Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: chux on January 21, 2015, 11:27:00 AM

Title: Think before you do.
Post by: chux on January 21, 2015, 11:27:00 AM
Think before you do. Please remind me of that later. We need to think about why we are doing zomething, and walk through the process mentally, before follow through. So simple. What dI'd I do? I decided I needed to take a honey super out of the freezer and carry it to a bee yard, just in case the hive needed some honey. Without thinking it through, I put the frozen super in my truck and drove on several errands, giving it time to warm up. You know what happened. Several brittle combs broke. I used rubber bands to put them back in the frames.

Just reminding myself, and everybody, think first. A lot of bad can come from good intentions not thought out.
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: Michael Bush on January 21, 2015, 02:14:28 PM
I could have been worse.  You could have put that block of ice on the hive and froze all the bees...
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: jayj200 on January 21, 2015, 08:02:12 PM
good to know
thanks
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: GSF on January 21, 2015, 08:10:08 PM
..at least you didn't grab the hot smoker with your bare hand. :cry:
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: divemaster1963 on January 21, 2015, 08:21:45 PM
Or popping the lid off a angry hive and forget to zipp your hood all the way leaving a direct line to you neck and chin. :oops: :cry:

John
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: Richard M on January 21, 2015, 09:02:02 PM
Quote from: divemaster1963 on January 21, 2015, 08:21:45 PM
Or popping the lid off a angry hive and forget to zipp your hood all the way leaving a direct line to you neck and chin. :oops: :cry:

John

Been there done that, read the book, seen the movie and got the T-shirt.
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: Michael Bush on January 22, 2015, 10:07:04 AM
>Or popping the lid off a angry hive and forget to zipp your hood all the way leaving a direct line to you neck and chin.

Yea... it pretty much goes like this.  Zap... you feel the sting and wonder, how did that bee get... zap... another one?  the same spot?  zap... time to back away... and sure enough, it's not quite finished zipping up. and they found the one open spot and followed each other in.  Three stings in a row in the same spot on your throat is not pleasant...
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: L Daxon on January 23, 2015, 04:20:10 PM
That's what this site is for:  to share our boo boos so others don't make the same mistakes.  But regardless, we all seem capable of making new mistakes on our own.

I usually make the same mistake several times, just to make sure it was really a mistake.  I am also a slow learner :oops:
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: BeeMcq on January 24, 2015, 03:52:32 PM
Rookie mistake,  One bee got bee under the Vail. First instinct  opened it up to get that one be out.
Should have taken the one sting from that one bee.  While trying to get the one bee out I took 24 stings to the head,  from a angry hive. That was a very quick lesson.
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: vmmartin on January 25, 2015, 10:53:52 AM
Wise decision Chux.  I have learned that beekeeping as in life, is much more productive and pleasant when thoroughly pondered on before actions are taken.  A smart old beek told me once that most problems with your beehives are caused by the person holding the smoker.  I always try to ask myself a few questions first.
What is my goal?
What is the risk vs. reward?
How can I achieve that goal the least intrusive way?

Best wishes.
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: GSF on January 25, 2015, 08:07:13 PM
vmmartin;

Glad to see you made it by! Hope all is well with you and yours.
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: Michael Bush on January 26, 2015, 08:22:47 AM
"There are a few rules of thumb that are useful guides. One is that when you are confronted with some problem in the apiary and you do not know what to do, then do nothing. Matters are seldom made worse by doing nothing and are often made much worse by inept intervention." --The How-To-Do-It book of Beekeeping, Richard Taylor
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: stanisr on January 26, 2015, 11:13:26 AM
Amen, I don't know how many times I have had to walk away to think before doing something stupid. And I don't know how many times I should have walked away and didn't, resulting in something stupid.  :angry:
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: Michael Bush on January 26, 2015, 03:03:26 PM
I figure there are two things that require IMMEDIATE action: robbing and swarming.  If they are clustered on a tree, you need to collect them.  If they are being robbed you need to stop it.  Everything else can wait until tomorrow...
Title: Re: Think before you do.
Post by: chux on January 26, 2015, 08:27:22 PM
Words of wisdom, Mr. Bush. Thanks much. I need to write that down for the bee club.