Maja
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Simple- less trotting up and down the corridor for cups of tea ... Thank YOU ALL for recommendations!
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Hi All, I am a hobbist with few hives . After few years of banning my Hubbie for a weekend, making huge mess in the laundry/kitchen room and staying up until the early morning hours I am ready to bite a bullet and get an electric honey extractor. Anyone has a recommendations on types of extractors that are worth investing in? There are some new electric extractors for sale on TM from Southland -from caitlins honey . Anyone bought them? Appreciate the advice
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Do OA staples count as organically managed? For a school project.
Maja replied to Markypoo's topic in General Beekeeping
Hi Markypoo, Great idea for kids ! I am in Ashburton and use Oxalic Acid or Formic acid ( both accepted as organic treatments in NZ) and have some spare honey (lavender and garden mix ) if you interested. Could drop it off in Timaru on my way South if you interested. Would love to see your project ! Maja -
Maja changed their profile photo
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Thanks Dane and Chris, All 7 hives had good supply of pollen .Supers had been taken off before MAQS and hives left with frames of honey in brood boxes plus extra box of super with mixed foundation/honey /drawn frames to add extra ventilation. First Hive -new Q in December -Jumbo Box Second Hive-2 year old Queen , 2 FD boxes strong , good brood pattern , good supply of pollen and honey left in. Chris- how many days after removing MAQS strips do you check for mite numbers ? :confused:
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Hi All, I just wanted to share my experience with MAQS and wonder if anyone can shine some light into it ? This is the first time I use MAQS as trying to move away from Bayvarol and thought that sure must be a move in the right direction (e.g not- synthetic and no resistance ) I have only 7 hives, so very limited numbers to draw conclusions on. The strips went in the evening, good ventilation and most of hives had extra super with hardly any honey. Next three days weather was average - half cloudy , no rain , but not hot either. All 7 hives were strong hives with Queens raging from New
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Yes-feeding over winter might be the matter of economics as well. For commercials it properly not worth the hassle and labor I read your post about raw sugar feeding. You obviously have been doing it on commercial scale and bees doing well, but I have wondered do bees digest it properly??...:unsure: -
I noticed lots of activities in my hives. Warm weather on/off , but mainly warm. Two (out of4) hives need extra feed as they were Fall split and had new Qs .I do wonder though...more you feed ..Q things is breeding time and produces more eggs. That is all good if there is more pollen to feed the brood which then needs to feed on honey... but if the supply is limited (as it in winter hive)then the whole process is fruitless . Or should I see it as long term- the hive will be strong as it comes to Spring Flow???
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Hi All, My new hive (started again after AFB burned out...) has been building beautifully over spring. Plenty of honey capped and uncapped , great solid pattern of brood , capped and uncapped . Lots of eggs. One thing I noticed 4 weeks ago that the amount of pollen was significantly reduced to previous years over the same period . Few days ago I had another pick and noticed more pollen, but it seems to be still not as much as I remember previous years. When would you start to worry about the amount of pollen? Does it change daily? or is it the demand/supply scenario and bees know whe
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Other bees.
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No reason.... I think the filter(mesh) was certain size:lol
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Hi, I made the same observation today in one of my hives on some frames...rows of empty cells along the wire, but in a few cells there were young larvae 4 days old? . So eventually bees must use those cells.
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Natural Varroa Management Strategies for Beginners
Maja replied to John Russell's topic in General Beekeeping
Sorry...I do not know the details except that it was trialed by one of " Big Boys " . but not sure for how long... -
Natural Varroa Management Strategies for Beginners
Maja replied to John Russell's topic in General Beekeeping
I think (from my short experience) the small cell size has been already tried in NZ and did not produce the results one hoped for... -
Hi John, I am still a newbie...but by the position your Q cups I would say they are either "emergency" ones or "trail "ones...the real new Q cells are usually on the bottom of the frames.
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Yep ...I have burnt the whole lot...including the combs from earlier harvest. I figured out it will cost me more stress and uncertainty on the long run.. but I had clinical case in one hive and second one was sitting next to it. I feel for you BEEFREE...it sucks!!!!:crap:
