This is a test, this is only a test… plastic or real wax foundation?

Posted on by Tanya

 

 

 

Before we added the supers! How we set up. Each hive got 1 gallon of sugar syrup in a frame feeder.

 

Will honey bee colonies that are progressing through fall build up, during honey flow (in Central TX), show a preference for heavily waxed plastic foundation or real beeswax foundation in their super? We have equalized the colonies, all have received their normal 2-strip dose of Hopguard II, we are feeding sugar syrup and gave each colony 1/4 of a protein patty. They are bringing in pollen and nectar already, too.
We are trying to build them up STRONG and FAST! We want large strong colonies going into winter and then we hope to have bigger stronger colonies as Spring comes in 2018. We will update you here! 🙂 Ten colonies got plastic and 10 colonies got real wax. All in the same yard, all of approximately equal strength, seated on pallets of 4 hives per pallet. 20 hives total in study.

 

 

 

After adding the supers. Pink is plastic! Each pallet has 2 of each.

 

To use Bee Venom or not to use Bee Venom, may be the question! :)

Posted on by Tanya

CBS Austin contacted me recently asking my opinion about using bee venom in skin care products.  We chatted a bit about how the venom is collected and I mentioned that I really didn’t get into beekeeping in order to take away the bee’s most important resources.  I prefer to stick to making a trade with them.  I’ll provide them a nice home and supplemental care as needed, and when they make extra honey, propolis, or beeswax, they can pay their “rent” with those items to me! 🙂  Nice trade, right?

Well they decided they wanted to come out and take a look at the bees and see a few things in person!  It aired on the nightly news in Austin February 15, 2017! Here’s the link, enjoy!

http://keyetv.com/news/local/is-bee-venom-the-secret-ingredient-to-fighting-wrinkles