Bummed about my bees or lack there of

Mason · February 14, 2011, 02:11:20 PM

Well,

I almost made it through the winter. Much to my disappointment it looks as if my last hive recently failed. Only a few surviving bees with a pile dead on the bottom board. I hardly see how there could be enough bees to sustain even if by some miracle the queen is still alive.

Here's my problem. My normal bee supplier is sold out of packages and can't find any bees to get started with a few more hives. Anyone know who has available packages?

Jim134 · February 14, 2011, 02:34:57 PM

Why not call Rossman :?
Rossman Apiaries Inc.
P. O. Box 909
Moultrie, Georgia 31776-0909

1-800-333-7677
[email protected]

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 - 5 (EST)
FAX : 229-985-0209

http://gabees.com/pkg_bees.htm

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

VolunteerK9 · February 14, 2011, 03:38:00 PM

Walter Kelley still has some on their website. I'm not sure where they get them from though.

Mason · February 14, 2011, 03:59:06 PM

I got a package on the way from them. Completely booked and I won't be getting them until May 23rd. I was hoping to get something sooner. I would have ordered some packages earlier but I thought I was going to make it.

iddee · February 14, 2011, 05:29:18 PM

Have you talked to fatbeeman?

http://www.fatbeeman.com/

VolunteerK9 · February 15, 2011, 02:07:18 PM

Quote from: Mason on February 14, 2011, 03:59:06 PM
I got a package on the way from them. Completely booked and I won't be getting them until May 23rd. I was hoping to get something sooner. I would have ordered some packages earlier but I thought I was going to make it.

Until I reach my goal of at least 25 hives, I'm going to plan on ordering nucs or packages every year (can only afford 2-3 a year) and I may still buy a package a year after that for genetic diversity. There's always room for just one more :-D

KD4MOJ · February 15, 2011, 04:33:55 PM

Hopefully you (or some buds) can catch a swarm or two. They'll be doing that before May23rd at least! I've seen swarms around here in early Feb (although not too common).

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

bailey · February 15, 2011, 09:23:00 PM

how early you want them mason?
im doing nucs not packages.

im making cell builders tomorrow and might even graft some if i have time. :-D

im going to bud 3 and can bring you a few then
pm me if interested in details.
bailey

Brian D. Bray · February 19, 2011, 12:42:00 AM

Quote from: VolunteerK9 on February 15, 2011, 02:07:18 PM
Quote from: Mason on February 14, 2011, 03:59:06 PM
I got a package on the way from them. Completely booked and I won't be getting them until May 23rd. I was hoping to get something sooner. I would have ordered some packages earlier but I thought I was going to make it.

Until I reach my goal of at least 25 hives, I'm going to plan on ordering nucs or packages every year (can only afford 2-3 a year) and I may still buy a package a year after that for genetic diversity. There's always room for just one more :-D

25 hives: Buy 4 packages or nucs, split them in July, that makes 8, if you lose 2 overwinter you still have 6. 2nd year split each hive in by May 1st, that makes 12, split again in July, that makes 24, if you lose 10 overwinter you still have 14. 3rd year split hives in May that makes 28 and you get a honey harvest 2.
But if you really want to grow hives split a nuc off of each hive every 6 weeks from Mid-April to Mid-August. You'll fin that the 1st 2 splits will be splitable come Jun-Aug. The orignal hive(s) can be split as many as 4 times in 1 year that way and the 1st and maybe the 2nd splits can also be split. It's fairly straightforward to start with 2 hives and end up with 16+.

TwoHoneys · February 20, 2011, 08:26:27 AM

Wow, Brian, that plan to build up hives gives me all kinds of hope. I'm gonna do it.

-Liz

Brian D. Bray · February 20, 2011, 08:29:41 PM

Just don't expect any kind of honey harvest using my 4 split system. You're trading hives for honey with the hope of bigger rewards the following year. The 2nd year it's nice to keep half the hives for honey production and multiple split the other half and end up with around 100 hives at the end of year 2 plus a small honey crop or .5-1 ton, given good forage.

Mason · February 22, 2011, 02:20:44 PM

Well I have the one package coming late May. I have a buddy that found some bees in some abandoned hives. There were about 9 old hives all rotting in the woods on his property and he just told me today that there is some bee activity. I'm heading up there weekend after next to see if we can capture some of them.

I also ordered some bee hormones for trap bait. I suppose I will just use an empty brood box and see if I can maybe get some bees interested.

I am not giving up. I think this will be a good experience and make me a better beekeeper for it.

Mason