Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Patrick Thomas]

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I waited an entire year to cut these ladies out in my back yard.

These were bees I picked up from an old abandoned pigeon shed of which the owner said they had been in the hives for years and years.

The hives were originally his uncles, I believe he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhm9gU1cDas&t=98s


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Here's part 1 of the video when picked them up a year ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8zMBaViChU&t=43s

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Here's part 2 from a year ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDchbaDtlXY&t=109s


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[Adriaan]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the nice video's, these really give my sunday's a good start.
I must say that was a good job you did there. The hive seems to be thriving despite the hivebeetles last year.

We don't have hive beetle in Belgium (yet),the closest outbreak I am aware of is in southern Italy, but apparently it is not something the bees can't handle.

Something else we don't have in Belgium is bee-inspectors. How does that work in the states? They come every year and inspect all your hives?
All we have to do is register with the food safety organisation, but many beeks don't even do that.

You mentioned that your hives have to be inspectable does that mean you can't have bees in logs or skeps like we can?

In a few hours I am off to get some young larvae from Apis melifera melifera (our local black bee) for queen rearing. I will try and get them mated with black drones through 'moonlight mating' otherwise they will hybridise immediately.

friendly greetings

Adriaan

[Patrick Thomas]