Maja

Simple- less trotting up and down the corridor for cups of tea ... Thank YOU ALL for recommendations!

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

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

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:

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 to 2 years and had good brood pattern and lots of honey stores. Strips were left for 3 weeks . Over next few weeks I kept checking for Queens and brood- in 2 hives Queens disappeared (and hive started to draw their Emergency Cells), 3 were very slow in laying(started 3 weeks after removal of strips), 2 stayed strong . :confused::confused::confused: Thanks!

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 when and how much they need at the time? and as long as hive is building up one should not be concern?:unsure:

Other bees.

No reason.... I think the filter(mesh) was certain size:lol

Sorry...I do not know the details except that it was trialed by one of " Big Boys " . but not sure for how long...

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.

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: