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Pit Beekeeping Thread

I enjoy keeping bees. I have 10 hives right now and I'm splitting tomorrow so I'll be up to 20 if they all take. I started out "treatment free" which after I couple years came to the realization that it's basically being anti-vax. So to anyone new to it - make sure you're treating for mites. You guys probably have hive beetles down there too which are pretty easy to treat.

I also strongly recommend avoiding italians. Russians, saskatraz, minnesota hygienic, or mutts are the way to go. And nucs are much better than packages if you can find locally sourced ones.
 
As someone who is allergic to bees, fuck those little bastards.

Yeah, I know they are ecologically vital but damn if they can't fuck my shit up lol.
 
Got a call this weekend that my 5 nucs are ready for pickup. Heading over Wednesday evening to get started on the adventure.
 
Tomorrow, May 20, is World Bee Day.
Please celebrate appropriately.
I recommend a nice mead.
 
Figures that most of my favorite posters are in the be train. There's a community college near me that does an apiary class. Might sign wife and I up for anniversary.
 
I used to have bees. Labor Day weekend was a lot of labor pulling the supers off the hives, uncappi g the comb, spinning out the honey and then putting the messy empty combs back on the hives for a few days for cleanup. Bees do a magnificent job of cleaning up all those tiny drops of honey that don't quite spin out in the centrifuge.
 
beekeeping seems very cool

is everyone here rural or are some of you keeping in a suburban area?
 
Why has this become a thing? There are small hives in half a dozen backyards all around my suburban Midwestern neighborhood and they freak out my kids and my dog. They'll all be gone in eighteen months just like the stupid stand-up desks a couple of years ago that are all now missing from my colleagues' offices.
 
Figures that most of my favorite posters are in the be train. There's a community college near me that does an apiary class. Might sign wife and I up for anniversary.

What state are you in? NC has a very active local beekeeping association in pretty much every county. I'd recommending contacting your local chapter and get involved, even before you take the class and get your first bees.

Why has this become a thing? There are small hives in half a dozen backyards all around my suburban Midwestern neighborhood and they freak out my kids and my dog. They'll all be gone in eighteen months just like the stupid stand-up desks a couple of years ago that are all now missing from my colleagues' offices.

We're doing it for a couple reasons; pollination on the farm, the commercial products associated with selling honey, and honey for ourselves. Those with backyard hives probably do not yet comprehend the amount of monitoring and work involved with keeping bees alive. I agree with your sentiment, once their hives die or abscond over winter, they'll be flooding Facebook selling their equipment.
 
beekeeping seems very cool

is everyone here rural or are some of you keeping in a suburban area?

I had both. Two hives in each of two 1/2 acre suburban yards. Several more on a friend's 10 acre "farmette."
 
Why has this become a thing? There are small hives in half a dozen backyards all around my suburban Midwestern neighborhood and they freak out my kids and my dog. They'll all be gone in eighteen months just like the stupid stand-up desks a couple of years ago that are all now missing from my colleagues' offices.

Sounds like someone that doesn't know the difference between bees and wasps
 
How much did you get for your lightly-used stand-up desk or did you just donate it?

You know it's funny - once I got the height where I wanted it I didn't adjust it very often, but then I met your mom. Now I use it every time she comes over because her fat ass can't fit under a regular desk.
 
You know it's funny - once I got the height where I wanted it I didn't adjust it very often, but then I met your mom. Now I use it every time she comes over because her fat ass can't fit under a regular desk.

LOL - nice!
 
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