Subject: | |
From: | Aaron Morris <SYSAM@ALBNYVM1> |
Reply To: | Discussion of Bee Biology <BEE-L@ALBNYVM1> |
Date: | Fri, 11 Aug 89 10:06:22 EDT |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
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There hasn't been any activity on this line in a long time. Maybe due
to summertime activity? I've been conversing with others but not via
this list, so I thought I'd post my last correspondence in an attempt to
stir things up a little.
Ed,
Sorry not to have responded sooner.
Concerning your questions... I have ALWAYS used queen excluders.
I was always concerned about having the queen move up to use the honey
supers as brood chambers. Did you ever experience this? I really
can't say as to whether they make a difference or not since I've never
gone without. When I first started keeping bees I used the cheap plastic
kind and they were a real mess! Between burr comb and propolis, and the
fact that they lie in contact with the tops of the frames, I believe
they were more bother than anything. I've since tried wire excluders
and have found them to be far superior. Since there is a gap between
frames and excluder, the bees don't seem to fill them with 'gunk'. They
still build burr comb on them/in them, but a few minutes in a warm over
will melt that and cleanup is relatively easy.
About American Bee Journal (ABJ), I found it to be very interesting. A
bit more comercial than I needed (Honey prices in Argentina?!), but also
a good source of information that you won't be likely to find elsewhere.
Also some good tips - I remember one article written by the guy in Guiness
Book of Records for most honey from a single hive (400+ pounds!). It was
particularly interesting. Couldn't tell you when it was published.
Eventually though, I found I wasn't reading it very often and I let my
subscription expire.
Ventilation: I have ventilated some years and other years I have not.
All my hives have inner and telescoping outter covers. During honey season
I leave the outter cover propped up on the front of the top super instead
of lieing flat. As far as between super ventilation I can't say whether
it makes a difference or not. I don't recall if it made a noticable
difference in temperament of the hive or effected production (although I
don't keep records). This year (The year of the record Honey Flow!), I
didn't provide between super ventilation. So, who knows?
Finally, Maxant. I've heard of them, but I don't know anything about
them now. Actually my only exposure to the company is seeing their ads
in ABJ. I was on their mailing list for a while, but I never bought
anything from them so they either dropped me from their list or loss
of my business made them go bankrupt. I assume the former but I really
don't know. I get my supplies from a local bee keeper and Dadant
distributer who passes his discount for large orders on to us little guys.
You can't beat that!
Closing with a disclaimer. I'm a hobby bee keeper who read so much
that the only thing left to do was to just do it. So I got a beginner
kit from Sears and started in '72 and have been at it ever since. I
have no training other than reading and shooting the breeze with other
beekeepers and I only have a small apiary (currently only four hives
although I like to keep a half dozen). Indeed it is nice to correspond
with others in the field.
§Aaron Morris Ed Sterling 8/11/89 Bee questions
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