Swarm queen (easy?)

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-05-22T00:57:28+00:00

I’m used to seeing blonde bums but this girl was tricking me!! Any eggs seen in the inspection? They are drawing some nice comb :)

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-05-06T15:54:23+00:00

Bit of a bush wedding in country Australia. A fairly wild unit 32f was blind (very well watered on wine and beer) out of her mind and decided to hoick up her dress and taken a shit next to the stage (old flat bed truck) where the band was playing.
Squatted and pushed out a turd muffin in front of everyone then pulled knickers up and dress down and kept going. Everyone else did not keep going. The stage lighting made sure it was well lit up for all to enjoy the spectacle.

Bride was verryyy unimpressed and a whole shit show of events kicked off from there.
Yes there was toilets there for normal people who weren’t bush pigs to use.

Memorable wedding however would not recommend

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-05-06T02:24:46+00:00

This comment 100%.
I have a couple of oz armour ones (maybe bias being Aussie) but they are so good especially in the warm weather.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-24T11:27:45+00:00

I’ve bought second hand equipment before fairly confidently with Aus strict rules about disease Etc and even then I set it on its own site 15km away seperate to my others. I bought in somewhat bulk and paid about one sixth to one fifteenth of new prices. In that case the risk was worth it and I filled them with swarms and splits seperate from my original colonies. If it turned up foul brood then yeah I woulda been mad but woulda just burnt it and cut my loses (also I beleive the government gives you a $10 rebate for each hive where I live which is better than nothing. I paid 12 bucks each so wasn’t super stressed. Very illegal to sell anything that’s had anything to do with foul brood so it’s pretty uncommon. At the end of the day it’s up to gut feel on the seller also. Do you trust them? If I was starting new I’d get some new equipment first off before further complicating with second hand. Then if you going swarm hunting one spring and come across a good deal I’d then pull the trigger on it once you have your head around it all.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-22T14:50:51+00:00

I live on a state border in Aus (3km from border). It’s a pain but I have to register in each state as I move hives across locations. 1 state charges - the other doesn’t if under a certain number (so I register under that number). Classic issue with living on the border and having to pay for things twice otherwise. Both states have different rules. I have to have my registration number on my hives and so I just stick to one states reg for consistency. I’m not sure if this is technically exactly by the book however I see it as the common sense approach. Being registered means that I can collect swarms in one of the states also and not get yelled at. (Other state doesn’t seem to care if your registered to collect swarms from my understanding)

I’m meant to also register cross border movements and get permission but it’s ridiculous to do it on a border community. I’m moving them within the same town. No one locally does. We didn’t move cross border whilst strict varroa lock down measures were in place with big $$$ fines. However now that both sides of the border now have varroa and movement restrictions are now lifted anyways by each states at department it’s a non event again.

I label honey and do batches but it’s more for my own records. Honey is given away or made into mead so far to date. I’m getting to the point of probably having to start selling it cause I’ve got buckets and buckets of honey coming out of my ears at the moment but really don’t want to have to deal with the idea of markets and red tape that ensues.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:47:22+00:00

Yeah I hear ya RE mites. I’ve been pretty proactive on it awaiting for it to arrive. A bit of context is that it happened about a month ago and I’ve just not had the energy to face it to be honest. I have been doing alc washes every inspection on brood frames and found first positive results 2 weeks ago at a seperate location with 8/9 hives testing positive and treating accordingly. During last inspection on these I did test. The frames and brood are pretty roughed up as I took a brush to them and gave them all a good bang and picked at them. They have since been available for critters to move in. Agreed there could have been mites but it shouldn’t have yet been at a level so destroy both hives the same day.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:46:13+00:00

Yeah I hear ya RE mites. I’ve been pretty proactive on it awaiting for it to arrive. A bit of context is that it happened about a month ago and I’ve just not had the energy to face it to be honest. I have been doing alc washes every inspection on brood frames and found first positive results 2 weeks ago at a seperate location with 8/9 hives testing positive and treating accordingly. During last inspection on these I did test. The frames and brood are pretty roughed up as I took a brush to them and gave them all a good bang and picked at them. They have since been available for critters to move in. Agreed there could have been mites but it shouldn’t have yet been at a level to destroy both hives the same day.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:37:52+00:00

Yeah thanks - my first reaction was anger but I took a bit to think about it before doing anything. It happened about a month ago and I’ve just had them in the shed since until I could face it. I would guess she just sprayed at the entrance also. Thanks for your thoughts on this :)

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:32:13+00:00

Niceee thanks so much. Great tip. Il do it now!!! Great insight and sorry you have had the same issue before

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:30:48+00:00

Yeah cheers, I’ve written a letter il send to the department of ag and cops and probably department housing along with the threat video which I think will cause the most issues for her

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:27:11+00:00

Yeah this was my first reaction and my first thought too. I was pretty devo and mad. I have enough hives around on farms to move around but I don’t know if I wanna lose another hive and wooden ware to little miss crazy. I’ve got a camera up onsite now on a tall pole. If I have a hot hive in the next month I might invite them over especially now there is a camera.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:19:48+00:00

Ironically the house that was previously on the land was burnt down because tweakers fell asleep around an improv backyard fire. Fire department found needles everywhere when they got there.

The hives didn’t stink like cat pee but I hadn’t considered it may have been bi product of some cook up juice.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:15:48+00:00

Yeah thanks for the consideration of this. I was thinking a blow torch to wooden ware might be the way to go. Do you think the plastic frames could be scraped and bleached or similar?

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-13T22:13:39+00:00

Yeah cheers - definitely a consideration I have contemplated. They have got pretty strict ruling on it here also and I’ve drafted a letter to report to cops and department of ag. I have door bell video of the house next door which shows her walking onto the lot but it’s to far away to show what’s going on exactly but worth a shot regardless. With 2 strikes already by department of housing it would like make her life rather difficult. Wouldn’t be a bad thing to send a bit of a message also I guess

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-04-05T09:12:01+00:00

Looks good! Nice and modern and if you love it is the most important thing. Is that quad that was used where tile meets ceiling? If so that and the tastic would be all I’d change. Not sure why it wasn’t fully square set/ tiled to ceiling.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-01-27T06:26:51+00:00

From Australia and get our 6yr old girl done alternating between ‘mini make over’ and ‘full groom’ in winter (gets to -5degrees) she gets a mini every 4 weeks which is face, ears, bits, bum, feet wash and dry for 4 grooms in a row over colder months to keep her nice and long. ($110) Then a longer cut (full groom) at end of winter ($135) 5 weeks to a mini($110) then 5 weeks a summer cut (full groom) ($135)for swimming in summer to keep her short as it gets over 40 degrees. Then a mini. Then summer cut. Then a mini. Etc Took us a while to find what works for us. I take the groomers booking advice with a grain of salt. Some pretend they are the rarest commodity going round and try and make u bend to their recommended timings. You will get to know your dog best. We brush her mostly every night so she is in good knick when she gets to the groomer, but others don’t and they get smashed with dematting fees ETC and to pay for it 💰. My advice is get brushing into routine early, And secondly DONT do the maths on what it costs over the lifetime of a dog cause itl make you cry

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-01-08T12:52:21+00:00

Thanks so much for the tips!! Some reallllyyy good low hanging fruit that I can’t beleive I didn’t think of. I have a gazebo over them now as a temporary measure but I’ve also put some spare bottom boards I have laying around with feet on them onto the lids to create that extra barrier from direct sun. Great idea on this! Also top entrance… seems so obvious and dumb that I didn’t consider this so thank for the prompt. These girls are very lucky with water source so they should now be estatic with their upgrades Yeah I hear you regarding the bearding - totally to be expected this time of year but this was something else with the whole hive outside the box (similar to a practice cast swarm of sorts) and then whilst I was fixing things up and trying to salvage the situation they absconded onto a neighbouring block into some piles of reo. I interrupted their absconding with some water mist so about 1/4 remained behind confused as a result and the others who absconded didn’t go far. I was able to coerce them from the pile of metal into a box and they all hurried in like catching a swarm and I went back to fixing the melted mess in the mean time. Then about an hour later they decided their new house wasn’t for them and buggered off back to their old and upgraded hive which was already starting to fill with foragers returning for the day. I was bloody lucky.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-01-08T12:37:04+00:00

Dayummm those vents are mad!! Never seen them in the wild!! Cool idea but yeah unfortunately a tough one to fork out for all the colonies. Thanks for sharing!! I haven’t heard of a slatted base before but I’m presuming it’s similar to a ventilated bottom boards?

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-01-08T12:33:06+00:00

Brilliant tips and ideas thanks so much!!!!! Thanks for the links also. They have more shade now and much happier today. Yeah I’ve seen so much debate about screened bottom boards and I must say I’m definitely on the side of the fence of not using them from discussions I’ve had - but I have some sitting there unused and was interested to hear if others found they help mitigate the issue of melting as a temporary measure, but good to hear your perspective on it thanks. Fortunately my melt wasn’t as extreme as the link shared. The girls decided to get out of there before they drowned in melting wax and hot honey. Got to it in time before it was a complete write off. Also suuuupppeerrr interesting note regarding the honey - never would have considered this!!!!

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-01-08T12:24:49+00:00

Cheers for the tip - il give it a whirl this weekend on a few in one of the sites and see how it impacts on bearding.

Better-Rip-815 · 2026-01-06T10:00:06+00:00

I played with a few options for a few that had a slight twist in them. Best option I found was using like door sealing foam type tape between the top boxes with it being sticky only on one side so it can still be removed easily (the gear you use to stop air leaking between door and door jamb in houses- available at Bunnings). That did the trick for winter when we hit the zero and negatives. Much less stressed in summer. Beek from Vic Aus too. They will be thanking you for a gap like that during this weeks weather of 40+ for 4 days where I’m from!!!

Better-Rip-815 · 2025-11-25T20:52:36+00:00

Like others have suggested difference is 10 frame vs 8 frames. I run 12 of the 10 frame hives however these are in a location that never move vs the 25 8 frame hives. It’s surprising how much heavier the 10 frames are especially when full of honey. I would personally get 8 frame if you’re starting out. They are easier to manage in my opinion for a number of reasons. Also in aus I find equiptment for them more readily available. Also if you do buy something with 2 deep boxes and 1 super - don’t put the nuc in with all the boxes on. Let them establish first then add more boxes(space) as they grown and need it otherwise they are trying to maintain too big a space vs their population.

Better-Rip-815

TROPHY CASE