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  1. #1

    Thumbs up Hi there everyone

    Hi everyone,
    been on here for a bit now and just been reading through the post's until I got my bees, which I have now got three hives

    No:1 Full hive bought from a local beekeeper.
    No:2 Swarm been installed about one week now and no signs of eggs.
    No:3 Nuke bought from again a local breeder.

    Just so excited to be finally able to see my bees flying in and out of the hive, I have decided to film every time I go into a hive to check on them as I can refer back to the video later and then sopt things that I have missed.

    Regards
    Graham

  2. #2
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    I can more or less remember the excitement myself - around 20 years ago. It was a good decision then and remains so now. Hope it works out as well for you. Let us know how you get on.

    Gavin

  3. #3
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    One thing that always pleases me is when a queen starts to lay. Hopefully yours will soon.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin View Post
    I can more or less remember the excitement myself - around 20 years ago. It was a good decision then and remains so now. Hope it works out as well for you. Let us know how you get on.

    Gavin
    Adam
    One thing that always pleases me is when a queen starts to lay. Hopefully yours will soon.
    Hi Gavin & Adam, thanks for the comment. Wish now I had started 20 years ago now here are a few videos of what has been happening to the 2 hives that I am working on just now!

    Yes I hope the queen in the swarm hive starts laying soon and also shows herself

    Any comment welcome:

    Swarm hive 1st inspection


    Hive one 1st real inspection 6-7-14


    Found supercedure cells in this hive today, took them down will check again in a few days. Does this mean I will have to split this hive do a artificial swarm??

    I think that videoing what I am doing is a great help as I can watch it back again & again and notice stuff that I didn't when I was doing the inspection.
    Hope you enjoy the videos
    Last edited by gwizzie; 06-07-2015 at 07:44 PM.

  5. #5

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    Hi giwizzie,

    Very interesting to see someone else doing an inspection and brave to post it for comments.

    A couple of tips which hopefully will be of use from watching the videos:

    I noticed on the second video that you lifted the crown board without removing the empty super/ roof first. When it slipped back down it gave them an all mighty bang which probably agitated them a bit. I would have broken down it into more manageable and sections before removing the crown board. I was also puzzled by you putting the QE on crown board and then an empty super. I could not see a reason for it!

    On a side note you might want to check the gap in the side of the second hive, it looks a bit big. You'll see what I mean if you review the end as you close up. You also went and killed the QCs as soon as you saw them. I personally have waited for a bit more info from the inspection just in case they were requeening due to a sudden queen loss. If they were you could have stopped that process.

    In the both videos I reckoned you had 12 frames in the body. If this is correct, have you considered going to 11 and using a dummy board? Gives IMO an easier time when removing the first few frames.

    Out of interest why did you treat the first hive? Was there evidence of high mite levels?

    I would try to get into the habit of neat working round the hive. You'll soon find the flow that you are comfortable with which will make life easier.

    Good luck, I'm no expert but but these are my comments on your very brave post. I hope they are of use.

  6. #6

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    Hi Thanks for your comments, this is the reason that I posted it to get feedback from members. I will try and answer some of your replies the best I can!!!

    I noticed on the second video that you lifted the crown board without removing the empty super/ roof first. When it slipped back down it gave them an all mighty bang which probably agitated them a bit. I would have broken down it into more manageable and sections before removing the crown board.
    You are correct it would have been easier and it is what I normally do but the weather was so changeable that day (newbie mistake)

    I was also puzzled by you putting the QE on crown board and then an empty super. I could not see a reason for it!
    I placed the crown board back on top of the QE because I had intended to add frames to the super and was going to remove it then... as didn't want the super filling up with bees before I had put in the frames.

    In the both videos I reckoned you had 12 frames in the body. If this is correct, have you considered going to 11 and using a dummy board? Gives IMO an easier time when removing the first few frames.
    At the moment that is what I use and other members around here 12 frames! I have in my new poly hive 11 frames and a dummy board in it as you can't get 12 into it.

    Out of interest why did you treat the first hive? Was there evidence of high mite levels?
    This swarm came from a colony that had survived the winter in someone's roof (not from someone's hive) therefor they had not been treated for varroa and I was advised to treat them ASAP before brood had started to appear.

    I would try to get into the habit of neat working round the hive.
    I do so a bit confused over this comment???

    but again thanks for your comments

    regards
    Graham
    Last edited by gwizzie; 07-07-2015 at 11:44 PM.

  7. #7

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    Graham,

    Sorry should have been clearer about neat working. What I mean is when you arrive at the hive have everything you are likely to need at your hands. I remove my roof and put it behind me to my right every time. I then follow the same removal process for each item. It builds habit which should make things easier as you do it more. You also know exactly where everything is when you need it.

    There is a phrase from the yanks, 'slow is smooth, smooth is fast'. If you are comfortable with everything at your hands you will move smoothly and increase your speed. I also run a checklist through my head before I start so I know what I want to do in the hive before I start. I usually have a list of what if scenario's in case I encounter something unexpected. This has included, stop, close the hive walk away and think about it.

    Thanks for the reply. If I had a tripod for a camera I would video mine so I could be critiqued!

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by alclosier View Post
    Graham,

    Sorry should have been clearer about neat working. What I mean is when you arrive at the hive have everything you are likely to need at your hands. I remove my roof and put it behind me to my right every time. I then follow the same removal process for each item. It builds habit which should make things easier as you do it more. You also know exactly where everything is when you need it.

    There is a phrase from the yanks, 'slow is smooth, smooth is fast'. If you are comfortable with everything at your hands you will move smoothly and increase your speed. I also run a checklist through my head before I start so I know what I want to do in the hive before I start. I usually have a list of what if scenario's in case I encounter something unexpected. This has included, stop, close the hive walk away and think about it.

    Thanks for the reply. If I had a tripod for a camera I would video mine so I could be critiqued!
    Again thanks for the tips, I will try and get into some kind of routine so I can be more efficient. As for the tripod go out and get one there not that expensive and dont worry about being critiqued IM not thats how you learn.

    As I used to say to people when I ran several forums There are never stupid questions only stupid answers life is one big learning curve for us all everyday and if you never ask you will never learn or know anything!!
    regards
    Graham

  9. #9

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    Graham Thornes sell a blue metal thing for hanging a frame on outside the hive
    I have found that handy
    http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clo...roduct_id=1783
    They were £5.00 in the sale last year or one before

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Drone Ranger View Post
    Graham Thornes sell a blue metal thing for hanging a frame on outside the hive
    I have found that handy
    http://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clo...roduct_id=1783
    They were £5.00 in the sale last year or one before
    Hi thanks for the reply and the input, they say great minds think alike LOL. It just so happens that my one turned up today from Fleebay... used it today and yes it is a god send.

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