bzzzzzzzzzz: 2012-01-26 Baghdad checkup

Popped in to Edis' On Australia day, whatever you want to call it.,

He chucked on his size 93 trackies and customary 3 pairs of socks,

and we got in amongst them.

I was hoping that this hive would be doing as well as The Other over in Northcote, but no such luck.

Team Photo

(thanks Rima for the photos!)

The girls were a bit shy at first.

Been a while.

Dad was on smoke patrol while I got into the sticky side of it.

He even re-lit the smoker after it went out at one stage.

I could use that sort of help again, after 2 years of this caper, I still can't keep the dang thing lit properly. Might have to go back to bee school.

A typical frame, about 60 - 70% full.

I put a couple of the fuller ones aside, but in the end we decided that it wasn't worth extracting these few frames, and I put them back in.

If all the capped honey was consolidated rather than scattered throughout, we would have had 9 or 10 frames all up. The rule of thumb is if the frame is 70% capped, then the sugar content is high enough that you can extract it, any less and you run the risk of it going off or fermenting.

Bees getting more active...

Down in the brood box, all was good, we didn't spot the queen, but loads of brood, all healthy etc.

Edis contemplates the next harvest.

I reckon in 2-3 weeks, this one will be ready for harvesting.

I found out later than Rima got stung while taking these photos.
Just goes to show, you need to be careful.

I haven't been stung for a while, I'm extra careful since I was completely massacred by bees a couple of months ago.

Current measures to prevent stings:

I tuck my jacket into my jeans, this prevents "plumbers crack" when I bend over. The crack isn't the biggest problem, it's when you lift the gusset back down over your bum, then discover that by doing this you've let a bunch of bees inside the suit... Maybe you can get better jackets than the one I've got, not sure.
I tuck my jeans into my socks. This looks so cool , as a bonus!
I wear thick grade moleskins (R.M's). the weave is tight and thick so the stingers don't get through. Normal jeans are not sting proof. You can get white moleskins too, these would be better at not-attracting bees.
Check yerself , before you wreck yerself. The number of times I've opened up a hive, then realized I hadn't zipped up the mask yet....
A long sleeve Tee-shirt under the suit would prevent stings on the fore-arms (very common) ...but bugger it, it's too hot already.
Be careful de-suiting. Close to half my stings would be from either I'm taking the suit off and there's one around the back somewhere that I haven't seen, or after I've finished, go back unsuited to see how things are, and a mad bastard dive-bombs me out of nowhere.

If you do get stung, get the stinger out fast, apply Stingose as soon as possible. Keep some handy. This stuff works like magic if you get it on quick. If you get stung somewhere dangerous (i.e. windpipe, eyeball....) , or are more-than -usually allergic, get to a doctor.....(memories of driving Adrian at 130km/h + along Maroondah highway to Alexandra hospital one sunny afternoon..)

Plenty of seasoned beekeepers don't use suits, or just sometimes a veil if they are stealing honey.
These people are nutcases. Do not trust them.

See link below for mad but charming french beekeeper in the film Queen of the Sun:
http://vimeo.com/10971927

Link below for Bee Beard competition in China:
http://pictures.metro.co.uk/bee-bearding-contest-in-china-2011?ITO=HPPIX