Not all beekeepers do are done the same way. Some beekeepers can combat, a task that, while another does it beekeeper is a one way otherwise. Sometimes a new beekeeper will not hear an experienced beekeeper and he paid the price. (This will be the subject of a future article). Other times it in several ways, one just as good as the others, the same result.
I have held less than 50 hives as a hobby. I have worked on the commercial bee farm with over 2,000 hives. The methods of hobbyist could only work on a commercial scale and methods of a commercial beekeeper would be considered by the hobby 'bad practice'. There are times however when because of time limitations with some ' tricks ' commercial beekeepers, could help to solve a problem that the hobbyist might have.
I have posts aimed to put beginners so far. I would however some, add from time to time, not necessarily are instructive, but may only informative or (some find) "interesting". This is one of the latter. I hope some of you find it interesting.
An example of what would consider a hobby is not 'bad practice' but shocking practices the art way commercial beekeepers robbed his hives. Let us consider how the hobby should do it. First of all he should be the 'softly softly' approach.
Soft opening of the hive, there is a single smoke before the removal of frames. Examine it to see if it can be removed. If so, gently shake, tap or brush the bees from the frame and place it in the Super which he brought. Replace the frame with a blank and go to the next frame. Enter an another puff of smoke, the hive steamed to the bees and keep going until you have taken off any honey you can. The hive to close and go on to the next.
The commercial beekeepers may be half a dozen assistants. He will go ahead the bees give so much smoke, you think, it is a forest fire of raging turns you. He will have to remove the lid, then loosely to crack a look at a few frames and the Supers. Then come the first wizard behind him and bang all the bees of the supers, dump the Supers on the floor next to the hive and go to the next. Two more assistants will full supers on the truck and return with empty supers, dumping on hive. There are two on the truck, a stack of full supers on one end of the truck and another pass empty supers from the other end of the truck. The sixth Assistant comes at the end of the line, squaring off the empty supers on the hive on the market were brought and replace the cover. Job done. This method means you have simultaneously opened hives, 6-8. It of total chaos, hammering and screaming in the camp and needless to say, this would be suicidal, try this during the day (with the African bee anyway). We would rob attached at night with miner's helmets with lamps (burner). In this way, with only the hive dispute are you.
It had its problems. Sometimes killed Queens would and would go back to a considerably depleted hive when you next visit. Other times, which would bring Queens back to the honey House. The next day would hang from the eaves of the House clusters honey bees found. The bees which reattach placed itself at the Queens that was returned. We would then hive you and start as new swarms.
These were only part of the dangers of commercial beekeeping. But if you are 5-6 camps a night to Rob every 20-30 hives and you back 200-250 supers honey bring just could not do the job hobbyist's method.
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