Bee keepers out there

[DockShootinJack]

I kept bees for 6 years. I started with 3 hives and ended up with 15 hives and 20 nucs before I sold out. Year 4 was the year I really expanded in order to start selling bees in year 5. Very early spring of year 5, I found American Foul Brood in one hive. I got the inspector out and he told me it was AFB. I disagreed. Two weeks later I get him back out and he brings a retired inspector with him. The retired guy agreed with me and by then I had it in both hives on either side of the first one. We sent samples off and they arrived at Beltsville the day the lab was shut down due to funding a couple years ago. I burned 5 hives that night and burned all my used wooden ware and old frames. I didn't want to take the risk. I treated the rest of my hives, so I couldn't harvest honey, or sell bees that year. By late summer I was back up to 15 hives and 20 nucs. That next spring I had 15 nucs and 5 hives sold to people all over the state. I was waiting for the hives to build in strength before the buyers picked them up. I had pick ups scheduled to start within a week, then an F1 tornado came through our place and scattered all the nucs and 5 hives across the pasture behind my yard. I cleaned up all I could, called all the folks to cancel. After a month of rebuilding the hives, I sold every one of the. I sold all my wooden ware to another beek. All I kept was my ol Dadant smoker.

DockShootinJack, I'd recommend buying nucs, not packages of bees.

That is a good idea. I build a few traps and hung them under my pole barn. Thought I had a swarm move in kast year. Plenty of activity. Looked like a working hive. Stayed there about 3 days and poof they were gone. . I have a buddy at work wants me to come get a hive ok ut of his dads old truck that has sat for 20 years. They are in the gas tank behind the seat.

[DockShootinJack]

Heard the old saying about in for an ounce in for a pound. Not exactly me
In for an ounce in for a ton. Started out last year with 15 chickens. Two died. Girlfriend sold all the eggs they laid and said I can sell as many as they lay. Obviously that sounded like a challenge to me because a new coop and 70 birds later. I have eggs for breakfast. Boy did I show her

[FurFlyin]

You almost had a hive. Sounds like your trap was in their top couple of choices. I found that 5 frame deep nuc boxes stacked double deep worked best for me for traps. I'd put one frame of old comb in the top, with 4 frames having only starter strips of foundation on them. Don't put full sheets of foundation in the traps, it blocks space.

There is a lure named Swarm Commander, that you put in the traps. It absolutely works.

[DockShootinJack]

You almost had a hive. Sounds like your trap was in their top couple of choices. I found that 5 frame deep nuc boxes stacked double deep worked best for me for traps. I'd put one frame of old comb in the top, with 4 frames having only starter strips of foundation on them. Don't put full sheets of foundation in the traps, it blocks space.

There is a lure named Swarm Commander, that you put in the traps. It absolutely works.

I had Swarm Commander in those traps. They do like it.
I believe that was one of my problems. No old frames. No slum gum. Nothing to make them really commit.

There is a Coop 20 miles away that has a Bee Keepers club. That meets every month. I need to join. I spent 13 years on an off shift. I bid to a day shift job in May. I can attend the meetings and get some guidance now.

[FurFlyin]

If you can make those meetings, you might talk someone into giving you an old frame of comb. You could bait several traps with one old brood comb. Just break off pieces and lay it on the floor of the trap. If you can't get any, buy some beeswax, melt it and paint some inside the traps. I don't think I have any anywhere, but if I run across an old frame of comb that I might have left, I'll send it to you.

[DockShootinJack]

If you can make those meetings, you might talk someone into giving you an old frame of comb. You could bait several traps with one old brood comb. Just break off pieces and lay it on the floor of the trap. If you can't get any, buy some beeswax, melt it and paint some inside the traps. I don't think I have any anywhere, but if I run across an old frame of comb that I might have left, I'll send it to you.

I have some foundation I bought to make starter strips. Wouldnt that work?

[FurFlyin]

I have some foundation I bought to make starter strips. Wouldnt that work?

Any wax will help. I would use starter strips no more than 1" wide. Also if and when you do catch a swarm, a foundationless frame of new comb is very, very fragile. Make sure you never hold it in any other direction that 100% vertical at all times. If you tilt it, it will fall out.

[DockShootinJack]

I will have to revamp them this spring. I need to overseed the clover out back also. Brings in the bees and I cut with a bagger mower and take it to the chickens. They love it