Keeping ants out

[sc-bee]

You are on your way to be a great beekeeper with such a thin skin.  Ants are everywhere but in the north east they are not a problem for honeybees.  I don't want any newbies up here thinking they are.

There is no need for me to wonder why participation on this forum has dwindled. It is right here in black and white...the forum admins needs to decide whether the forum wants to assist folks including new folks or be a good ole boys clubs..... just saying...

[Cappy]

There is no need for me to wonder why participation on this forum has dwindled. It is right here in black and white...the forum admins needs to decide whether the forum wants to assist folks including new folks or be a good ole boys clubs..... just saying...

Amen. And yep, I reported him. But there is a need for "active" admins. That's why I had to go thru the facebook page to get my account activated.

[Acebird]

I don't understand why some older folks on this board come swinging the way you do.  Asking before rendering an opinion may deliver your message in a better way, as opposed to condescending.  Oh yes, Mike Palmer and Randy Oliver are in sync on this.  I actually communicated with Randy and he has a study on feeding for comb production.  The only right thing you said was "Vermont is a heaven for bees"

I am very sorry that I have upset you.  Please accept my apologies.  Sometimes I come on too strong.  Both Mike and Randy are brilliant beekeepers but Mike is in your back yard.  He knows Vermont better than anyone.  I am not part of the good ole boys club.  I have no influence at all on Beemasters.  The participation on this forum has not dwindled in the least.  Certainly not because on my post.  I have not posted on this thread in a month and will not do so in the future.
Again, please accept my apologies.

[VermontHoneyBee]

Thank you for the apology. 

Ants are no longer a problem.  I used tanglefoot and coffee grounds both suggestions from this forum.  My goal with feeding was to accelerate drawing of comb which I think I was very successful.

I have 6 hives.  Each was fed starting on May 30th and for 3 weeks.  In three weeks all hives went from a 5 frame nuc to 2 deeps (8 frames) and one medium (8 frames).  By July 4, two of my hives needed honey supers and filled 1 solid 8 frame medium super.  I am adding a super to every hive tomorrow.  It has been hard keeping up with the girls because I really did not expect any honey year one.

Our second nectar flow has not even gotten started.  It is possible that I will end up collecting at least 6 honey supers this year alone.  I also repurposed 3 acres from lawn to wild flowers and it is in full bloom today. 

I don't know if my luck will continue.  I hope so.  My mite count is 1 to 2 per hundred and I am monitoring closely

Thanks

[sc-bee]

I am not part of the good ole boys club.  I have no influence at all on Beemasters.  The participation on this forum has not dwindled in the least.  Certainly not because on my post.  I have not posted on this thread in a month and will not do so in the future.
Again, please accept my apologies.

As far as dwindle I am comparing it too years in past and I don't mean just five years.... yes a lot has changed and times do change things. One reason this site flourished in the beginning was because of the back biting and arrogant attitudes over on that other site. There is no way Beemaster John would put up with the BULL I have seen on here in the past year or so.

Don't get me wrong sawdustmkr (Jim) does a good job but when folks throw out slangs and comments it makes Jim's volunteer job harder and also discourages folks in particular new folks who come here to learn reluctant to participate. I assure you I am an old fart and my thick skin can handle it but THAT AIN"T THE POINT. So as far as posting ACE the decision is YOURS. I personally think you have a lot to add to the page and are a strong member but it is your choice to BEE part of the solution and not a part of the OTHER.

Good Day Brother

[sc-bee]

Our second nectar flow has not even gotten started.  It is possible that I will end up collecting at least 6 honey supers this year alone.  I also repurposed 3 acres from lawn to wild flowers and it is in full bloom today. 

What did you plant?

[VermontHoneyBee]

I bought 15 pounds of Vermont Wild flower from the Vermont Wildflower farm.  They sell a "Pollinator" centric mix designed for bees.  The mix contains many flowers that bloom at different times.  For the past 3 weeks it has been flowering none stop.  The mix is designed to provide self seeding so I should not have to do anything next year.  So far it has worked out great and the best part, not to mention that it looks beautiful and wild, is that I don't have to argue with my son to cut the grass :)

I have learned a lot from this forum.  I do appreciate your comments and totally agree.  This forum should be a safe environment where we share opinions and tactics.  Honestly, I have has several issues and every one was fixed by suggestions found here.  Let's work on making this forum a forum based on mutual respect where ideas are respected and debated.  I think then people will feel safe to post things that may be crazy or completely wrong.  It is all about the approach :)

[sc-bee]

What kind of prep did you have too do and post some pictures...

[VermontHoneyBee]

Before my nucs arrived, I used roundup to kill all the grass.  I ended up having to treat three times but eventually I killed everything.  Two weeks later I used a rototiller just to break up the dead grass and seeded.  That is all I did.  I only had to water twice.  I will take some photos.

I like how it turned out that I am doing the acre in front of the house.  It is just really nice and no lawn.  I still have lawn in the back of the house but the wild flowers are a hit at my house.  I don't know if weeds will eventually take over but I am hoping that as long as the local wild plants are maintained strong, weeds will not win.  I see a lot of open fields in Vermont that no one weeds and the wild flowers do well.

Thanks

[eltalia]

" I think then people will feel safe to post things that may be crazy or completely wrong.  It is all about
the approach :)"

What you think VHB, Sir, is important in then evolving what you do personally believe...
... and that is the end of it. Any new player is entitled, welcomed even, to express their
thoughts, anywhere... in a perfect World.
However it aint (perfect) and so some do develop a 'hardness' for new players who
then choose to challenge what they are advised, moreso when quoting some bespoke '
'guru' as verified reference.
I'd be the last to back Acebird on anything - pretty much - as g00gle.com is not
beekeeping per se, however reacting to his posts is silly when you do not know the topic.
Resorting to quoting others gets you nowhere and gives folks like myself the grits as that
default reflects a "beekeeping by numbers" approach, devoid of independant thinking
around understanding the topic.
In this case ants - another social communal organism.
So the solution is very simple, kill the queen or queens and ants are gone, period.
Think on how to do that -  for example.
Now...
... you are buying wildflower packs, something some entrepreneur clicked onto in that
"Save the Bees" crowd persuasion. In short, sucker bait.
There are stats published on what backyard bees benefit from as forage and it is not a
patch of a few acres of wildflowers, regardless of what it says on the packet.
And...
... you are feeding bees lollywater, and again following what you read not what you see.
Most here do know doing so (lollywater) is a pet peeve of mine. I do what I can to
discourage the practice for backyard bees but it is true one may as well take a leak from
the top of the beetruck heading into a gale!
You run backyard colonys.
Yes there are times to feed bees. No, not lollywater.
Your 'job' is to manage your colonys around what they can do.. *in your yard*.
You are not the frenchie goose farmer making commercial pate, okay?
Metaphorical but exactly what significant numbers believe tbey can do in their backyard in
emulating commercial enterprises in any of the Apis disciplines for profit.

Patience is indeed required in beekeeping successes, that and knowing what your bees
_are_ doing is at the core of starting out. Way way too many are on the More-Is-Best Train,
and thus cannot drag themselves off the lollywater tit.
You feed your bees what stores you can gather. Growing colonys you cannot support in
that way (lollywater) is folly, whether new to it or as insistent in repeating a mistake as to
gather years "at it".

It is likely pointless in mentioning but you have a think about why selfpromoting 'gurus' do
run against what ecology and bee biology dictate... start with knowing some are earning
well over $4000 USD  a weekend (holidays)  during the tour season in filling the heads of
absorbant new players as yourself. Others produce hoardes of nucs @$250 USD each, to
again sell off to new players as yourself. Yet others are flogging DisneyLand queens at $80
a pop.... and let's not go down the "natural raw honey" path, hey!
Then there is EweTube, the shearing crate of the Internet!!!
It _is_ an industry.... and buggerall to do with Bee Husbandry.

... go well, stay safe, and Lucks to your bees.

Bill

[buzzbee]

Gee,
I haven't been here in a while, but one of the first posts I come across and I see infractions of one of the main forum rules going out the window here.
We have always been a forum of civil discourse.
This is a snippet from the bylaws if you need to refresh yourselves.


Be kind to other members, do not put them down, bait them into fighting or do anything to create a fight whether in open forum or private messaging. Trashing another member will surely lead you toward the banishment door quickly. New members are expected to abide by the same rules as seasoned members. We believe that Ignorance of a rule is NO excuse to break it – you are expected to read the bylaws and strictly abide by them.

Here is a link to the bylaws at the top of the main forum page. If you need a refresher. guys
https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=19652.0
Take note to repercussions on personal attacks.

Keep it civil people or keep it to yourself. I may not come often, but I will not let Johns forum legacy be turned upside down.   

[sc-bee]

... you are buying wildflower packs, something some entrepreneur clicked onto in that
"Save the Bees" crowd persuasion. In short, sucker bait.
There are stats published on what backyard bees benefit from as forage and it is not a
patch of a few acres of wildflowers, regardless of what it says on the packet.

Vermont.... The point is if you enjoy the flowers, and the kid benefits from not mowing  , so BEE it plant them. Will the small plot benefit the bees much to a point you see a return.... most likely not. But if you plant three acres and the neighbor down the road plants three and so on and so on.... who knows??? Actually USDA has a pollinator program and they prefer to sponsor and encourage small plots of a few acres vs large plantings.

[VermontHoneyBee]

" I think then people will feel safe to post things that may be crazy or completely wrong.  It is all about
the approach :)"

What you think VHB, Sir......
... go well, stay safe, and Lucks to your bees.

Bill

Bill, talk about approach....  We are talking about different opinions here are we not?.  You mention that the approach is key and yet, re-read your post and see your approach.  Was your approach appropriate and proportionally correct?.  Come down, read the entire post before going off the deep end.  I fed my bees for 3 weeks.  The decision to feed them was based on documented studies both by experts on this board as well as Mr. Oliver.  Why is my topic so electrifying?.  Why are people making assumptions based on no facts?.  I fed them for 3 weeks once the drew the comb I wanted.  They have not had any problems supporting their populations and in fact if you read my posts, in the past week they filled a honey super.  I stopped feeding them more than 3 weeks ago.

About the seeds, I did not plant it for them for the bees, I planted flowers that grow wild in my area (known as one of the best areas in the world for beekeeping (Champlain valley).  I bought the seeds primarily to not have to cut grass. 

As we say in the US "Take a chill pill".  Apparently every decision I have made so far is wrong.  You don't know why I bought the seeds and all their blends are about the same price.  I bought that bland based on extensive research I did to make sure that everything in there indeed was native to my area in Vermont. 

If everything I have done is wrong or because I am an inpatient "New Beekeeper", I must have dumb bees.  I started with 6 hives.  Each hive has exploded in population.  I did one inspection today of one of my hives and it had 11 deep frames solid with capped brood.  In addition, 3 frames with brood in all stages.  I started with 6 hives and now I have 6 hives with so many bees I am fighting their drive to swarm.  They are so packed that I already split 3 hives into 2 production hives and one queenless nuc.  Now I have 9 hives.  I started a new nuc with no queen because I wanted them to raise their own queen.  I inspected that nuc today and it has 6 capped queen cells (I had given them a frame of eggs).  The queens will come out this week and I hope to have a laying queen in 14 days or so.

Out of my 6 initial hives, I did not lose any.  Today the number is 9 hives (including the nucs).

So if I am so bad, then my bees must be super special that despite my stupidity, they are still thriving.  I belong to a bee club near me and many were complaining that they lost their hives, or that they swarmed, or that they are still in just a few frames.  I don't know if I am better than anyone but I have done a lot of research, hundreds of hours where I built a several hundred page electronic notebook with notes.  I have attended many classes and speeches and I researched for 3 years before I bought a single bee.  Why?  Because I wanted to do it right.  It is how I am.

Now, let's respect each other and don't make assumptions.  My bees are doing great, I am enjoying this board (well some postings more than others).  I pick the information that I find makes sense to me and my area.  I may be doing everything wrong but my bees don't seem to agree.  I do many things for many reasons but not always what you may think.  Hope that this makes sense.

If this is such an electrifying topic, perhaps we need to put a warning to let people know to read this thread at their own risk

Thanks

[VermontHoneyBee]

Vermont.... The point is if you enjoy the flowers, and the kid benefits from not mowing  , so BEE it plant them. Will the small plot benefit the bees much to a point you see a return.... most likely not. But if you plant three acres and the neighbor down the road plants three and so on and so on.... who knows??? Actually USDA has a pollinator program and they prefer to sponsor and encourage small plots of a few acres vs large plantings.

Agreed 100%.  I know that I can never make a dent.  My intent is more to take my property to be more wild than manicured.  I am not a fan of cutting grass and my son is allergic to any type of hard labor (even cleaning his own room).  I may turn all of my grass into wild fields.  Many people are doing this in Vermont so I think the community, working together, do make a difference.  People here are bees "aware".  I am in the middle of milk farms and I was talking to one of the owners of a farm near me and asked him why he was not cutting his hay before they flower.  I knew why because Vermont is trying to educate as many people as possible.  He said, just a few more weeks makes no difference to him and he knows the bees will benefit if the fields are allowed to flower.  He told me exactly what I wanted to hear because my bees forage on his fields.  I told him that I was going to give him honey this year and he went inside his house and gave me two gallons of Maple Syrup.  Yes, he has a sugar house in his property.  I thought that was really nice of him.  I did ask him if I can put hives in his land next year and we share honey profits and he said yes.  I don't even know what a fair share would be but we will see.  If my bees survive the winter and I continue to thrive, I will put 6 or 8 hives in the middle of his fields.  We will see.  I am very optimistic   

[eltalia]

VermontHoneyBee wrote:

" I think then people will feel safe to post things that may be crazy or completely wrong.
  It is all about the approach :)"

What you think VHB, Sir, is important in then evolving what you do personally believe...
... and that is the end of it. [\quote]

>Bill, talk about approach....  We are talking about different opinions here
> are we not?.

No.

>You mention that the approach is key and yet, re-read your post and see
>your approach.  Was your approach appropriate and proportionally correct?.

Sorry? As is posted, I defined _your_ reflected approach to beekeeping.
Shoot me and all others who reach the very same conclusion on your own
evidence, Sir.
Now...
In my read of your reposte I cannot find (proportionally) the word "ant" even
getting a passing mention.
I may well be "just dumb ol' words" on an Internet page, Sir... yet in
quicktime on this here Internet thingy I have learnt(learned) well not
to engage in 'argument' which begins with false premise to expand
then where-ever the proposer wishes to take Topic.
A method well oiled in some debating circles, known universally as
Series Expansion.
I am certain many here would require a g00gle.com expansion of the
method.

... mind how you go.

Bill

[edited for tap tap misfires]

[VermontHoneyBee]

>Bill, talk about approach....  We are talking about different opinions here
> are we not?.

No.

>You mention that the approach is key and yet, re-read your post and see
>your approach.  Was your approach appropriate and proportionally correct?.

Sorry? As is posted, I defined _your_ reflected approach to beekeeping.
Shoot me and all others who reach the very same conclusion on your own
evidence, Sir.

Bill

[edited for tap tap misfires]

I don't even know where to begin.  Let's just say that I don't need your input, did not ask for your insults and don't think I have done anything to raise such a strong attack.  Since I upset you so much, how about you not commenting or replying to any of my posts?.  Can we do that?.  I started this thread with a simple question and some people have gotten so upset that this thread is no longer about ants or even bees.  I am new to beekeeping and will make mistakes but I hope that when I am an expert, that I do not ever talk to anyone like you do.  Are you matured enough to not respond or react to any of my posts?.  I don't need to be bullied...  I am here to learn, share ideas and even debate them.  However debating is not ever supposed to be about challenging anyone's ideas or a platform to insult others.  Frankly, I am seriously thinking of leaving this board and I never thought I would write that.  I read the bylaws and I don't see anywhere where we, if we disagree or even make a mistake, creates a platform where insults can happen.

I went into this hobby hoping that it would be a great experience and that I would find a welcoming community willing to debate and share experiences.  What I am finding is that there are a few "Prima Donnas" who think they are the authority in beekeeping.  I started this thread based on a well documented research by Mr. Oliver, who btw I spoke to personally on this very topic".  But you somehow think I am crazy.  Sounds like if we don't agree with you, we are wrong.  That kind of mentality is one where new ideas, new concepts and new discoveries are ever allowed.  That kind of mentality, if allowed, would result in all of us still thinking the world is flat.  I have ideas, I do research, I share here, if you don't like it, you are welcome to ignore all my posts.  Sincerely thinking I am done with this board.

[buzzbee]

I am locking this thread due to its downhill spiral. This is not the type of conversation needed here at Beemaster. If you want to start a new thread and keep it civil,have at it.
I got notices through different channels on this threasd, so learn to get along and no personal attacks. Period.