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addy1

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What's a "nuc," and why is it called that?
nuc is short for nucleus. Instead of a package of bees, which is x lbs of bees with a queen in a box, we bought a nuc. The nuc is 5 frames of brood, in other words a mini hive already going.
The package of bees is loose bees with a queen in a tiny box she needs to chew through the sugar plug, by the time she does the bees in the package know her, they then start to build a hive.
A nuc is good for a area like ours that has such a short nectar season, gives the bees a head start. Cost a little more but worth it. In the pictures you can see the frames already loaded with brood, pollen, nectar.
 

addy1

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Thanks Becky, my honey was standing back taking the pics. He did help get the frames out of the nuc, they were stuck in there.
 
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awesome pictures! You are a brave woman, I wouldn't even want to be in the same area with all those bees. I see them as cute to look at but no interest in being up close and personal ; )
 
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I swell up at the sting site. Not as bad as when I was a kid, but it does hurt. I tend to stay away from them. But, Kuddos to you Addy !!!!! You are a brave woman :)
 

addy1

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I swell up at the sting site. Not as bad as when I was a kid, but it does hurt. I tend to stay away from them. But, Kuddos to you Addy !!!!! You are a brave woman :)
The guy that taught the class, stings his knees once a year, he went from painful walking to no pain. He also supplies bees for medical treatment. Told us about a gal with MS, unable to walk without a walker, she came to see him, after xx treatments of bee stings she is now able to walk unassisted. Like everything it may or may not work for everybody.

Here is the reason bee keepers love dandelions..............if you want to help bees let those pretty yellow flowers live.

The pollen they collect is bright orange/yellow. I also over seeded our lawn with clover. We had clover now we will have more.

Ours bees are coming back with red and white pollen too.

"Most of the important bee plants in the Northeast are wildflowers. Of these, probably the single most valuable early spring wildflower is the dandelion. If a hive survives the winter, beekeepers know the bees will be safe from starvation if they can stay alive until dandelions bloom. Dandelion pollen is moderately nutritious and the nectar is abundant. It doesn’t normally produce what we call a ‘surplus’, i.e. enough nectar to produce honey above and beyond what the bees will use for themselves, so you won’t generally see dandelion honey for sale, but it gives the bees a huge boost and adds to the health and wellbeing of the hive. So a very simple, easy way to help honey bees is to refrain from killing the dandelions in your lawn. They’re actually quite pretty. And next time you see a bare patch, think about planting Dutch clover instead of grass. The bees thrive on various weeds in lawns, including clover and plantain (from which they collect pollen)."

DSC06928.JPG


Dsc06941a.jpg
 

addy1

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I have tons of bee friendly plants, push through them constantly without being stung. It is surprising how gentle they are, now if you piss them off that is totally different, ie step on them, smack, pinch lol
 

j.w

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Do the bees work in shifts in their little hives or do they all shutdown for the night? Don't they all have certain jobs that they do? I know the Queen has the good life w/ being waited on hand and foot. Do they have rules and if certain bees aren't holding up to their end of the bargain do they get bashed by enforcer bees? Just wondering what goes on inside their little bee brains
 

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They work in three 8-hour shift, j.w.. 11:00 pm to 7:00 am, 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, and 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm! Little punch-clocks just inside the entrance, and if they screw up, their pay gets docked! Oh, wait..... that was MY factory! NEVER MIND! :)
John
 

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