Hi Steve, It's difficult for me to start but I'm going to try the easy way, to introduce myself. My name is George Tamas, I'm 55 years old, I live in Arad, Romania. I have 11 bee colonies (once I use to run around 60) and I call myself beekeeper. I’m writing to you because I want to start to work with small cells foundation to the frame. I have to tell you that small cells foundation is quite unknown so a lot of beekeepers said that I’m stupid when I said that I want to use small cells. Do excuse me I bother you with my letter . I’m writing because the experts are to difficult with the explanations. If you do accept I’ll ask few questions. All the best to you and your family. Sincerely George
PS.If you do want you can use my email for answers: drone1952@gmail.com I had a small blog named Apinews. It’s write in Romanian language but you can find English language(just click the red aici). The address is : http://drone69.blogspot.com/
Yes its the bee lady in TN again. I personally feel that it is pesticides that are stressing them out too, I agree with the fellow beekeeper in PA. I do not use any pesticides on my garden flowers which is really a drag cause I love roses and so do the Japanese Beetles. I have resorted to picking them off by hand and killing them is vegetable oil. I also do not medicate the bee hives that I have. I use screened bottom boards for all hives except the hives that I have Russian bees in. I check for Varroa in the spring and then in early autumn. Since they prefer the drones - bigger cells, I use a specific type of plastic frame with bigger cells. Twice a year, I pull it out, freeze it, uncap and then put it back into the hive for the bees to clean out the dead drone brood. I use cinnamon to control ants - ants won't cross a line of powdered cinnamon and I also sprinkle it on the edges of the bottom board or edges of the screened boards. I have had more problems with the tough little hive beetle. I saw in the Dadant catalogue a nifty little new device called AJ's Beetle eater that I am going to try. I hate using any pesticide and this little device sits on top of the frames and it filled with vegetable oil. The TN beekeepers manual suggested pouring used motor oil on the ground to discourage weeds and bugs. I was appalled when I read that, because my well wasn't too far away from one group of hives. I wouldn't have done it even if my well hadn't been in close proximity. I have both 3 banded Italians and Russian Bees. I have been re queening all of my Italian hives with Russian Queens. They seem to be less effected and more tolerant of Varroa mites.
The small cell foundation that our Romanian friend George Tamas spoke about is not as unknown as he thinks. It can be purchased here in the states and it is useful in controlling Varroa mite populations since they prefer larger cells ( hence the reason why I use the special drone comb frames).
I will medicate for tracheal mites and that is only menthol which is pretty harmless. If any other disease such as nosema, American or European foulbrood, the colony and the equipment is destroyed and incinerated. This may seem like a drastic step but I am adamant about only keeping survivor colonies which will produce superior bees which in turn will produce a superior honey crop.
CCD is becoming a real problem and I read all that I can about it in the bee journals - American Bee Journal and Bee Culture. Where would we be without the noble honey bee? Since becoming a beekeeper, I've grown to deeply admire the remarkable qualities of these endearing creatures and when I speak of them I refer to them as my girls!!
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Hi Steve,
It's difficult for me to start but I'm going to try the easy way, to introduce myself. My name is George Tamas, I'm 55 years old, I live in Arad, Romania. I have 11 bee colonies (once I use to run around 60) and I call myself beekeeper.
I’m writing to you because I want to start to work with small cells foundation to the frame. I have to tell you that small cells foundation is quite unknown so a lot of beekeepers said that I’m stupid when I said that I want to use small cells.
Do excuse me I bother you with my letter . I’m writing because the experts are to difficult with the explanations.
If you do accept I’ll ask few questions.
All the best to you and your family.
Sincerely
George
PS.If you do want you can use my email for answers: drone1952@gmail.com
I had a small blog named Apinews. It’s write in Romanian language but you can find English language(just click the red aici). The address is :
http://drone69.blogspot.com/
Ask away but i am no expert. you should go to www.beemaster.com to get the answers to any of your questions thats where the real experts are
Stevo,
Yes its the bee lady in TN again. I personally feel that it is pesticides that are stressing them out too, I agree with the fellow beekeeper in PA. I do not use any pesticides on my garden flowers which is really a drag cause I love roses and so do the Japanese Beetles. I have resorted to picking them off by hand and killing them is vegetable oil. I also do not medicate the bee hives that I have. I use screened bottom boards for all hives except the hives that I have Russian bees in. I check for Varroa in the spring and then in early autumn. Since they prefer the drones - bigger cells, I use a specific type of plastic frame with bigger cells. Twice a year, I pull it out, freeze it, uncap and then put it back into the hive for the bees to clean out the dead drone brood. I use cinnamon to control ants - ants won't cross a line of powdered cinnamon and I also sprinkle it on the edges of the bottom board or edges of the screened boards. I have had more problems with the tough little hive beetle. I saw in the Dadant catalogue a nifty little new device called AJ's Beetle eater that I am going to try. I hate using any pesticide and this little device sits on top of the frames and it filled with vegetable oil. The TN beekeepers manual suggested pouring used motor oil on the ground to discourage weeds and bugs. I was appalled when I read that, because my well wasn't too far away from one group of hives. I wouldn't have done it even if my well hadn't been in close proximity. I have both 3 banded Italians and Russian Bees. I have been re queening all of my Italian hives with Russian Queens. They seem to be less effected and more tolerant of Varroa mites.
The small cell foundation that our Romanian friend George Tamas spoke about is not as unknown as he thinks. It can be purchased here in the states and it is useful in controlling Varroa mite populations since they prefer larger cells ( hence the reason why I use the special drone comb frames).
I will medicate for tracheal mites and that is only menthol which is pretty harmless. If any other disease such as nosema, American or European foulbrood, the colony and the equipment is destroyed and incinerated. This may seem like a drastic step but I am adamant about only keeping survivor colonies which will produce superior bees which in turn will produce a superior honey crop.
CCD is becoming a real problem and I read all that I can about it in the bee journals - American Bee Journal and Bee Culture. Where would we be without the noble honey bee? Since becoming a beekeeper, I've grown to deeply admire the remarkable qualities of these endearing creatures and when I speak of them I refer to them as my girls!!
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