There is so much information in this short vid, I'd have to read an entire book to get as much... thanks Fred, just great the amount of helpful stuff you shared here. You da man! 👍
I’m really enjoying your videos. You were on my recommended feed yesterday so I’m new to your videos. The narrations are informative, easy to listen to and understand. Your videography is top notch.
I was surprised during the video of the landing board not to see any drones. Maybe I missed one but I was looking for them. Thanks for the video. Enjoy your weekend.
My son has a very moist muddy area from the drainage of his ice maker. The bees love that spot. They seem to get the water out of the mud rather than any small pools.
Hi Fred... wonderful videography again. I hope you can do a Flow Hive harvest again this year and hopefully get grandsons to do a taste test so we can see how Flow Hives allow differentiation of honey by source. Cheers, Johno
Thanks for the info! After watching this Video, I moved my Birdbath from full sun to into my Fern area that stays mostly shady and cool. I have Bio Ceramic Balls in the water so they won't drown. As soon as I moved it a bee came over to investigate!
Thank You for all of the information. As a new bee keeper I am trying watch all of your videos.I think I am learning a lot of helpful information. Chuck Tanner from upstate NY
I have set up water stations for the bees a couple times. Both stagnant and flowing and both were unsuccessful. As least my bees find their own preferred water source. I have a pond on the property and they tend to land there. None the less, water is something I didn’t think about when I first started beekeeping. Thanks for talking about this issue.
Mine were attacking the fountain nextdoor, I put a sprinkler on a timer because the beehives ar in my garden. At my other yard I put a small tray under the water drain for my air conditioner. It's cool and free.
Hi Mark, things seem to happen fast this time of year and I'm a little behind on my inspections due to photogrpahy commitments. I hope you find good things in yours!
You people who depend on Well Water need to keep in mind--Drip Calculator---1 drip per second equals 5.7 gallons per day and 2, 083 gallons per year...so if you are worried about running out of Water in a drought...be careful and mindful.
"Rooster crowing, not Jurassic Park." Just think how terrifying it would be if honeybees made those primordial sounds of old. A giant honeybee chasing a jeep out of the apiary. 🤣
Hi Fred. Took a break from beekeeping to make clothing for my great grandchild. Just installed my first two nucs and am super excited. I was wondering how your hives overwinter with just the insulated top. If you covered it just let me know what episode. Watching a few a day to catch up. Thank you for all you do! Carolanne Geneseo NY
The insulated tops could only be quantified by the amount of leftover honey in spring. There was much more surplus honey in the hives with insulated covers. I will continue with some sort of hive top insulation going forward.
Yessir. Just like we need water, so do these lovely bees. ❤️ The sun in Philly is no joke, but I walked past bees with pollen baskets on their legs working super hard. :) I was so excited, it was my first time seeing pollen baskets in person! Edit: Also aside from water what else can a beekeeper do to keep them cool? Is it stupid to put a hive in your garage? Like have an indoor hive? Thanks!
Garages tend to also get very hot. Some people do put some sort of shelter over the bees in very hot climates, more like a lean-to. Or a canopy that allows air to flow while providing shade. Bees have demonstrated a profound ability to cool the hive interior, even under extreme conditions so long as they have plenty of fresh water available in the vacinity of the hive. I do put Hive-Visors on my hives and they cool the landing board area and provide a shaded spot for unemployed foragers to gather on the face of the hive. ruclips.net/video/y44Vft4tUsg/видео.html
Love this video. Now I understand why I have so many honeybees on my pool. Problem is I don’t know where they come from and my grandkids are very afraid of them so I would like them to find a different water source so the kids can swim again. I’ve read a bunch of solutions like peppermint eucalyptus moth balls and a different water source. None of theses seem to work for me. As soon as a pull the solar cover off the pool the bees immediately appear. They are cute but I don’t want them in my pool.😊
Hi Jane, once they have discovered a stable water source, it's very hard to get them to go elsewhere. There really isn't much the beekeeper can do about it either other than to move the hives farther away.
@@FrederickDunn yes I just let them alone. I put my solar cover on when I went away for several days and when I came home they were nearly gone. I hope they found another safe water source. Thank you!
My wife caught a hive, on our neighbours property about 1/3 of mile maybe 250 yards, that had broken open from an old cotton wood tree yesterday and she says she saw the queen. she grabbed some brood comb and put them in a single lang hive with an entrance reducer. we have some questions: as the hive was huge their numbers won’t/can’t be supported in this new hive, you have said they will repel drones at this point, but what about useless nurse bees? will they repel other bees as the hive doesn’t have the resources to internally support them? Externally there are lots of resources right now. I told the wife (as I am at work in the arctic) to add a second box just in case their numbers grow because more of the roaming bees may find this hive. (see first question) Is one feeder enough in the second box, are there risks or a downside to adding a second feeder to the upper box. we use the feeders that hang like frames coincidentally I had just ordered the swarm commander three days ago in an attempt to catch some swarms when I return. what else should we consider with these traumatized new bees? is the entrance reducer useful after a day or two? Thanks for all you do I know soo much more about bees because of you and really appreciate you and what you are doing. I bought some of your tee shirts my wife wears it all the time as a shield from mowing the lawn the more you know, the less you mow PS we live in the Okanagan of British Columbia zone 5, 830 meters above sea level
The bees that reside in my hives get water from several large terracotta saucers that we have at the entrance to our patio. The saucers are full of large gravel that the bees land on and get water from. The water is city water that is chlorinated. Than you Fred. Blessings.
You have to filter that city water and remove chlorine for your honey bees. My city water is not so good for watering flowers either, so I drilled my own well for my garden and my honey bees. They love the well's water.
@@namentatic4978 We have a pond not too far away and a large stream within a hundred yards, and am sure they also use both these resources. I also have a rain barrel that feeds a birdbath they get water from.
Thanks for this video. I've learned some new things my inquiring mind wanted to know. I was also wondering if the bees use the water for wax production as we've had 7 swarms (all caught) and are waiting for them to build up resources and colony expansion. We provide rain water stored in barrels then transfered to trays with marbles in them for landing areas wich works well. Our neighbors report their bird baths are used more by the bees than birds and they've figured out to only land at the edge of water level
Hi Robert, they don't utilize water to produce wax as the wax workers in the hive metabolize honey or sugar syrup for that purpose. Glad you're providing for them well :)
Still un sure how to tackle this problem here. Still learning, no bees yet. I live in Arizona where it will get to 115 during the summer and spends most of the summer around 105 to 110. intend to find bees locally so they're acclimated to the heat, think I should have the hives in the shade, and have been looking at a lot of resources about insulating your hive and good ventilation. Unfortunately our water is always hot. I spend summers taking showers with NO hot water and sometimes even feel like it's burning me. Not sure what my options are... Thinking of using an internal feeder as a waterer...
I wonder if the bees are consuming fungus growing at the water's edge? I've had bees gather at my fountains where there was green "algae-fungus" . Seamingly preferring perching on those green surface over bare clean concrete. Given honey bee's nature of feeding on the base of mushrooms (mycelium), might be something to look intro. I'm also amazed how many bees gather on my neighbor's pool spillage. With a clean lake on one side and bog on the other. They still go to the pool water. We have low iron spring water.
They are varying preferences, and definitely some of the water gathering bees prefer algae ponds, while others go to cleaner sources, it's also something that changes through the year.
Come to think of it Frederick, my bees go for the algae edge on the fountains in the fall and the chlorinated pool spillover water in the summer. Thank you. Very interesting. It would be interesting to grow a mushroom bed in my backyard. I forget what the fellow out in the northwest saw the honey bees going to.
I began to think that the sounds we are hearing during the slow down maybe how it truly sounds to insects and other small creatures. I mean the rooster truly sounded like a dinosaur which from my comprehension they are very closely related more so than many others.
Hi Mark, yes, they are actually related and the vocalizations are similar and when modulated down, very dinosaur like (based on movies of course), and they are reptilian in their ancestory. Still have reptile shanks and feet. I had a large rooster many years ago and he had a deep voice that traveled far. Recordings of him have been very interesting.
Thanks for all the valuable info. With the help of an expert friend and with tips like these from you, I have attracted a new army of honeybees! Just transferred the swarm from tree-mounted hive to permanent hive box. Now to construct a water feature for them. In the aftermath of the transition to their new home, a small swarm (about palm to hand-sized) has grown on the tree directly above where the box was mounted up until yesterday, and a fairly consistent cloud of 20-50 bees is present in the vicinity. Is this simply their residual memory of the old swarm trap hive box location, or could a second colony be forming? Happy honeying and thanks again!
I recently nabbed one of those micro swarms and put it in a nucleus (5 frame) box. Just to see how they do. They will need additional brood if they are going to make any headway as time passes.
@@FrederickDunn Ok great, sounds like a possibility then...so is there possibly another queen in there with them, or is the idea that a queen could be attracted to their new small operation? Sorry for the rookie questions and thanks again.
So important Frederick. I have a bird bath 50 feet away from my hive full all the time, and the bees are constantly coming and going. ' I need your help with a couple things my friend. Our Linden Flow is just starting and just got my flow super ready. I need a queen excluder. Which metal excluder would you recommend? I was thinking of the one with wood borders to give them more space but want your opinion. Also, does the direction of the line openings matter? Thanks you brother. Brad
Hi Brad, the direction of the QE openings doesn't make a difference. I do like the metal version with a wooden frame, you can see clearly which hives have a QE on and those basically last forever. All the best!
@@FrederickDunn But If I heard correctly on your queen excluder video, you have opted out for using them right?! I'm going to try going without one, and if I run into troubles then do. Thanks
If you are looking to make a hole, or passage for a single bee to pass through, I'd go with a 5 mm hole. Or, use a 1/4" drill bit. Single file passage... :)
Imagine if you learn in your sleep I don't know what you teaching I woke up one time you was on way back in the episodes and I woke up just now getting ready for the day and you were still on. LOL
The old-timers in town will tell you that he doesn't come around here anymore. He's hung up his camera and sold his mini hive. Well, that may or may not be true. I haven't seen him lately either and those old men just might be right. But, if you visit RUclips on a Friday night, and the wind is calm, you may still hear the distant voice of Frederick Dunn remind you "that's by weight, not volume". Until next Friday, Mr. Dunn... Smiling face emoticon
There is a link to my website where there is a form. Or you can just post your question here. Or visit The Way To Bee Fellowship on Facebook and get answers from all over the world right away :)
We had a patch of humid ground that bees would stock up in water(would condensate in the morning in the moss). We drained it to reach the water source, and there is an accumulation of iron bacteria throughout the creek that has formed. Many mason bees are using it for water/clay source, and honey bees less often. Do they hate the iron in the water? Btw and unrelated, I have seen some seminal work on the use of pseudoscorpions in beehives for Varroa mites control. Have you heard of this? What is your opinion? Cheers and thanks for the great videos!
Speaking of Water and Minerals---I have a damp flower pot that I water every 5 days, but a "couple" of Bees return daily and lick the damp soil---are the Bees licking Water or Minerals from the Soil...or Both?
Both, and that demand varies through the year. At times they prefer pure filtered water, and others will go for pond water particularly in the algae areas. Depends on what they are using it for. They also drink from melting snow in winter.
We pick up our bees Tuesday! Flow hive brood box all ready for them. Mr. Dunn do you suggest feeding sugar water to a new Nucleus that is new to an area even if there is a good flow going? I am using foundation frames for the other 5, though I do have foundationless I could use. We have honeysuckle and clover in abundance right now as well as blackberries and many other "weed" flowers. Thank you!
Water sources can be located within your apiary, so 20 feet from the hive is a great choice, but this isn't critical. It's most important that it be always available to the bees, and the location remain the same.
Fred, HELP! I'm a rank beginner at beekeeping. I had a package of bees in a Langstroth hive, and I must not have put out enough food for them because they abandoned the hive. I jsut came in one day and found them gone. no bodies or anything, just an empty hive. Is is too late to get more bees this year, and what can I do better next time to make them stay?
It's not too late to get more bees this year, those have absconded and it "can" happen. With your next package install, I'd put one of the entrance Queen Excluder grids over the entrance until they are settled and have started rearing brood, then remove the grid. They are sold at Blythewood Bee Company, possibly others as well.
Try different configurations and see what they go for. Somegimes just a dripping hose onto a large rock is fine. Trying out different water features is a fun way to learn about their drinking practices.
I had bees on a restaurant roof. Their AC unit comdensarion pump drained to the street by the entry. Guess where the bees got their water. NOT at the creek 100 feet away..
Hi Mr. Dunn, great video. Question, if you make a two frame of bees with a queen cell and you come back and can’t find a queen or eggs, but you see the bees hanging on an empty frame building new comb, do you assume that they have a queen or one is about to return from a mating flight?
That's a great question and it's pretty common that the wax workers are inspired to build comb when there is queen pheromone present, so that's a pretty good sign. BUT, I would stay alert as to that queen's status and not relaxe until you see some eggs.
How important is water ‘placement’ with regards to the hive entrance? My hives face away from the best area for me to have functional water given resource location constraints - will they double back onto it?
@@FrederickDunn howdy. No praying around that i can see..not many fields..even today.. i was watching..seen none at all. Clover everywere..just doesnt add up.thx much tho..just wondering if others noticed the same thing. Southern ohio here.
Yeah we should be in the mid to high 80s and we’re in the 30s right now Montana cannot make up its mind Fred woke up to 2 inches of white fluffy stuff on the ground. Hey Fred what you do with say extra colonies of bees I know you say you want to keep around 15 colonies but with all the splits and swarms you get do you find other people near you that are looking for more hives
Put your finger in the water and see how hot it feels? Are you saying you're putting the water on the front entrance of the bee hive? Please don't do that, it really doesn't benefit the bees and may add humidity when they are trying to dry things in the hive out.
My neighbor is worried that my bees will invade her salt water pool....I provide fresh, cool water. Should I be worried they will go for salt water over my fresh?
That's why I offer fresh water sources as well as sea-salt drinkers separately. Once the bees start visiting a water source in spring, or when the pools open, it's hard to change their water sourcing habits.
@@FrederickDunn Sir, how do you take care of a hive that has swarmed twice and now the bees are back filling all the brood comb with nectar. Thank you Henry Geiger
If a laying worker ends up making drones... as that's all they can do, those drones are often under nourished and much smaller. Any chance that hive is missing its queen?
@@FrederickDunn No I saw her last week, could it have flown from one of my neighbors hives? It was t on the landing board, it was on the groun, and it looked like it was dying
Question, I have 3 new Layens hives this year in TN outside Nashville. Currently days in the upper 80s lower 90s, nights 60s. I have the hives stocked with frames for the flow, so there is plenty of room in there. I have two 1" diameter screened vents on each gable end ( 4 vents total) that have already been opened for the summer. There are two 1" vents in the bottom that are left to the bees on of they are open or sealed closed. The entrance is one HyFe gate on each hive. The Bees are bearding the entrance in the late afternoon early evening. I assumed this was due to heat. Is that a good assumption and if so is there anything I should do about it? If they need more ventilation should I add vents or shim hinged roof open?
I don't use any upper vents, an insulated top and good entrances are enough for them to manage heat issues. But if you prefer those vents at the top, it's your choice, they have problems holding onto brood humidity at times with upper venting.
Yes, I am aware of natural resources available to honey bees. Thanks :) Many urban keepers have problems with their neighbors when the bees go to backyards for water. This just showcases some options.
Beautiful, Fred! Such a great, important video.
Hi Jim! Thanks for stopping by and it was so nice of you to mention me during your new video. :)
It's such a pleasure to watch your videos. They are all very professionally taken - sharp, stable and well-lit. Keep it up! 👍👍
Thank you very much!
Your videography is second to none. Fabulous!
Agreed!
There is so much information in this short vid, I'd have to read an entire book to get as much... thanks Fred, just great the amount of helpful stuff you shared here. You da man! 👍
Glad it was helpful! Thanks Henry :)
That is bloody gorgeous footage of the various bees. Very therapeutic 😊🥰
Great insight too, cheers 🙂
Thank you!
You could listen all day. I feel more a peace. Thank you.
Your videos are awesome, and so relaxing!
I’m really enjoying your videos. You were on my recommended feed yesterday so I’m new to your videos. The narrations are informative, easy to listen to and understand. Your videography is top notch.
Thank you, Portia and welcome to my channel :)
Outstanding video quality and content.
Excellent work as usual Fred, thank you.
I was surprised during the video of the landing board not to see any drones. Maybe I missed one but I was looking for them. Thanks for the video. Enjoy your weekend.
My son has a very moist muddy area from the drainage of his ice maker. The bees love that spot. They seem to get the water out of the mud rather than any small pools.
Thank you for educating me.
My pleasure!
Hi Fred... wonderful videography again. I hope you can do a Flow Hive harvest again this year and hopefully get grandsons to do a taste test so we can see how Flow Hives allow differentiation of honey by source. Cheers, Johno
Thanks for the info! After watching this Video, I moved my Birdbath from full sun to into my Fern area that stays mostly shady and cool. I have Bio Ceramic Balls in the water so they won't drown. As soon as I moved it a bee came over to investigate!
awesome! :)
Thank You for all of the information. As a new bee keeper I am trying watch all of your videos.I think I am learning a lot of helpful information. Chuck Tanner from upstate NY
You are very welcome and I hope you will continue to find useful information here.
I have set up water stations for the bees a couple times. Both stagnant and flowing and both were unsuccessful. As least my bees find their own preferred water source. I have a pond on the property and they tend to land there. None the less, water is something I didn’t think about when I first started beekeeping. Thanks for talking about this issue.
They do like earth ponds!
We have a 1 acre pond on our property and I'm so happy for that!
Super helpful (and lovely eye candy) as always!
Great observations Fred!! Thanks!
You're welcome Rodney :)
Mine were attacking the fountain nextdoor, I put a sprinkler on a timer because the beehives ar in my garden. At my other yard I put a small tray under the water drain for my air conditioner. It's cool and free.
A/C condensers are a favorite spot for foraging bees. Where there is water, they eventually find it if they need it.
Love that sounds
the bees are so cute...I used to never think about the bees in pool area, but now I get concern about their safety.
Hey 👋🏻 it’s soooo hot outside your right I can’t even finish my stuff in the garden
Thanks Mr Dunn, so very helpful and enjoyable!👍b
Glad you enjoyed it!
Beautiful and informative!
nice info about their abdomens,and water gathering,i will hook up a fountain soon,been rainy here,anxious to inspect hives nw Ar
Hi Mark, things seem to happen fast this time of year and I'm a little behind on my inspections due to photogrpahy commitments. I hope you find good things in yours!
You people who depend on Well Water need to keep in mind--Drip Calculator---1 drip per second equals 5.7 gallons per day and 2, 083 gallons per year...so if you are worried about running out of Water in a drought...be careful and mindful.
That could be a real concern for some, each location will have its limits. Here, we are overrun with ground water sources. Good point!
Jurassic Park😆 Great video thanks for sharing 🐝
Yup...its hot down here in Berks county as well.
Very interesting beehaviour. The water bees didn't seem to be in any particular hurry to get back to the hive; is that because they are old and slow?
It was in slow motion, but in general water foragers spend quite a bit of time sipping and loading up. Generally less than a minute per visit.
Thank for the video Mr y,,🇱🇨👍🏿♥️
That was a grammatical error I didn't notice,☹️,, sorry about that Sir..y?,🤔☹️
"Rooster crowing, not Jurassic Park." Just think how terrifying it would be if honeybees made those primordial sounds of old. A giant honeybee chasing a jeep out of the apiary. 🤣
Hi Fred. Took a break from beekeeping to make clothing for my great grandchild. Just installed my first two nucs and am super excited. I was wondering how your hives overwinter with just the insulated top. If you covered it just let me know what episode. Watching a few a day to catch up. Thank you for all you do! Carolanne Geneseo NY
The insulated tops could only be quantified by the amount of leftover honey in spring. There was much more surplus honey in the hives with insulated covers. I will continue with some sort of hive top insulation going forward.
Very informative video thanks bro
Always welcome
Yessir. Just like we need water, so do these lovely bees. ❤️ The sun in Philly is no joke, but I walked past bees with pollen baskets on their legs working super hard. :) I was so excited, it was my first time seeing pollen baskets in person!
Edit: Also aside from water what else can a beekeeper do to keep them cool? Is it stupid to put a hive in your garage? Like have an indoor hive? Thanks!
Garages tend to also get very hot. Some people do put some sort of shelter over the bees in very hot climates, more like a lean-to. Or a canopy that allows air to flow while providing shade. Bees have demonstrated a profound ability to cool the hive interior, even under extreme conditions so long as they have plenty of fresh water available in the vacinity of the hive. I do put Hive-Visors on my hives and they cool the landing board area and provide a shaded spot for unemployed foragers to gather on the face of the hive. ruclips.net/video/y44Vft4tUsg/видео.html
Love this video. Now I understand why I have so many honeybees on my pool. Problem is I don’t know where they come from and my grandkids are very afraid of them so I would like them to find a different water source so the kids can swim again. I’ve read a bunch of solutions like peppermint eucalyptus moth balls and a different water source. None of theses seem to work for me. As soon as a pull the solar cover off the pool the bees immediately appear. They are cute but I don’t want them in my pool.😊
Hi Jane, once they have discovered a stable water source, it's very hard to get them to go elsewhere. There really isn't much the beekeeper can do about it either other than to move the hives farther away.
@@FrederickDunn thank you. We will just have to be careful not to step on them.
@@FrederickDunn yes I just let them alone. I put my solar cover on when I went away for several days and when I came home they were nearly gone. I hope they found another safe water source. Thank you!
My wife caught a hive, on our neighbours property about 1/3 of mile maybe 250 yards, that had broken open from an old cotton wood tree yesterday and she says she saw the queen. she grabbed some brood comb and put them in a single lang hive with an entrance reducer.
we have some questions:
as the hive was huge their numbers won’t/can’t be supported in this new hive, you have said they will repel drones at this point, but what about useless nurse bees?
will they repel other bees as the hive doesn’t have the resources to internally support them? Externally there are lots of resources right now.
I told the wife (as I am at work in the arctic) to add a second box just in case their numbers grow because more of the roaming bees may find this hive. (see first question)
Is one feeder enough in the second box, are there risks or a downside to adding a second feeder to the upper box. we use the feeders that hang like frames
coincidentally I had just ordered the swarm commander three days ago in an attempt to catch some swarms when I return.
what else should we consider with these traumatized new bees?
is the entrance reducer useful after a day or two?
Thanks for all you do
I know soo much more about bees because of you and really appreciate you and what you are doing.
I bought some of your tee shirts
my wife wears it all the time as a shield from mowing the lawn
the more you know, the less you mow
PS
we live in the Okanagan of British Columbia zone 5, 830 meters above sea level
The bees that reside in my hives get water from several large terracotta saucers that we have at the entrance to our patio. The saucers are full of large gravel that the bees land on and get water from. The water is city water that is chlorinated. Than you Fred. Blessings.
You have to filter that city water and remove chlorine for your honey bees.
My city water is not so good for watering flowers either, so I drilled my own well for my garden and my honey bees. They love the well's water.
The water does not have to be filtered at all. The bees have been enjoying that water since I have had bees.
@@richardkuhn8115, if they do not have the choice, they will drink the swimming pool water too. My bees do not like city water at all.
@@namentatic4978 We have a pond not too far away and a large stream within a hundred yards, and am sure they also use both these resources. I also have a rain barrel that feeds a birdbath they get water from.
@@richardkuhn8115, I am sure that they like these sources.
What are the big yellow barrels in this video?
sea-salt water at 1 tsp per quart.
Honey locust in full bloom here in SE Ohio.
Thanks for this video. I've learned some new things my inquiring mind wanted to know. I was also wondering if the bees use the water for wax production as we've had 7 swarms (all caught) and are waiting for them to build up resources and colony expansion.
We provide rain water stored in barrels then transfered to trays with marbles in them for landing areas wich works well. Our neighbors report their bird baths are used more by the bees than birds and they've figured out to only land at the edge of water level
Hi Robert, they don't utilize water to produce wax as the wax workers in the hive metabolize honey or sugar syrup for that purpose. Glad you're providing for them well :)
Cracking video thank you. Unfortunately I have had the opposite no sun all rain 😂😂😂😂
It would be great if we all have a perfect balance of rain and sun :)
Some big baskets heading in.
Still un sure how to tackle this problem here. Still learning, no bees yet. I live in Arizona where it will get to 115 during the summer and spends most of the summer around 105 to 110. intend to find bees locally so they're acclimated to the heat, think I should have the hives in the shade, and have been looking at a lot of resources about insulating your hive and good ventilation. Unfortunately our water is always hot. I spend summers taking showers with NO hot water and sometimes even feel like it's burning me. Not sure what my options are... Thinking of using an internal feeder as a waterer...
I wonder if the bees are consuming fungus growing at the water's edge? I've had bees gather at my fountains where there was green "algae-fungus" .
Seamingly preferring perching on those green surface over bare clean concrete. Given honey bee's nature of feeding on the base of mushrooms (mycelium), might be something to look intro.
I'm also amazed how many bees gather on my neighbor's pool spillage. With a clean lake on one side and bog on the other. They still go to the pool water.
We have low iron spring water.
They are varying preferences, and definitely some of the water gathering bees prefer algae ponds, while others go to cleaner sources, it's also something that changes through the year.
Come to think of it Frederick, my bees go for the algae edge on the fountains in the fall and the chlorinated pool spillover water in the summer. Thank you. Very interesting.
It would be interesting to grow a mushroom bed in my backyard. I forget what the fellow out in the northwest saw the honey bees going to.
I began to think that the sounds we are hearing during the slow down maybe how it truly sounds to insects and other small creatures. I mean the rooster truly sounded like a dinosaur which from my comprehension they are very closely related more so than many others.
Hi Mark, yes, they are actually related and the vocalizations are similar and when modulated down, very dinosaur like (based on movies of course), and they are reptilian in their ancestory. Still have reptile shanks and feet. I had a large rooster many years ago and he had a deep voice that traveled far. Recordings of him have been very interesting.
Thanks for all the valuable info. With the help of an expert friend and with tips like these from you, I have attracted a new army of honeybees! Just transferred the swarm from tree-mounted hive to permanent hive box. Now to construct a water feature for them.
In the aftermath of the transition to their new home, a small swarm (about palm to hand-sized) has grown on the tree directly above where the box was mounted up until yesterday, and a fairly consistent cloud of 20-50 bees is present in the vicinity. Is this simply their residual memory of the old swarm trap hive box location, or could a second colony be forming?
Happy honeying and thanks again!
I recently nabbed one of those micro swarms and put it in a nucleus (5 frame) box. Just to see how they do. They will need additional brood if they are going to make any headway as time passes.
@@FrederickDunn Ok great, sounds like a possibility then...so is there possibly another queen in there with them, or is the idea that a queen could be attracted to their new small operation? Sorry for the rookie questions and thanks again.
So important Frederick. I have a bird bath 50 feet away from my hive full all the time, and the bees are constantly coming and going. '
I need your help with a couple things my friend. Our Linden Flow is just starting and just got my flow super ready. I need a queen excluder. Which metal excluder would you recommend? I was thinking of the one with wood borders to give them more space but want your opinion. Also, does the direction of the line openings matter? Thanks you brother. Brad
Hi Brad, the direction of the QE openings doesn't make a difference. I do like the metal version with a wooden frame, you can see clearly which hives have a QE on and those basically last forever. All the best!
@@FrederickDunn But If I heard correctly on your queen excluder video, you have opted out for using them right?! I'm going to try going without one, and if I run into troubles then do. Thanks
Is there a known diameter that allows a single honey bee to pass through safely? Would a circle shaped opening be better than say an ellipse?
If you are looking to make a hole, or passage for a single bee to pass through, I'd go with a 5 mm hole. Or, use a 1/4" drill bit. Single file passage... :)
Imagine if you learn in your sleep I don't know what you teaching I woke up one time you was on way back in the episodes and I woke up just now getting ready for the day and you were still on. LOL
The old-timers in town will tell you that he doesn't come around here anymore. He's hung up his camera and sold his mini hive. Well, that may or may not be true. I haven't seen him lately either and those old men just might be right.
But, if you visit RUclips on a Friday night, and the wind is calm, you may still hear the distant voice of Frederick Dunn remind you "that's by weight, not volume".
Until next Friday, Mr. Dunn...
Smiling face emoticon
:)
Hello Fred, I want to ask a question where do I ask said question?
Thank you
Henry Geiger
There is a link to my website where there is a form. Or you can just post your question here. Or visit The Way To Bee Fellowship on Facebook and get answers from all over the world right away :)
Enjoyed all info. Will help so much.can yo tell me where to find the music piece at the end?
It’s beautiful
We had a patch of humid ground that bees would stock up in water(would condensate in the morning in the moss). We drained it to reach the water source, and there is an accumulation of iron bacteria throughout the creek that has formed. Many mason bees are using it for water/clay source, and honey bees less often. Do they hate the iron in the water?
Btw and unrelated, I have seen some seminal work on the use of pseudoscorpions in beehives for Varroa mites control. Have you heard of this? What is your opinion?
Cheers and thanks for the great videos!
I don't know that they "hate iron" but just may not have a use for it. Minerals are of more value based on what they elect to visit.
I have seen several videos of bee keepers wearing latex surgical gloves to work their hives. Are the bees unable to sting through them?
The bees can easily sting through the nitrile or latex gloves, it just helps keep your hands cleaner.
Speaking of Water and Minerals---I have a damp flower pot that I water every 5 days, but a "couple" of Bees return daily and lick the damp soil---are the Bees licking Water or Minerals from the Soil...or Both?
Both, and that demand varies through the year. At times they prefer pure filtered water, and others will go for pond water particularly in the algae areas. Depends on what they are using it for. They also drink from melting snow in winter.
We pick up our bees Tuesday! Flow hive brood box all ready for them. Mr. Dunn do you suggest feeding sugar water to a new Nucleus that is new to an area even if there is a good flow going? I am using foundation frames for the other 5, though I do have foundationless I could use.
We have honeysuckle and clover in abundance right now as well as blackberries and many other "weed" flowers. Thank you!
I do recommend feeding a new install, 1:1 keeps them boosted as they build up and then you can back off as they become full sized as a colony.
Thank you!!
Mid to upper 80's and "hot today"... collective laugh from the state of Texas.
I know there are hotter locations... and more dry landscapes. It all still applies :)
What distance does the water source need to be from the hives?
Water sources can be located within your apiary, so 20 feet from the hive is a great choice, but this isn't critical. It's most important that it be always available to the bees, and the location remain the same.
You mention providing sea salt in other sources. What kind of waterer do you use?
ruclips.net/video/KS9rMDKvH_I/видео.html
Sometimes bees prefer sewage water for drinking is it ok or can dirty water effect the quality of honey ?
The water doesn't make it into the honey. Honey is also anti-bacterial.
Fred, HELP! I'm a rank beginner at beekeeping. I had a package of bees in a Langstroth hive, and I must not have put out enough food for them because they abandoned the hive. I jsut came in one day and found them gone. no bodies or anything, just an empty hive. Is is too late to get more bees this year, and what can I do better next time to make them stay?
It's not too late to get more bees this year, those have absconded and it "can" happen. With your next package install, I'd put one of the entrance Queen Excluder grids over the entrance until they are settled and have started rearing brood, then remove the grid. They are sold at Blythewood Bee Company, possibly others as well.
Well I have a bird waterer in my back yard and when it gets realy warm you can't put your hand on it without touching a honey bee . Rob.
Sounds like they may need more options Robin :)
Hey Fred! My bees never drink water from a bee bath...they always collect the little water that's on rocks...
Try different configurations and see what they go for. Somegimes just a dripping hose onto a large rock is fine. Trying out different water features is a fun way to learn about their drinking practices.
I had bees on a restaurant roof. Their AC unit comdensarion pump drained to the street by the entry. Guess where the bees got their water. NOT at the creek 100 feet away..
Is it safe for my backyard hives if I fog/spray a yard at dusk for mosquitoes? I’m in Dallas
I can't answer that without knowing the active ingredients of the pesticide. I personally wouldn't spray for mosquitoes here.
Hi Mr. Dunn, great video. Question, if you make a two frame of bees with a queen cell and you come back and can’t find a queen or eggs, but you see the bees hanging on an empty frame building new comb, do you assume that they have a queen or one is about to return from a mating flight?
That's a great question and it's pretty common that the wax workers are inspired to build comb when there is queen pheromone present, so that's a pretty good sign. BUT, I would stay alert as to that queen's status and not relaxe until you see some eggs.
How important is water ‘placement’ with regards to the hive entrance? My hives face away from the best area for me to have functional water given resource location constraints - will they double back onto it?
Proximity is more important than specific direction. They will find it.
I have been looking 3 days now.
Havent seen but a few bees out.
Its not a good sign at all.
Southern ohio...
Were did they go ??
You may be in a high ag treatment area, it's anyone's guess.
@@FrederickDunn howdy.
No praying around that i can see..not many fields..even today.. i was watching..seen none at all.
Clover everywere..just doesnt add up.thx much tho..just wondering if others noticed the same thing.
Southern ohio here.
I don't use my city's water because unsure if the chlorine, fluorine and other additives try use are good for the bees. Any info on that?
There are in-line hose filters that can handle that. I'd try some variations and see what the bees in your area go for.
I see two yellow water feeders in the background. Are those the ones with pink salt. ? Or something else. And don’t they get hot
Yes, those are the saltwater feeders and they do get warm, but "hot" days are few and far between around here.
Yeah we should be in the mid to high 80s and we’re in the 30s right now Montana cannot make up its mind Fred woke up to 2 inches of white fluffy stuff on the ground. Hey Fred what you do with say extra colonies of bees I know you say you want to keep around 15 colonies but with all the splits and swarms you get do you find other people near you that are looking for more hives
I'm helping family members get bees and am doing out-yards. I plan to provide greater space between colonies in my main home apiary :)
I'm using a front entrance feeder to water them but I was wondering if the water is getting hot.
Put your finger in the water and see how hot it feels? Are you saying you're putting the water on the front entrance of the bee hive? Please don't do that, it really doesn't benefit the bees and may add humidity when they are trying to dry things in the hive out.
@@FrederickDunn yeah right in the entrance . I'll try something like you set up. Humidity didn't even cross my mind. Thank you.
Nice Fred! Out of curiosity, what other non-insects visit this station on a regular basis?
I'm not sure, birds aren't using it, but flies, wasps, and bees do. Mosquitoes have laid some eggs, but the movement works against them.
Nice!
Thanks!
My neighbor is worried that my bees will invade her salt water pool....I provide fresh, cool water. Should I be worried they will go for salt water over my fresh?
That's why I offer fresh water sources as well as sea-salt drinkers separately. Once the bees start visiting a water source in spring, or when the pools open, it's hard to change their water sourcing habits.
@@FrederickDunn Sir, how do you take care of a hive that has swarmed twice and now the bees are back filling all the brood comb with nectar.
Thank you
Henry Geiger
For some reason I thought there would be more bees at the station.
There is also a 125 foot diameter pond just 50 yards away...
@@FrederickDunn Yes that's the one that had the black plastic balls in them?
slow mo vid might be a good way to do mite checks
You do see them sometimes, but not very meaningful since the mites much prefer the nurse bees which aren't flying.
I saw a deon the size as a regular bee, and I’m 100% sure it’s a drone. Why is that?
If a laying worker ends up making drones... as that's all they can do, those drones are often under nourished and much smaller. Any chance that hive is missing its queen?
@@FrederickDunn No I saw her last week, could it have flown from one of my neighbors hives? It was t on the landing board, it was on the groun, and it looked like it was dying
Hope all is ok , people asking
Just very busy, thanks and I'll be back on Friday! :)
Question, I have 3 new Layens hives this year in TN outside Nashville. Currently days in the upper 80s lower 90s, nights 60s. I have the hives stocked with frames for the flow, so there is plenty of room in there. I have two 1" diameter screened vents on each gable end ( 4 vents total) that have already been opened for the summer. There are two 1" vents in the bottom that are left to the bees on of they are open or sealed closed. The entrance is one HyFe gate on each hive. The Bees are bearding the entrance in the late afternoon early evening. I assumed this was due to heat. Is that a good assumption and if so is there anything I should do about it? If they need more ventilation should I add vents or shim hinged roof open?
I don't use any upper vents, an insulated top and good entrances are enough for them to manage heat issues. But if you prefer those vents at the top, it's your choice, they have problems holding onto brood humidity at times with upper venting.
@@FrederickDunn I can close the upper vents
You are aware bees survive and even thrive in nature just gathering water from ponds.
Yes, I am aware of natural resources available to honey bees. Thanks :) Many urban keepers have problems with their neighbors when the bees go to backyards for water. This just showcases some options.