Seems my docile bees have a pet peeve, me scraping off the propolis between frames. They do not like that and manage to get me thru my gloves, not enough to get the stinger in me, but enough to get the venom in. They go after the chrome hive tool and then my hands.
Am I doing something wrong? I try not to disturb any of the bees, but .....My understanding is that I need to scrape that off to keep proper frame spacing.
>Seems my docile bees have a pet peeve, me scraping off the propolis between frames.
Why would you do that? Don't they put it right back? And you make them go to so much work to do it...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#stopscrapingpropolis (http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#stopscrapingpropolis)
MIsconception corrected. Thanks.
Yep, over in Camas, we don't bother scraping the propolis either (based on Michael's recommendation that is)
Mike
I would look for another beekeeper to take advice from.
<BlevinsBees,
Your post doesn't seem clear to me. Could you elaborate as to what you meant? I enjoy getting advice from beekeepers and what works best for them vs the techniques I have learned first hand and in books. Sometimes someone else may have a different technique that works better than the one I'm using and I adjust to the best possible outcome. Each has its own benefits and downfalls, depending on the outcome the individual wishes to achieve. The natural beekeeper may choose to go foundationless as an example when everyone else is using the foundation because thats the way to do it. But in the interest of variety and idea sharing, beekeeping is a limitless realm of ideas that each individual has options to choose from. I myself welcome the advice anyone is willing to offer, choosing what advice might best suit my interest and investment.
If your new like me, your likely in the hives all the time. I certainly found last year that frequently taking frames in and out would stretch and pull the propolis betwean them, so when they went back together they were not as tight....bees add more propolis...I pull again....mix in a few crushed bees and the frame spacing started to get off by year's end and working space in hive was reduced.
That seems like a good reason to scrape the propolis from between the frames, but I hope to do it only once or twice a year not as a regular habit; preferably when doing a major manipulation like a split or harvest...or cleaning up a deadout... and hopefully the need will be less as I learn to leave them alone.
Scraping tends to produce a lot more vibration and chatter, try to get the blade end of the tool in there and slice it off.
Quote from: msully on July 02, 2012, 04:27:26 PM
Yep, over in Camas, we don't bother scraping the propolis either (based on Michael's recommendation that is)
Mike
Wasn't by chance you I bought the nuc from Mike, over close to the gravel pit on 192?????
After you read this link, tell me why you would remove propolis from a hive. Save yourself and your bees allot of work and just squeeze your frames back together using your hive tool as a pry bar.
http://www.personcountybeekeepers.org/events/how-and-why-bees-use-propolis/ (http://www.personcountybeekeepers.org/events/how-and-why-bees-use-propolis/)
Jack,
Maybe, I'm the last house at the top of the road?
Mike
Yep, you were cleaning your extractor when I drove up. Cool. Excellent bees, I am most pleased.
Quote from: windfall on July 03, 2012, 08:44:12 AM
I pull again....mix in a few crushed bees
This right here is probably why your bee's get aggressive. When you crushed the bee's they released alarm pheromone. You scrap the propolis and crushed bee's. You release the sealed up alarm pheromones getting it all over your hive tool.
Bee's attack the tool and by proxy your hands due to the alarm pheromone.