Ahoy-hoy BEE-KEEPERS

[billi]

.... just a thought , native bumble-bees colonies in a hive can be ordered in the UK (and other areas too)
They are very good pollinators and are more active in colder and windier conditions too and much more peaceful

I suppose , this idea is mainly used for greenhouses and pollinating at a specific time for growers .

In general , i would generate a potential in ones garden, that attracts bees and bumble-bees as other pollinators too , like butterflies , birds , other insects , not only sucking the nectar is the important part for pollinating .

There are many advises on bee friendly planting , like this one https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/plants-for-bees/ (am not agreeing on all plants)

But , creating an habitat in ones garden will attract bees and others , that does not mean one needs a wildlife jungle in the back of the city garden !

One can also create a designed garden , that in-cooperates, that idea .

I do like those "Insect-houses" , but sometimes, they are used to green-wash the inability to have an attractive garden , after the entrance drive is paved , most of the ground covered with lawn , evergreen -hardly flowering hedges are planted and then nail a bee-house next to the letterbox onto a plastered housewall with no climbing plant !

No criticism here in that thread , just wondering , if i was a bumble bee , would i like to live in a house, that cannot provide food for me in the surroundings ?

A network of connected gardens can create a big area , even in a city , thats why some planning advice should be provided or forced to be full-filled for many reasons

Billi

[Mr Gus]

Thanks all from the replies, Martin was the bed poster on "st elsewhere " with as I recall a mix of hives but primarily the "leave em alone type"

I'll measure out space properly this summer & see if I can get away with guerrilla kit, we do have beekeepers in the village (mainly church bees, but one guy is an a-hole, so may seem from further afield info, some years ago that Kickstarter appealed but as it was bad for the bee's I never went there.

And yes, all the rape heavy honey is not my thing, I wonder how it would be (excesses) in brewing?

I have a stash of new Zealand deadliest honey, Greek raw, & Waitrose currently have on offer a wonderful Canadian flower honey (divine) ..all make the regular stuff local to me, pretty poor.

It's a dilemma as you say due to the low quality of rape for the bee's as well as us.

I'll think on, did you ever post pics of you'd solar was extractor? ..I seem to recall something some years back.

[Mr Gus]

This week, will be a half measure, making a few humble bee nests as per..

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/b ... s/#lookfor
& dig out a solitary bee box I have "somewhere" ..mount it away from stupid(ly bright) boxer puppy. just hit 5 months & giving the xl Frenchie hell
CBD with every meal ..she needs it.

[AE-NMidlands]

Thanks all from the replies, Martin was the bee poster on "st elsewhere " with as I recall a mix of hives but primarily the "leave em alone type"

I'll think on, did you ever post pics of your solar wax extractor? ..I seem to recall something some years back.

I might have done, I don't remember. This is it late one evening about a month ago

and a pic of it working,

plus the mould and some wax from it:

I could go on at length...
A

[Moxi]

You’re right Mr Gus

I recall seeing that or something very very similar at at elsewhere - I thought it was a touch of genius at the time and seeing it still in action is great

Moxi

[Mr Gus]

Nicely done AE

[AE-NMidlands]

Thanks for the compliments. It's nice to watch it working - like a lava lamp, except that it doesn't have to be plugged in! I sometimes have my after-lunch cup of coffee watching it...
shows it.
If you are not bored yet, here's this spring's output

although the thickest cakes are probably last year's dirtiest ones run through again, and this is what I did in February reprocessing some of last year's output:

If you need something to do with it all, this comes next:

but you get good money (or tons of equipment or foundation) if you just trade it in. The people who tell you that "it's not worth doing anything with old comb - just burn it" often turn out to have an axe to grind, e.g. they sell beekeeping equipment!
I'll shut up now
A

[cojmh]

Really impressed with that and the foundation looks amazing.

I have a couple of questions if I may?

1. Do you do anything to kill off any pathogens that might be in the wax? I know there is a big movement at the moment about hygiene and not moving frames between hives. I wonder if the solar melter gets hot enough to sterilise too?

2. How do you make the foundation sheet? I assume it is some kind of mould?

Thanks

[Stinsy]

Could you improve the effort the extractor in marginal conditions with a solar panel and heating element?

[Mr Gus]

What temperatures do you get in the wax box early season?I
What is the containment material at the bottom & whats used to suspend was at the top?