20th May, 2024
BEEKEEPING TIPS
- When the supers is full or near full add another box underneath. Bees work downwards. When they are filling the new box spin the top box and replace under the supers.
- 10 frame hive. Run 10 frames in the brood and only 9 in the supers. This enables proper bee space so the frames will fill right out.
- Consider using W.A. beeswax sheets in brood. Free of chemicals used for treating varroa mite.
- Plastic foundation in the supers can be used over and over. Beeswax tends to blow out in the extractor.
- Drill a hole the size of a 2 litre milk lid in the front of the supers. Bees will go in and out without having to go through brood then queen excluder. In winter plug using the lid.
- The round bars on stainless steel queen excluders are not harsh on bee wings compared to square bars on plastic queen excluders.
- Honeycomb and pollen are great sellers. Always in high demand.
- Put frames back in the same box they came out of. Don’t put them in another beehive.
- A crown board will stop bees in the roof so honey is only in supers frames not in the lid.
- Ventilated roofs and bottom boards will stop bees bearding in hot weather.
- Use olive oil on outside of boxes instead of painting. Leave inside raw timber. You are tricking them into thinking they live in a tree !! Clever you.
- Don’t remove the frame basket to clean extractor.
- There’s nothing wrong with leaving a small amount of honey in base of extractor. It won’t go off. Honey was found in pyramids and it tasted just fine.
- Consider requeening every year.
- Use Nicot to breed the replacement queens you need and sell off the rest.
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