Humboldt County CA checking in

[jojoroxx]

Newly hooked bee keeper from the hills of Northern California. I installed 2 packages in early April.
One is doing very well and one floundered somewhat and just today I was forced to re-queen  it. There were no eggs/larvae and not much capped brood left either. I am leaving the cage in for 2 days before I remove the cork...I will also give them a frame or two of brood from my better hive at that point. I left the attendant bees with her. I sure hope it goes ok. It is nerve wracking to work them...every time things get critical - my smoker would go out!! Then I learned about coiling up the burlap/material and it seems to burn better and not smother itself. Well, other than that,  I really love to garden and I have 2 cool dogs that I dryland mush with.

[GaryMinckler]

I enjoy the bees but dog mushing is #1.  Had some awesome teams over the years.

[DayValleyDahlias]

Howdy fellow Californian...hope you aren't  "burnin" up like we are here...

[Cindi]

jojoroxx.  Welcome to our forum.  You will find this a great place to spend lots of time, asking your questions, telling us your stories and tales.  You are off to a good start, your new queen will lead the hive to success.  Have the most wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi

[jojoroxx]

 8-)

I enjoy the bees but dog mushing is #1.  Had some awesome teams over the years.

8-)
Do tell!I love those driving pups and all the crazy stories about 'em..Maybe we'll start a dogdrivingbeelovers thread. Dog powered sports are so fun! And just about anyone, and any dog, can do them.

Now about those bees; I went in Sunday to pop the cork on the queen cage, and the bees were quite clustered around her. But she and the attendants were alive. It was covered just about one or two bees deep, so I went ahead and took the cork out, said a prayer for peace, and drove a hole into the candy to aid in her release. (Being careful not to STAB HER!)

Prior to that relatively calm task, I completely flailed on my "steal some brood" plan. I'd gotten my strong hive open and I nearly dropped the upper brood box - those full size supers ARE heavy! So many bees flew out in great numbers, and worse yet, tumbled out on to the grass! (Read:Total amateur )...luckily, I then saw the queen, safe and sound, in the lower box.  Besides my own clumsiness, there were two major obstacles to simply "stealing brood"; 1st off - There are an amazing amount of bees clinging to these frames! So then what? Just brush them all off? And then they buzz all around me? What next. I also felt bad contemplating taken the beautiful capped honey and pollen that was also on the frame.... Secondly - I had no replacement frame on hand... drrrr ...Should have I had both hives open at once? No way. By then, my nerves were really starting to jangle. So I closed it up and figured she is just gonna have to lay her own eggs. There are still 3-4 frames over 50% filled with capped brood in the re-queened hive, but no eggs or young brood for about 2 weeks. Will this be a huge issue? They have tons of honey and pollen, and actually there are a pretty good amount of bees too, considering.

I should probably secure some more gear for use as spares. Oh, and start an upper body buff-up routine! :mrgreen:

http://bp1.blogger.com/_UfPFitzyrfI/SD4zOogzQJI/AAAAAAAADOU/FzR3veqNUSQ/s1600-h/may28bees3.jpg

P.S. There is a good collection of lightning strike fires in Humboldt and Mendocino county; nearly 100! Some are small, but there are a couple fairly large ones, that are not yet contained. The smoke is hazy, but isn't too bad - yet.

[Cindi]

Jojoroxx.  Nice story, by the way.  Just a quick comment here.  Bees don't like to be brushed, it annoys and irritates them.  When I need to have a good look at a frame and it is too covered in bees, I just give a quick little drop motion and the bees fall off, most of them.  Hard to describe what I am meaning, but kind of a bump in the air while I am holding the frame.  Never shake a frame of brood hard to get the bees off, that can cause damage to the brood.  But a light shake to "bump" off the bees is OK.  That is what I do.  When I am getting the honey frames out I still do this bump in air thing and then I lightly brush off the rest with a big ol' chicken/turkey feather.  I prefer a feather to a brush, softer and it appears to less annoy the girls.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi