Probably getting myself into trouble...

Beeker

Beeker

Aquariaholic
Oct 8, 2004
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I guess it really is true... Women have addictive personalities. Here, I've become addicted to aquarium keeping, and now, I am house sitting for a friend who is a bee keeper. I ended up joining another forum on beekeeping. My friend lost his hive due to a bad winter, but a wild swarm seems to have moved in and taken over. Now, I am trying to work on the hive, to make it comfortable for these bees so that they won't decide to leave. They ended up moving into a pile of boxes that may or may not have frames in them. There isn't a proper base or top, just a pile of frames and boards, and because it was supposed to rain yesterday, I had to CAREFULLY place some boards on top of the pile so the rain wouldn't get in (because of the lack of a proper top). :eek: I have to say, it was quite exhilarating to have bees flying by and around while I had to make 3 trips to place some boards on the hive. Every time they just ignored me and let me do it. :D
It was so cool! The first time I put a board on the hive, my friend was on the phone with me. He was proud of me. :D After a while, I felt that the one board wasn't enough so I put two more on top. When I told him, both he and another friend said I should get into the hobby of bee-keeping. They were quite impressed. I also got up close again today to get some pictures. It was so neat. :dance: Of course, our friend will be over tomorrow to take over and set up a proper hive. I'm just glad I could help keep the bees from leaving until he gets here.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share that really cool experience I just had with you all.
 
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I never thought of bee keeping as a hobby.

Hmmm. That extra 20g would make a cooool windowed beehive :thm:
 
How extremely cool! My grandpa and dad kept bees. I think it was just a common thing for farmers to do. We had to finally get rid of the hive when we moved across the street from a school. Neighbors tolerence only goes so far I guess.
 
I have a friend who keeps bees. I helped him out once--it is very fun! Just be careful if you start up, though. It starts with the bees. And then, next thing you know, you're planting and tending an acre of buckwheat so the bees have some late blooms for their own honey for the end of the season :) My recommendation is to keep helping your friend out with his bees and score some good honey ;)
 
My dad got some hives when I was about 5, and I started helping him care for them, read the books, everything. They are really cool, and honestly don't take too much time--check once a month or so in the summer to see about adding another box with frames, rotating frames so they get filled evenly (bees will fill the inside frames first, so you move the outside ones to the middle), etc. We had one with a pollen trap, and would get pounds of the stuff as well. Pretty cool stuff. And of course, with lots of honey, you can make mead. :)
 
Beeker....the beekeeping is great, but don't say that it's women with the additicive personalities. (You knew this was coming) Men are just as likely to have the same characteristic.
 
that IS pretty cool, Beeker... good luck with it whether or not you decide to go on your own, or if you continue to help your friend. It's a different hobby I would think, being from Jersey... but cool all the same ;)
 
It is a neat hobby. I've been reading more on the forums. I was even able to contribute a little. :)

Here are some of the pictures I took yesterday. I know it is a mess but they chose not to take over a nice hive that was set up only 5 feet away. They chose this pile of junk instead. I'm sure they had their reasons.

http://img216.echo.cx/img216/2316/beehive1leftanglesmall2sc.jpg

http://img216.echo.cx/img216/8970/beehive1entrancewithguards0qj.jpg

http://img216.echo.cx/img216/2701/beehive1busybeeswithpollen3aj.jpg

http://img216.echo.cx/img216/3379/beehive1bottomentrance6wj.jpg
 
Has anyone ever tried to build an indoor, "exploded-view" hive before? I see these things at every zoo I go to and they are fascinating.
 
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