Long running blog

[gerryt]

Can I just say that I have spent the last couple of weeks reading your blog from the beginning Linda?!  And I've really enjoyed it.  I've followed your successes and your difficulties and can really relate (I started keeping bees here in Scotland in 2004).  I think it's a credit to you that you've documented it all and not held back even when you feel you've made a mistake.

One thing I've noticed that I find a bit confusing is that over the years you haven't mentioned much about swarm control.  Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't know, but most of our summer inspections here in Britain are directed towards avoiding losing a swarm.  Maybe I've misread but swarms seem to go missing from people's hives in Georgia pretty regularly!  Hope you don't think I'm criticising - I'm just interested.

In any case thanks for all your efforts and keep it going!

(Now I'm in long-running blog withdrawal - can anyone suggest a blog for me to read as good as Linda's?)

Gerry

[tillie]

Gosh, I'm honored that you spent so much time with my blog.  It has been a lot of fun and continues to be.

You're right - I don't mention swarm control.  I guess because the first two years I was focused on having a hive survive to year two.  After that I've tried to make sure the bees have plenty of room, using checkerboarding for the last two years, but I don't pay as much attention as I should.  I had weak hives at the beginning of the last few years and wasn't worried about their swarming - just was worried that they wouldn't build up enough to survive the year.

We had a drought in Georgia for the last two years and that helped with swarming also because there wasn't any forage and the bees didn't thrive.  This year has been a stellar year in my beekeeping, but I started all over this year with new hives except for my hive at Blue Heron and my top bar.  The top bar did swarm but I wasn't there to witness or do anything.  I split the Blue Heron hive but they had already swarmed. 

So I'll try to focus more on the swarm control and actually write about it next year!

Thanks for the kind attention and comments.

Linda T

[gerryt]

Thanks for the reply Linda.  I do hope you don't think I'm being critical because I love your blog and am full of admiration for you.

But the key thing for me re swarm control is making sure I keep my colonies strong throughout the summer to help with the honey crop and if they're strong going into Autumn and Winter I figure I have the best chance of them making it through to Spring.  Avoiding losing swarms helps with that I think. 

Having said that I am far from perfect and lost a swarm from my strongest colony (I have 5) earlier this month after I had checked them 4 days previously to find QCs charged only with eggs - not usually a cause for concern with swarming.  After they'd gone I went through the colony to find the queen had headed off leaving only two QCs charged with 2/3 day old larvae - so much for the bees reading the books which say a swarm won't leave till there is at least one sealed QC in the hive!  Never mind the bees always find a way to keep things interesting don't they?!

Gerry

[KD4MOJ]

Good job on your blog Linda! I have perused your site many times, visiting the max melter and crush & Strain vids as well. keep up the good work... want to see 1000+ posts!

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[Honeytree]

YES! Those videos are terrific. I especially appreciate the tips on using the extra pan and the tea towels to not cover one's counter tops in honey. Maybe I should add a plastic cuttiing mat and a couple of pestles to my "New Beekeeper Equipment" thread!

Incidentally, Doug, I moved *away* from Tallahassee just two months ago after living there for ten years. North Florida is one of my favorite places in the world.