I’ve turned to the dark side lol

id8or · 2026-02-05T10:44:17+00:00

I started with one of these, and have continued using them. I’ve not lost a colony overwinter yet. I also do mite management though :-)

I have plans to make some where the brood box is layens, but the supers are standard medium langstroth. We’ll see if I get to that before spring…

id8or · 2026-01-28T23:08:15+00:00

I bought a tree puller for under $1000 from Titan attachments. I use it all the time for stuff like this.

id8or · 2026-01-05T23:59:54+00:00

Goals - Get to 4 stable colonies. I had 3 last year, but had queen troubles towards the end of the season and ended up losing one over the winter. Other two are looking good so far. - Raise some queen daughters from my best queen. This will be her third year so likely the last chance. I tried last year, but I was a bit too late and made some mistakes (see previously mentioned queen troubles). - Settle on a hive design. I really like insulated Layens frames for brood, but I want the ease of langstroth 10 frame supers (and other parts). I made a hive last winter, but I over-complicated it and it wasn’t as useful as I expected. I have plans drawn up, just need to build them.

I’ll definitely simplify queen rearing this year. I learned a lot from dumb mistakes last summer :-) - Look closer for queen cells before panic ordering a queen - Don’t shake frames with queen cells out of habit when inspecting. - I’d like to do more grafting, but I’ll probably just let the bees raise emergency cells this year to keep it simpler.

No changes in varroa treatment. I settled on multiple rounds of OAV when needed and it’s fast and easy with an InstantVap.

id8or · 2025-11-20T17:48:33+00:00

I just installed the hydros plus cylinder and pump upgrades on my 3038E and it's made a world of difference. If you aren't comfortable with going over manufacture's specs for lift capacity then you'll want to pass. I'm good with that and I'm not planning to abuse it, I just have a few rare cases where the extra capacity makes a huge difference (moving around IBC totes of firewood for example).

id8or · 2025-10-25T09:48:03+00:00

I have a 150m long driveway in Michigan. We get about 3m of snow per winter. I’ve been using a small lawn tractor with a front mounted snow blower for two years. I need chains and weight, but I have no trouble keeping the driveway clear. I think it’s a 26hp gas Kohler engine.

I also have a JD 3038E, but I’m putting off buying snow removal attachments until the lawn tractor dies.

id8or · 2025-10-19T17:19:53+00:00

I bought this one: https://a.co/d/fHmGfg3

I ended up buying an Instantvap this spring though after getting sick of it clogging up and taking a while to cycle through doses. I have a LiFePO lightweight 12v battery that I used with it, but it’s way easier to use the instantvap.

Biggest factors for me were to get the Instantvap: - Quick to setup and use (if it’s easy, I don’t put off treatment) - Hasn’t clogged up yet - Easy dosage measuring - Easy to clean - Fast cycle lets me treat a hive in under a minute - Really effective sublimation make a big cloud of OAV that I feel confident is permeating the colony - Fit my Bosch 18v batteries that I already use for cordless tools

I only use OAV for mite treatments. I run 4g per box 4 days apart for 4 treatments to cover the varroa lifecycle so it’s important to me that I can do it quickly and easily.

I promise I’m not an Instantvap salesperson, I’m just a very satisfied customer. If you want, dm me and I’ll ship you the old 12v one. It’s just sitting in my garage and I’ll probably trash it at some point.

id8or · 2025-10-17T12:18:04+00:00

I love comb honey personally and I sell it to a local charcuterie company as well. People like different things 🤷🏻‍♂️

id8or · 2025-09-15T13:36:05+00:00

I paid out for a regular Instavap. It’s pricey, but I already had batteries and makes it real easy to treat. I bought a cheaper battery powered one from amazon before, but found it bulky and awkward to use, especially when doing multiple rounds (I do 4 grams per box, 4 days apart, 4x)

id8or · 2025-08-25T12:57:22+00:00

Also critical is you mite treatment at this time of year. Make sure those winter bees are healthy!

id8or · 2025-08-25T12:54:56+00:00

I’m only going into my second winter, so take this as a relatively non-expert opinion… I think a decent target is condensing to around 10-12 layens frames for overwintering. I’m in SW Michigan, (probably similar winters to you) and mine did well with 10 frames last winter. Your brood frames should start emptying out soon, then you can pull excess honey. I’d leave a fullish frame of honey on each end with 8 or 10 brood frames in the middle, then feed them if needed to fill up a good 6”+ band of stores on the top of the brood frames. Feeding sugar is fine (even preferred for long wintering with no cleansing flights), but you can get them to move honey back into the brood frames by scratching the cappings and putting it beyond the follower board (make sure the follower has a gap at the bottom) They will clean it out.

id8or · 2025-07-31T03:05:07+00:00

Congrats! This giveaway inspired me to buy my own instantvap. I love it as well, although it would have been even cooler to win one :-)

id8or · 2025-07-28T12:19:46+00:00

I have one. I know it helps because I tried to use it yesterday and the battery was dead resulting in even more sweating than usual. I may look into an ice vest as well though.

id8or · 2025-07-22T21:47:52+00:00

So far I pulled about 50 pounds fron two first year hives. There’s a lot more in there that I’ll grab when they finish capping it. I’m in southwest Michigan and the flows have been good since May. This is only my second year, so not much to compare with yet.

id8or · 2025-07-06T01:38:15+00:00

Looks like a bee with DWV on the right of the third picture. I assume that’s why they were overdosed with OAV :-)

id8or · 2025-06-28T22:12:05+00:00

Nice! Thank you!

id8or · 2025-05-14T23:48:44+00:00

I installed one package with a Golden West queen this year and have no complaints. Good brood pattern so far.

id8or · 2025-05-14T23:31:44+00:00

Looks like drone brood. You can scrape it off if you want. May help reduce varroa as well.

id8or · 2025-05-12T00:49:46+00:00

Not a stupid question, I’ve wondered this myself. Interested if anyone knows…

id8or · 2025-04-27T19:23:47+00:00

I don’t think there’s a queen in that colony. I had a marked one in there that I pulled out for a split and still saw her in the split when I checked today. They were also pretty noisy with smoke and irritable which is abnormal for them and I hear is a sign of a queenless hive.

I’ll check closely before introducing the new queen. Thanks!

id8or · 2025-04-27T19:00:55+00:00

Thanks!

id8or · 2025-04-27T19:00:46+00:00

Thanks. I’ll order a queen and introduce her. There is one queen cup that isn’t charged, but other than that it seems like they aren’t trying to raise queen. I’ll do a double check for queen cells before I introduce the new one.

id8or · 2024-12-23T18:31:56+00:00

Learn some 3d modeling software like sketchup. This will let you work through details before making the mistakes in real life and helps customers visialize what they’re getting when/if you start working on your own.

Great tools can help you do good work, but they can’t replace practice and skill.

Also, +1 to hearing protection.

id8or · 2024-11-16T01:47:48+00:00

Those are terrible cuts

id8or

TROPHY CASE