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New Zealand Beekeeping Forums
NZ Beginner Beekeepers
New beekeeper, a few questions
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<blockquote data-quote="JamezNZ" data-source="post: 10133" data-attributes="member: 595"><p>I'm a new beekeeper as of Sunday, located in the Kapiti Coast. I have always held interest in beekeeping but never got around to it. I even had some boxes, frames, bases and a beesuit (cheapo) sitting around for a few years. But finally I decided to bite the bullet and get into it. I met with a registered beekeeper and bought a hive (3/4 frames, 2 boxes with bees, queen and brood) which had been treated a few days earlier. I've set the hive in the garden and will take a look inside it once my smoker and new better quality suit that I've ordered arrives this week. I've registered on afb.org.nz and also bought the Practical beekeeping NZ 5th edition book to go along with this hobby and started to go through Trevs bees videos on youtube.</p><p></p><p>It's an exciting new hobby and I'm always going down to the hive to watch them do their thing. But what I've observed so far has raised some questions:</p><p></p><p>First morning (Monday) a couple dead bees, due to cleaning I assume.</p><p></p><p>This morning I found these bodies out the front:</p><p>[MEDIA=imgur]D25doiT[/MEDIA]</p><p>[MEDIA=imgur]fL79yK5[/MEDIA]</p><p>Are these drones, why are they dead outside the hive and unmature looking?</p><p></p><p></p><p>What is this they're fighting over, some kind of white translucent crumb of some sorts, do they bring other things in other than pollen?</p><p>[MEDIA=imgur]2sf76yM[/MEDIA]</p><p></p><p></p><p>Behaviors:</p><p>A bee standing at the front, rearing up on its hind legs and pushing incoming bees that are landing with its front lets, as if it's trying to push them away? (evening)</p><p>A few bees with their butts up, fanning their wings. (evening)</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Also location. When I got them home I had an area prepared. I was told it was probably a good idea to point the entrance north, but I had wind whipping in that direction (wind mostly comes through in this direction), so I rotated it 180 away from it towards an opening.</p><p></p><p>[MEDIA=imgur]FWwJEzf[/MEDIA]</p><p></p><p>Does this look alright? (evening sun pictured)</p><p></p><p></p><p>I've noticed they start first flight in the morning around 9am. Is this too late due to the sun not hitting it directly? They finish their flight around 7:30pm and start to settle in.</p><p>Wind vs Sun, what do I go for and if I was to move the hive, is that ok, or should I wait sometime before I do that. Another area of interest is here:</p><p>[MEDIA=imgur]enUpZM4[/MEDIA]</p><p>Up against this side of the barn pictured where the southerly's are mostly absorbed by the barn. The barn also receives very early sunlight all the way till the evening.</p><p></p><p>Other things, the place they are now has some trees that attract wasps 25m away and the paddock location I'm thinking about has magpies that hang around in the trees nearby.</p><p></p><p>Sorry for the plethora of questions and they may be dumb, but I'm hoping my hive is off to a good start or what action I should take next.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JamezNZ, post: 10133, member: 595"] I'm a new beekeeper as of Sunday, located in the Kapiti Coast. I have always held interest in beekeeping but never got around to it. I even had some boxes, frames, bases and a beesuit (cheapo) sitting around for a few years. But finally I decided to bite the bullet and get into it. I met with a registered beekeeper and bought a hive (3/4 frames, 2 boxes with bees, queen and brood) which had been treated a few days earlier. I've set the hive in the garden and will take a look inside it once my smoker and new better quality suit that I've ordered arrives this week. I've registered on afb.org.nz and also bought the Practical beekeeping NZ 5th edition book to go along with this hobby and started to go through Trevs bees videos on youtube. It's an exciting new hobby and I'm always going down to the hive to watch them do their thing. But what I've observed so far has raised some questions: First morning (Monday) a couple dead bees, due to cleaning I assume. This morning I found these bodies out the front: [MEDIA=imgur]D25doiT[/MEDIA] [MEDIA=imgur]fL79yK5[/MEDIA] Are these drones, why are they dead outside the hive and unmature looking? What is this they're fighting over, some kind of white translucent crumb of some sorts, do they bring other things in other than pollen? [MEDIA=imgur]2sf76yM[/MEDIA] Behaviors: A bee standing at the front, rearing up on its hind legs and pushing incoming bees that are landing with its front lets, as if it's trying to push them away? (evening) A few bees with their butts up, fanning their wings. (evening) Also location. When I got them home I had an area prepared. I was told it was probably a good idea to point the entrance north, but I had wind whipping in that direction (wind mostly comes through in this direction), so I rotated it 180 away from it towards an opening. [MEDIA=imgur]FWwJEzf[/MEDIA] Does this look alright? (evening sun pictured) I've noticed they start first flight in the morning around 9am. Is this too late due to the sun not hitting it directly? They finish their flight around 7:30pm and start to settle in. Wind vs Sun, what do I go for and if I was to move the hive, is that ok, or should I wait sometime before I do that. Another area of interest is here: [MEDIA=imgur]enUpZM4[/MEDIA] Up against this side of the barn pictured where the southerly's are mostly absorbed by the barn. The barn also receives very early sunlight all the way till the evening. Other things, the place they are now has some trees that attract wasps 25m away and the paddock location I'm thinking about has magpies that hang around in the trees nearby. Sorry for the plethora of questions and they may be dumb, but I'm hoping my hive is off to a good start or what action I should take next. [/QUOTE]
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