didn't want to be rookies anymore, we (my daughter Sierra and I) decided to learn as much as we could about every faucet about beekeeping. Youtube is a great place to learn from other beekeepers about the do's and don'ts of beekeeping.

Our hive is struggling this year but I am confident that by winter we will have a thriving hive and may be able to get our second hive going again. I have been watching about two hours of beekeeping videos per night learning everything from catching swarms to winter feeding.

Now that we are into the summer and the spring rush is over, we have been making our own swarm traps in an attempt to attract bees that have swarmed and are looking for a new place to live.

When a bee hive is extremely productive and bursting at the seems, the workers will produce another queen that will leave the hive and take a bunch of bees with her to start a new colony.

We are trying to attract those bees so that we can populate a new hive or two. Most bees sold commercially are from places down south where the beekeeping season is much longer and the winters are not as cold.

Our native honey bee population is much more acclimated for our harsh Sullivan County winters and are more likely to survive a really bad winter. Either way, I have watched about sixteen hours of winterization videos for our bee hives and our hives will be insulated to the hilt.

I am hopeful that over the course of the summer we might be able to catch a swarm or two to transfer into our bee yard as we should have about eight swarm traps up around the county by the end of the month. Just last week we had a beekeeper with three hives already come in to get another set-up as he found a swarm on the edge of his property and he was going home to collect them.

Beekeeping is fascinating, the way they communicate with their bee dance, the fact that forager bees can fly as far as five miles in search of pollen and then come right back to the exact hive they came from.

Also honey bees are friendly and can sense your intention. With our hives three years ago and the one we have know, I have never had to wear a bee suit or veil when checking on the hive as the bees sense that I mean them no harm.

I really shouldn't say that since I sell beekeeper suits, gloves and veils, but what the heck. Are you ever going to get rich collecting free honey and selling it for a profit, no way, never gonna happen. Unless you are a large commercial apiary (bee farm), you may make enough money to offset your costs.

But it is the simple pleasure of watching these tiny insects create an item that is enjoyed all over the world today and from centuries long ago. Even the Pharaohs of Egypt were buried with honey in their tombs.

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