I found the basswood blooms every other year means more swarms. More resources coming in. And since we went to food plot clover in our small orchard we have better colonies. I have an extra hive I never took up to camp last year. I run 15 frame Lazutin hives. But property needs work to get to back 5 acres. Swarming is another form of brood break which knocks mite levels down. We plant rhubarb, thyme, and bee balm around our hives and have lichen growing. I think it helps with mites. Skunk cabbage is another high in oxalic acid. One of the first blooms here and they make there own heat.
I count my bee's every week. I'm a commercial Varroa farmer, and my mites need a good solid number of honey bee's to feed off of. when my bee's swarm i loose a lot of my mites to my neighbor's commercial swarm traps. its very frustrating!
I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you. It's been years since we took it down so who knows what it looks like. I would expect some wasp nests because I've seen them come and go out of it.
Underrated topic 💪
I found the basswood blooms every other year means more swarms. More resources coming in. And since we went to food plot clover in our small orchard we have better colonies. I have an extra hive I never took up to camp last year. I run 15 frame Lazutin hives. But property needs work to get to back 5 acres. Swarming is another form of brood break which knocks mite levels down. We plant rhubarb, thyme, and bee balm around our hives and have lichen growing. I think it helps with mites. Skunk cabbage is another high in oxalic acid. One of the first blooms here and they make there own heat.
Where did you hear of the Lazutin hive if you don't mind me asking?
Spring is for swarm traps.
I count my bee's every week. I'm a commercial Varroa farmer, and my mites need a good solid number of honey bee's to feed off of. when my bee's swarm i loose a lot of my mites to my neighbor's commercial swarm traps. its very frustrating!
I hear you can make a mean Varroa burger.
🤣🤣
@@SecureAcresNaturalBees 🤣🤣
When you take that hive down I'd love to see what it looks like inside before you clean and rebait it if possible. 🐝🐝
I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you. It's been years since we took it down so who knows what it looks like. I would expect some wasp nests because I've seen them come and go out of it.
It's a done deal! 🤗's!
If I only have 2 hives and one of them swarm, then I will not get much honey out of the hive that swarmed.
As I said in the video you can expand the living space for your Bees before swarm season and they will be much less likely to swarm.