Almost ready to Harvest my rooftop hive in Los Angeles

[Dawn_SD]

I will have to photograph the trunk next time I drive past. I don’t think that the bark is as red as the red ironbark, but memory plays tricks sometimes.

[skeggley]

Hi @Dawn_SD, I asked my botanist friend and she pretty much confirmed what you already know but am passing on her reply anyway.

I am pretty sure it is Eucalyptus leucoxylon or sideroxylon. E, Leucoxylon has 3 flowers to a branch and a rough bark up to 2m, grows to 16m. E sideroxylon has 7 flowers to a branch and with a dark, deeply furrowed bark grows to 35m.

The flowers look similar

[Dawn_SD]

@skeggley

I asked my botanist friend

Thank you so much, @skeggley. Actually, “I know nothing, Jon Snow”, despite your vote of confidence. I am just glad that our bees had a feast during a usual time of dearth.

[skeggley]

I’m pretty lucky to have a friend who used to be the head botanist at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_Park,_Western_Australia
Pretty lucky to have Kings park too I guess.
And I’ll be harvesting today too, I blinked and missed the frames being filled and capped…

[Keith_H]

New to this entirely and find it fascinating and a hobby that is really worthwhile. I live in Windsor Square in Los Angeles and placed a Nuc on my Garage roof nearly two weeks ago. It seems like they are out working without a problem. I placed 5 full frames of Italian honey bees I purchased from Bill’s Bees along with 3 empty frames. I’ve heard to leave them alone for a little while up front is a good idea as to let them establish. Any idea how long I should wait to place super flows on top?

My yard and many of the homes in my neighborhood are full of citrus trees and flowers that are starting to bloom. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. Bill, the gentlemen I bought the nuc from reminded me that they were my workforce, but I was the healthcare provider. I did not see the queen when I transferred the Nuc to the Brood box, but then again it was my first time and I was perhaps a bit excited.

Since I am at the very beginning I imagine I will be back with lots of questions as I continue to learn.
I will try and update with pictures later.

Cheers,
Keith

[Dawn_SD]

@Keith_H

Any idea how long I should wait to place super flows on top?

When to add the Flow Super

It is important to place your bees in the brood box and wait until they are fully established before adding the Flow Super containing the Flow Frames to your hive. This can take anywhere between 1-8 weeks, depending on whether you have a nuc or package of bees, and will vary greatly depending on the time of year and the local resources available for your bees. We supply foundationless frames with our brood boxes, as we think it’s beneficial for the bees to build their honeycomb from scratch. Ma…

I would also add, only use the Flow super when the brood box is more than 80% full of food or brood, with all frames having fully drawn comb, and every frame is covered with bees. You may want to use 2 brood boxes, as we have long nectar dearths in SoCal. I would join a local bee club, and ask what they do.