Hive check

[jackelope]

We got curious and decided to check on the hive tonight. Looks like everything is going smooth and the bees are hard at work. This hive is a week and a half old. We put a package in last Wednesday night. Looking forward to the honey we'll eventually get. This is good fun too.

[DaveMonti]

We had a few hives when I was a teenager.  Its a very cool hobby!  I've been thinking of getting back into it.  We've got some fruit trees that need pollination!

[Becky]

Random question and not trying to hijack, but would that destroy a person with allergies to have a hobby like that? I never thought of it before, but now seeing all that pollen...

[Taco280AI]

Would like a few hives eventually

[jackelope]

Random question and not trying to hijack, but would that destroy a person with allergies to have a hobby like that? I never thought of it before, but now seeing all that pollen...

Honestly I have no clue. I don't really have allergies so I never did any research on that.  My guess is no, because it's not flying around in the air. You could be touching it, but most folks were heavy gloves when working with the hives.
Some of the more experienced beekeepers on here may chime in. I know they say a spoonful of local to you honey helps with allergies. The closer to you it originates from, the better for that.

[92xj]

this is something I want to do badly but don't think it would be the best decision I've ever made in life since some bee stings a few years ago pretty much killed me. 
Look forward to watching and keeping up with your journey with this!
I will trade smoked goods for honey when you're ready. 

[TheHunt]

I have a friend who does that and last year he had 4 hives this year he is hoping for 10.   It is fun but at the same time it is time consuming.

[rjmcm]

Random question and not trying to hijack, but would that destroy a person with allergies to have a hobby like that? I never thought of it before, but now seeing all that pollen...

there is a difference between the pollen in the air and the pollen packed into the cells.  Between my boy and I we have six hives and I have allergies. the pollen in the hives has never had any affect.  If you are really interested in bees join a bee association.  Most are affiliated with a university and you can learn a lot from the studies they have done.

Jackelope; great pictures, nice brood pattern on the frames. I could not spot the queen but that is par for the coarse for me

[jackelope]

Random question and not trying to hijack, but would that destroy a person with allergies to have a hobby like that? I never thought of it before, but now seeing all that pollen...

there is a difference between the pollen in the air and the pollen packed into the cells.  Between my boy and I we have six hives and I have allergies. the pollen in the hives has never had any affect.  If you are really interested in bees join a bee association.  Most are affiliated with a university and you can learn a lot from the studies they have done.

Jackelope; great pictures, nice brood pattern on the frames. I could not spot the queen but that is par for the coarse for me

Thanks. We looked last night for a bit and we couldn't find her either.

[Kazekurt]

Always good to see forum members enjoying beekeeping!  Ive worked in the industry for 16 years and have been a partner in a couple large apiaries  for 8 years(5000 colonies).  Your time as a beekeeper will be full of excitement and frustration but if  you keep a positive attitude, learn, and adapt you will enjoy it  immensely.  The overhead cost is pretty high per colony to get started and it is definitely a hands on pursuit, meaning you will have to invest time at it!  Fortunately, if you are not pollinating up and down the West Coast like the commercial beekeepers  your time commitment will be somewhat mitigated.   The best advice I can give you is to be attentive to your hive, but not to over manipulate It.   One of the biggest flaws I see with new beekeepers is that they are so enthralled with the hive that they feel the need to dig in the hive every day.  Resist the urge to do this, as unnecessary hive manipulation increases your chances at Killing your queen either by your own handling, or by agitating the hive enough that they ball her up.  Stay on top of mites, make sure your  Queen always has somewhere to lay during build up, and be sure and leave enough honey in the brood nest  or supply supplemental feeding and pollen in the fall/winter and  you will have a fair shot at success. Good luck !

[jackelope]

Always good to see forum members enjoying beekeeping!  Ive worked in the industry for 16 years and have been a partner in a couple large apiaries  for 8 years(5000 colonies).  Your time as a beekeeper will be full of excitement and frustration but if  you keep a positive attitude, learn, and adapt you will enjoy it  immensely.  The overhead cost is pretty high per colony to get started and it is definitely a hands on pursuit, meaning you will have to invest time at it!  Fortunately, if you are not pollinating up and down the West Coast like the commercial beekeepers  your time commitment will be somewhat mitigated.   The best advice I can give you is to be attentive to your hive, but not to over manipulate It.   One of the biggest flaws I see with new beekeepers is that they are so enthralled with the hive that they feel the need to dig in the hive every day.  Resist the urge to do this, as unnecessary hive manipulation increases your chances at Killing your queen either by your own handling, or by agitating the hive enough that they ball her up.  Stay on top of mites, make sure your  Queen always has somewhere to lay during build up, and be sure and leave enough honey in the brood nest  or supply supplemental feeding and pollen in the fall/winter and  you will have a fair shot at success. Good luck !

We put the package in last Wednesday and took the queen cage out on Saturday. Since then we haven't touched it. We went into it last night just to have a look and see how things were looking. I was thinking the whole time that these things are probably best left un-messed with as much as possible. Didn't see any mites yet. What treatment do you recommend for treating them when they do show up?

[Becky]

Random question and not trying to hijack, but would that destroy a person with allergies to have a hobby like that? I never thought of it before, but now seeing all that pollen...

there is a difference between the pollen in the air and the pollen packed into the cells.  Between my boy and I we have six hives and I have allergies. the pollen in the hives has never had any affect.  If you are really interested in bees join a bee association.  Most are affiliated with a university and you can learn a lot from the studies they have done.

Jackelope; great pictures, nice brood pattern on the frames. I could not spot the queen but that is par for the coarse for me

Thanks for the info I don't have allergies myself so I don't know what triggers it for some people, just late night curiosity kicking in haha.

[TheHunt]

I helped a friend get a hive out of his pump house three weeks ago.  It was a lot of fun helping.  The dude that was the master did it all without a bee suit.  My buddy had his suit and I stood back and took pictures and only got close when the bee's were not nervous.

[Elliott]

I've been interested in beekeeping for a little while now, the only thing holding me back is that every time I get stung I swell up like a balloon

[jackelope]

I've been interested in beekeeping for a little while now, the only thing holding me back is that every time I get stung I swell up like a balloon

That's what bee suits and gloves are for.