1) What's the difference between wet and dry cappings on honeycomb? 3:11 2) What is the order of things we should be buying as new beekeepers? 5:14 3) My bees are covering the ground corn for cows. Will they use that or are they just wasting their time. Current pollen substitute details. 12:49 4) I'm wondering if cell direction is an issue. What about the flat on the bottom? 24:37 5) I have been kicking around the VSH Queen idea. What are your thoughts and suggestions? 30:30

@kennith.

5 ай бұрын

Thank you Adam

Thank you. That answers my question. I wonder how they manage it in the hospitals though…🤷‍♀️ As for lightning strike on trees that can be used by bees I had the same reflection as to rarety. Only saw it once. More frequently are trees being hit by lightning where bees are already present. Dirt Rooster and M Edd had a few of those. That to I only saw it once in real life. Thank you for your time on this.

Hi Fred. Doing my Friday 'Fred-day' on my Saturday ! Was busy Yesterday doing my Bees. Seeing whats what. Making some 'Sale' Orders. And catching up with the local Bee Assc, KZread Broadcasts etc. . . 😉 Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 it seems has better Weather than you in the USA. Wow ! Currently 12 C (54 F) and the Girls are Flying big time. Just seen a good amount of Orange Pollen being brought in at the Hive(s) Entrances. Guess if its bright : its from 'Snowdrops' and if its a tad duller : then that is from the Wild thorny thickets of 'Gorse' with its bright Yellow Flowers. The local Moorlands and Roadsides are thick with this Plant. Another 'wild' species that has early Pollen. Maybe unliked by Farmers etc. (Thorns & Wooly Sheep don't mix well !) But Nature is providing again, at a time, when Bees really need all the help they can get. Means the Colonies must be finally thinking its going to be 'Spring 'soon ! Ranking up a higher amount of Brood Rearing. So when everthing finally 'kicks' in, they have the Population to bring in this massive Nectar Flow that Spring provides us. 🥳 Added a small amount of DIY Powdered Sugar (milled White Sugar) with a small % of Dry Pollen Substitute mixed into the above. As a SoS reserve of Nutrition, as the Temps are going to be going down again a bit, later in the Week. With more Rains due. . . 😖 My Garden looks like the Somme already. Weather for muddy Ducks : who despite my efforts just love making even more "Mud" ! The Chickens look on in despair: but still try to raid the Ducks Breakfast ! Birds will be birds no matter what. 🤭 Have Submitted a Q&A 'Question' (I cannot find an Answer to !!! . . . Anywhere.) So thought : 'Hey' Submit it to the Fred ! And the "Way to Bee" Q&A : Platform : You must have an 'Answer' surely (!) . . .🤞 Hope to hear if in Weeks to come : if it was 'chosen' and discussed on another 'Fred Friday'. Meantime Many Thanks for another informative Q&A. . .😎 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Happy Beekeeping 2024 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

Dang it, the Fluff Section snuck up on me this week 😅 Thanks for the video, very nice as always.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

I know it was a short session :)

Thank you for all the information you provide to us. I love and appreciate all your videos! You really provide such valuable help to backyard beekeepers. There is only so much one can learn from a busy mentor and a bee club that only meets every two months. We have to be proactive and try to learn as much as we can from truly knowledgeable educators. I have recommended your channel to others who want to learn more about beekeeping. (Despite being told at bee club meetings not to watch KZread to learn anything about beekeeping!) Loved the interview/Q & A on Horizontalbees channel!

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! I was a guest speaker at a bee association where the speaker right before my exclaimed with great conviction that you'd learn nothing useful on KZread about bees. But, then he proceeded to recommend some KZread videos that would reinforce the points he was making (';')( ';')... but I do understand some of the frustration. Lots of options these days.

Thank you Fred. Thank you for checking if there was pollen in the bird feeder.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

You're welcome, I would have been pleasantly surprised if it had been pollen!

I always appreciate your discussions of treating bees for mites! Very pragmatic! 😊

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Glad you like them! Thanks :)

Another great episode. Always appreciate you Fred

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much.

I am from England and I am glad I found you, I am thinking of be coming a beekeeper I bought this fab book from eBay it's by David Cramp he is full of good information also I found a beekeepers club I will be phoning them to join I want to learn before I start, I am looking into everything first. I learning from you that's great too. Great video i will keep watching your videos Bless you for these videos.

@FrederickDunn

4 ай бұрын

Thank you so much, and I hope you find a group to join that is full of helpful beekeepers :)

This is my 5th year. I live less than an hour away from you. My bees have been getting better with mites over the past few years. I didn't need to treat a single colony last year. I had 13 hives going into winter, I skipped the winter solstice treatment, and all 13 hives I have verified as surviving as of last weekend. ( 2 - 10 - 2024 ) Let's hope for another mite-free season. 🧡

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

That's the kind of news I like to read! How are you assessing mite loads? Thanks for sharing.

@richmiller6284

5 ай бұрын

@@FrederickDunn I do alchohol washes.

Thanks Fred! My only excess buy so far has been the slatted racks😂😂😂

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

They are handy :)

@josevelazquez-feliciano1613

5 ай бұрын

​@@FrederickDunnyou definitely sold me on them. My wife is getting bees from a family friend and I'm taking a bee class. We are going to see which way works best. We are definitely balling on a tight budget over here but can't wait. Thanks for all you do!

Great episode as always! This past week I had to go on Amazon to order a Blue Bird port cover to fix a gray squirrels damage to their house and went ahead and ordered the 1 KG HiveAlive fondant patty and a 2 OZ Swarm Commander spray bottle to help with trying to catch that swarm next month. We'll see how it goes, the lemon grass oil slow release capsules didn't seem to do the trick last year so I'm crossing my fingers on the swarm commander spray this year. I may have to setup a couple of the swarm traps on two of my daughters' properties that are many miles away from my own. Very low bee pressure in my immediate location.

How lovely the introduction was!

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thank you! Those snow-globes... well, sparkle globes were in Cracker Barrel's shop :)

Hi Fred, I enjoy your videos very much. I learn so much and appreciate your citizen science approach and your sense of humor. I am looking into buying pollen powder substitute and am wondering about the shelf-life?

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

The shortest shelf life I could find among them was for 2 years. Some boast 4 years in cool, dark storage. If you're going to use up in two years or less I think you'll be in good shape :)

Hey Mr.Dunn,,Sorry for being Away for so long... that's jus what you get when living in the 3 rd world,,🇱🇨👍🏽❤️

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

No problem, glad to have you back :)

Hi Fred, really enjoyed Friday’s Q&A especially study on bee feed distances! Moved my feed station to 12.5 meters. I also enjoyed your guest talk with Rickey of Horizontal Bees…I can’t believe you were accused of being a sub sailer!! …If you wish, I will send you my sub picture (USS Daniel Boone SSBN 629) and you can whisper sweet nothings about what could have been! Dr J 😂

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! As I mentioned in that session, I was a rider and loved the sub-community. I also learned never to sit in the COB's spot in the galley :) I did several deployments on the USS Sam Houston... it was my intro to SDVs, I wasn't a seal, just deployed with them :) I like to leave people guessing regarding what my job/mission actually was. Thank you for your service... silent though it may have been...

@FlemingTeaSC

5 ай бұрын

Wow! I didn’t know your history on the USS Sam Houston, SSBN to SSN and SDV. I occasionally met our beloved COB’s attention, not a fun place to bee! 😢 Thank you again, I look forward to your Q&A and interview sessions! Dr J

Great info!

Always great!

RE: What should a new beekeeper buy? I respectfully suggest and recommend that every beekeeper, especially in urban/suburban areas, obtain an epipen and keep it current. They cost about a hundred dollars, and they have a shelf life of around 18 months. Perhaps folks may feel I'm being hysterical but I know that any visitor to my backyard hives that collapses in anaphylactic shock will ruin my whole day. I know the incidence of anaphylactic shock is quite low, but on the other hand, there is the possibility that help just can't arrive fast enough if the victim has an extreme reaction.

Great Video Fred! Enjoyed watching it, Have a Great weekend 😎👍

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thanks, you too!

Dee Lusby promotes the “Housel” position theory. She published her book in 2018, “Biological Beekeeping, The Way Back” She is a treatment free beekeeper in Arizona and at one point had 700 hives. Michael Bush also comments about the Housel theory.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for that additional information. It just hasn't held up to scientific scrutney. I'm open to any scientific experimentation and results that can be repeated. Theories are great beginnings, we need to validate that through practical testing. Thanks again, we'll keep our minds open :)

Thanks Fred, I enjoyed the stream on horizontalbees last night, have a wonderful weekend, God bless !

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

It was great seeing you there also! I hope your weekend is fantastic! :)

Question #2: You've been talking about new bee hives. A new blue hive with the number 55 for your grandson, and giving away old equipment, etc. Could you go into more depth here? It might be that the arid South Western US is completely different- after all, beekeeping is almost entirely regional... However, I still have some old beehives from my former mentor- the Honey King; Richard King of Spanish Flats, California. He died in the late 90's. Now, the two or three I do have are under layers of paint, but I'm sure they're there... as well as a treasured, hand carved syrup jar holder (I can't tell for sure, but it looks like it was made from a solid block of wood). I regularly scavenge the roadsides and oil fields for decent lumber and plywood, and free furniture left on curb-sides in town is a boon for hive construction. Therefore; I am submitting Question #1 for the next Fred-day, to what extent do you replace your beehives and equipment?

@Huntnlady7

5 ай бұрын

P.S. Buy a hive stand? Do you work for the government? Cinder blocks can be found frequently, and the wood that goes between them is a little harder, but not impossible; however, I specialize in recovering old bed and sofa frames from the Chihuahuan Desert. Cleans up the environment and makes a great stand. Just got a twin bed frame on Thursday. I'll set it up with new slats cut from scavenged fence wood next week. I think the trendy term is upcycling. Anyway, I've got to hear your sermon on the topic.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

I think I said you need a hive stand, not that you have to buy one. I've shown lots of stand options through the years. I did have concrete blocks in the past. You're right, I highly suggest visiting construction sites and asking the supervisor for a free shot at the scrap pile or demolition dumpster. It's remarkable what gets tossed out. Many new beekeepers have no woodworking skills. But for those who do, there is a lot out there. I bought a huge coffee table once for $3.00 at a yardsale, it was all butcher block and really nice wood. It's out there for sure!

Thank you for another great video

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and taking a moment to comment :)

I use Ultra Bee works good for me

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Likely the most popular dry pollen sub for many years, and continues to be popular. The bees definitely smell it right away and will follow you to the feeding station. I hadn't even heard of AP23 until the studies at U of F were completed. My apiary doesn't depend on this kind of feed, so it's just something I enjoy testing. When all three subs were put out, the favorite for the bees was Ultra Bee. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qqZ92rBrnK2XesY.htmlsi=hOXODonoxT1xdyOx It definitely gives those early foragers something to do.

As I recall when you put out dry subs for traffic comparison your bees had other preferences.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Yes, when I put out dry pollen subs, the bees chose Ultra Bee over AP23. I don't think their preferences were part of the study, I think the brood results and overall bee population were what the University Study focused on. But yes, bees went for Ultra Bee. It fell out of the competition in results based studies.

😇👍

Love your vdo

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Thanks, Peter!

Great info, thanks for your channel! Quick question: You mention beescape changes year to year based on conditions. Back to the previous topic do you think mite pressure could change based on the environment, year to year? Your bees were doing great then you brought in outside bees and had a spike, could some of that be environmental changes year to year or do you think it was all just the new bees? Just wondering 🤔

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

There are a lot of moving parts that contribute to rise and potential fall of my colonies. I won't be bringing in any packages in the future. But I can't absolutely pin the decline of my own bees on that single event. My locally adapted bees are doing extremely well, but that dynamic changes environmentally as well as new-bees showing up nearby in the care of other keepers. Unpredictable. I just keep using the best management practices I can :)

@Littlehiveonthehill

5 ай бұрын

@@FrederickDunn makes sense, thanks again for all your great content! 👍

Loved the photo of you in your navy uniform! I am not so sure I would want to have to report to you if I was what was called in the army a goldbricker. Not sure what the naval term for a loafer is. You have a great sense of humor but nonsense need not apply!

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Those were definitely the good ol days. We were clowning around often, but could really lock-down when it counted :) I loved my time in the Navy but don't miss the sleep deprivation! :)

Hi Fred, I noticed you insinuated that nuc equipment will be big business in the exhibit video. Are you referring to “brood factories”? I’m going to be trying this in my 10 hive setup. Are you running brood factories or resource hives? I’m going to try it this summer. Would you do a video on the subject if you haven’t already?

@FrederickDunn

4 ай бұрын

I'll talk more about this on Friday :)

In reading about MegaBee, the instructions state “fed as a patty or mixed directly into your 2:1 sugar syrup”. Nothing I can find about feeding MegaBee as a dry powder. Thoughts? Thank you.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

MegaBee dry pollen substitute can be offered to bees in its dry form, but it might not be the most effective way. Here's a breakdown of the options: Dry form: Pros: Easy to use, doesn't require additional preparation. Cons: Bees might not readily accept it. Studies suggest they prefer it mixed with syrup or formed into patties. Can be messy and blow away in windy conditions. Mixed with syrup: Pros: More appealing to bees, easier for them to consume. Cons: Requires additional preparation, can be sticky and attract pests. Formed into patties: Pros: Convenient and easy to manage, prevents windblown losses. Cons: Requires additional preparation, might not be as readily accepted as syrup-mixed version. Generally, beekeepers recommend mixing MegaBee with syrup or forming it into patties for better results. This increases the palatability and makes it easier for the bees to access the nutrients. Here are some additional points to consider: Weather: If it's windy, dry MegaBee might not be a good option. Opt for patties or syrup mix instead. Hive health: Weak hives might struggle to access dry MegaBee. Mixing it with syrup can be helpful. Trial and error: Ultimately, the best way to determine how your bees react is to try different methods and observe their behavior.

Hello Fred. I love that beehive light globe but you never mentioned where you got it?🤔

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Aha... it's not mine :) I was in the store at Cracker Barrell and snagged some video :)

@anitasetter7641

5 ай бұрын

Dang! Gonna have to keep my eyes open now and be on the hunt😆

Not sure why beescape ,isnt working on my device ,or laptop,I do the launch,but cant enter info,without their pop-up info blocking the area where im supposed to enter stuff?tried a few times

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

It should definitely work on a Laptop. Hmmm... maybe email them? They are very interested in user feedback.

I wish the USDA would provide all backyard beekeepers with free VSH queens simultaneously to combat the mite problem

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

I'm actually going to a presentation today, there is a plan that involves specifically bred queens for survival without treatment. The roadblock we face is that every beekeeper in our area won't consent to join that program. I was doing great until a commercial beekeeper moved an apiary in just 1,000 yards from me. They lose a lot of their stock every winter and are heavy treaters. We have to win the minds of other beekeepers and that's not an easy sell.

@Huntnlady7

4 ай бұрын

@@FrederickDunn Oh wow, that sucks!

Great stuff as usual. Fred-are you aware if there is any type of leaching into wax or the larva from acorn and premiere plastic foundations? Thx

@FrederickDunn

4 ай бұрын

Hi Brad, there have been several studies regarding the plastics in hives and hives constructed from plastic materials. To date, micro plastics are making it into honey and bee digestive systems but it's coming from swiffer cloth that some are using to trap small hive beetles, the word just isn't getting out about that. Regarding the plastic foundations, frames, and hives none of the studies have found it in honey, wax, or the body of resident honey bees. This is a topic that I stay up to date on, and hope others will also. Plastics in food, the pre-bottled water has demonstrated that it also carries micro-plastics in many brands. I leave it to others to find out what's in their single serving plastic bottles.

@bradgoliphant

4 ай бұрын

You’re the best!

So if you only want to continue with your hygenic bees, what do you do with the hive that creates swarm cells that are not your best hives?

@michelearmstrong4060

5 ай бұрын

Do you cull that queen at that time and hope they get a bit better with the new mating?

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

You remove the swarm cells. When they are past that window of opportunity, then you restock that colony with a frame of brood/eggs from one of your top performers and let them produce new queens from that frame.

@michelearmstrong4060

5 ай бұрын

@@FrederickDunn I 'm sorry to not understand. But how do you get past that window (where there are no more viable eggs) if the old queen is still there? You capture and remove her first then, right?

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

@@michelearmstrong4060 the eggs are from another colony. The low-performing colony gets its queen removed. You can't wait until swarm cells are capped, you have to get them before a swarm emits.

@michelearmstrong4060

5 ай бұрын

@@FrederickDunn thanks for taking the time to answer so many questions personally.

I left pollen sub out at nite once - foxes & raccoons got into it

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

My dog came in with an orange face (';')...

@illumi-Nate

5 ай бұрын

@@FrederickDunn that's funny!! Found a treat!

I was looking at these ozone and UV-C lights disinfecting device. I was wondering if that would be a good chose to disinfect frames, combs and hives? ( Of course when the hive is empty of bees..😂). What attracted me to this is often find bees in the cavity of a tree that has been hit by lightning. I also know that ozone is a highly effective disinfectant used by hospitals in operating rooms. Lightning discharges ozone but also two oxidizing chemicals chemicals, HO-2 😢(hydroperoxyl) and OH (hydroxyl). Question do these chemicals harm the bees? I just thought that if was used to désinfecte a room at the hospital it probably isn’t…??🤔 Saw the video of horizontalbees where you ere a guest. Good video. Learn a bit more about the person in the bee suit. Not much on the Layens though except for the extractor discussion … but met more Layen’s beekeeper for future reference. Thank you for all you do

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Around here, the trees struck by lightning tend to blow open a side of the tree. Rare to find one that's been hit and still have some sort of cavity in it for bees. All of our bee trees for the feral studies had no evidence of having been hit by lightning. Interesting about the Ozone... I had a lengthy conversation yesterday with Dr. Tracy Farone, AKA the Bee Vet. A U/V device strong enough to have a meaningful impact on hive surfaces, or frames/comb would be extremely dangerous, and not sufficient for most pathogens. We also discussed radiographic isotopes, which can work, but those are in vaults where entire loads of hives are moved in and then exposed to that flux and removed. Not within the reach of most backyard keepers. All interesting, and I was glad to have so much of her time :) She's a DVM with a wide range of expertise involving animal pathogens.

Wait- WHAT?!! @40:35 "What happens when they get it back to the hive? Is there any value in it? No. They are wasting their time". HOLD THE PHONE! I ran out of Ultra Bee Pollen Sub, so I researched online and since mid-December, I've been using home made pollen sub. The basic recipe calls for Corn Meal, Powdered Milk, & Whole Wheat Flour. Now I have been doing a little experimenting, but our weather has been less than cooperative with bee foraging days. I bought blue Masa and regular Masa from the Latino aisle, (Masa is dried corn for making tortillas or tamales) as well as dried whole milk and tortilla flour for my home made pollen mixes. I'm the New Mexico Bee Lady. People from New Mexico are poor, and pain is considered a flavor. So please tell me straight- did I just waste my money on all these ingredients? Re-inventing the wheel is so counterproductive.

@MinnesotaBeekeeper

5 ай бұрын

Some corns have difference protein levels...

Fred-day!🤗You want to talk lame; my location has an economic value of $0.00 according to Beescape. Trees and swamp.

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

Wow, I felt bad about my low numbers. I love swamp land :) Even if agriculture hasn't registered any value there. :)

@lambbrookfarm4528

5 ай бұрын

good place to study bugs ;}@@FrederickDunn

Florida State University?.39:25

@FrederickDunn

5 ай бұрын

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jen.12957 for more in depth information.