What would you say is the one thing in your bee yard that you can't live without??
I am beginning to think it is my nucs! This spring, I decided to keep two nucs for holding queens. But, I have already used them to 'pump' in life into my hives.. They are brimming with bees and brood, so after two of my hives swarmed (and I couldn't find them) I removed several frames from them and placed it into the hives and now they are strong as they were.
I would say my bee keeping friends but they are not in my bee yard. If they haddn't donated 3 swarms to me I wouldn't have bees now. I had to destroy both of my boughten packages of bees which had some type of problem that looked like AFB but was different in a couple of ways. The opened cells didn't stink, and the mucus wasn't stringy like AFB is supposed to be. It is runny and looks like chocolate milk.
So having to chose some thing I will say the bowl of rocks so the girls can get water just out side the hives and not drown.
:D Al
I'd have to say my bees :lol: They stay on the comb when I'm doing inspections and they are real gentle as long as I'm gentle with them.
Maybe my hive tool. I don't chip the frames or boxes when I use it and it works as a GREAT shovel.
A shovel :shock: ??????
Yep. I have used them as shovels way before I got bees. My dad had a hive tool left over after he got rid of his hives and started using it as a shovel. It works great for digging weeds.
You know, I gotta try that :D
I assume you mean other than me, the beekeeper? :D
I would have to say it's the thermometer that I keep on the hive.
I wouldn't say it is the best thing in my yards, but I really like using my bee brush.
QuoteWhat would you say is the one thing in your bee yard that you can't live without??
That's easy. Hive tool. I carry two with me in the bee yard.
I gotta say the bees, the rest is kinda pointless without them.
I'm with you on the Bees being the best part.
Other than the girls I would have to say that I like playing with making boxes and other stuff. I am working on an extractor and I am always playing with new ideas I have read here. I really like the learning process!
"What would you say is the one thing in your bee yard that you can't live without?"
My smoker would be at the top of my list, next jacket and veil, I usually keep a knife with me so can use that if I don't have a hive tool, a frame rest really comes in handy, especially when pulling individual honey frames for harvesting, which leads to extra woodenware to hold frames, which leads to extra hives complete with top cover and bottom board for catching or housing swarms.
Still, there's nothing like having your truck with all your tools handy in case the unexpected occurs such as having to rebuild a box or fix frames, etc...
Obviously all this makes no sense whatsoever if you don't have good access to your hives!
...JP
My husband. He is the one who started us with the bees and introduced me to a whole new world. I now enjoy working with them as much as he does and it brings me great joy to walk out to where the hives are and just stand and listen to the "hummm".
I would have to say the wire spools I put at each bee yard. My hive areas are cleared, then landscape felt and fine stone layered on top. The composit wire spools give me a place to set equipment as the hives are worked in stead of setting things with sticky on them in the stone. They can be rolled to the next hive if it needs to be closer.
Life!
Well i can't safely say it's not my brain cause the bees have me convinced thier smarter then i am. So i'd have to say the all knowing bees have to be the best thing in my bee yard. Probably a smoker after that cause i've learned my lesson about not lighting one up even for a quick inspection.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Quote from: hankdog1 on March 22, 2010, 02:18:07 AM
Probably a smoker after that cause i've learned my lesson about not lighting one up even for a quick inspection.
LOL1 Smoker would be at the top of my list
2 Jacket and Veil
3 Hive tool
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Quote from: hankdog1 on March 22, 2010, 02:18:07 AM
Probably a smoker after that cause i've learned my lesson about not lighting one up even for a quick inspection.
Al, I understand that European foul brood is not stringy.
The bees! Regardless of how many boneheaded mistakes I make when inspecting them, they are really forgiving. Even when I drop a frame as I did yesterday. They just buzzed around for a couple of minutes to remind me of what a klutz I am and then, went back to their frame and started doing what they do!