North Brisbane Suburb Start Up

Lucky you…I will cross toes as well!..are you planning visiting lots of beekeepers?

No beekeepers on the hit list yet. Just playing tourist with my wife and daughter. My wife is from Germany so going back to visit her family and my 11yr old daughter has a dream to one day ride a true Fresian horse from Scotland, and last year she did a school assignment on Nessie from Lochness, so we need to take her there to expeience everything first hand. And I’ll celebrate my 50th just with my family in Edingburgh so really looking forward to it

Sounds like fun. I have a Spanish horse and a lusitano. My husbands horse is an Arab/ American Saddlebred cross. Plus we have assorted Welsh ponies.
There are a few breeders here who have Freisans… They can be quite feisty. Originally bred as carriage horses I believe.
Don’t forget Rocko…we will be waiting for your next inspection!

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WOW, you have a Lusitano. I’ve just shown my daughter some internet pics of them and it has taken me this long to respond because I could not get my computer off her. She has now added this breed to her bucket list. She has a 1/4 horse.

Ha ha …girls and their horses…what can you do. My lusitano is a rescue…she was starved and very thin…turned out she was carrying a foal too. He has just gone to his new home and the mare is having recovery time before starting with ridden work again. The Spanish horse is special. He has been trained to a high level and won lots of ribbons and championships. He has been ridden in the New Years Day London Parade…in all his Spanish dress.



Here are 2 pictures for your daughter. The foal has just been born in this photo.
My horse is the one on the right. Outside Buckingham Palace gates.
Not that this has anything to do with bees! LOL

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Here is a pic of my daughter and horse in their first dressage competition last year. It must relate to bees cause I’m sure there there was one in the bushes somewhere in the background. My daughter is as mad about her horse as I am about my bees and I don’t even have any honeybees yet

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Hi Horsehillhoney

At the agistment centre on 50 acres where we keep my daughters horse, the owners have stated that they are happy for me to keep ALL my bee hives on their property. I can see myself going a little crazy and expanding so the operation may get a little big.

Now my related question is this. How do bees and horses get on together. How many hives do you have and haw far away are they from the horses.

Thanks,
Max

Some people say horses and bees don’t mix. We have had bees just over the fence from horses for several years without problems. As long as my horses can’t get in with the hives I guess all will be ok. I wouldn’t put them in the fields though with the horses…asking for trouble!
During the summer I had 12 hives but now down to 5…sold some and lost some over the winter. My apiary has a fence around it.

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Inspected the hive this afternoon and couldn’t be more pleased with the progress the bees have made in such a short time. Seven days ago frames 1, 7 & 8 had no comb on them at all. Now all frames are on their way. There is capped brood on frames 3 through 6 and the Queen who has been named Imelda was on frame 2 which I assume means she is laying eggs on that frame. Below I have added photos of each frame. I counted 4 SHB of which I was able to kill 3 of them.


Frame 1


Frame 2 with Imelda in shot.


Frame 3


Frame 4


Frame 5


Frame 6


Frame 7


Frame 8

Based on their rate of drawing the comb on the frames I am thinking that in another 7 days they will have most of the frames drawn and then a further 7 days should see a good covering of bees on all frames. A week ago they had drawn about 35% of the frames. My calculations are that today the frames are about 55% drawn. If this is the case I am thinking I should be able to add my flow super in two weeks time. I would appreciate advice on whether this is a good plan/timeframe or not. I am obviously very keen to get the super on but am also conscious of the dangers of putting it on too soon. I am pretty sure there is going to be plenty for the bees to forage right through autumn and winter.

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Hey Paul

ur hive is looking great,

I love the sight of freshly drawn comb.

Love your Queen’s name - Hope for your sake she is not into Shoes- lot of feet you will be covering! LOL

Will Imelda be getting a White Dress? (are you going to mark her?)

The name came from a mate of mine making a comment about the Queen will be easy to spot because she will be the one with all the shoes. Wasn’t planning on marking her. She is pretty easy for me to find at the moment but that may get more difficult I guess. Is there any other benefit to marking the Queen?

Finding her quickly and easily - but I’m not in favour of the barbaric wing snipping - Queens have been known to be assassinated for malformation my her hand maidens

That manure was probably used to fertilize the royal vege garden where I’m sure there’s plenty of bees.

Hi Paul, they’re looking good considering all the rain we’ve had. It looks like more this arvo. I’ve never felt the need to mark queens, although, I must admit at times it would be handy. While I’m looking for the queen to mark her, I could be doing something else. Like squashing beetles for example:

PS, well done on the low beetle count.

Ha ha…they sure collect it up…there are lots of beehives in London.

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Hi guys, been following this thread with great interest. Building my flow with my son this morning when I can get him out of bed!

A lot of hives I see have two boxes for brood etc. Is that a overseas thing or will it work in warmer Oz as well? Also, assuming one does need another one I see Flow don’t sell them…or just use a normal box?

Kevin

They do on the US web site - under accessories. I think @JeffH is close to you, and I think he only uses one box - not sure though…

Hi @Dawn_SD & @Kevin_Nugent, yes I am not far from Kevin & that’s correct, I only use one brood box.

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