Raising bees

Surprised no forum on bee keeping yet.  Getting my first package tomorrow.  Trying an 8 frame box, hear they overwinter better.  Should be a fun hobby.  Who else keeps?

Honey Bees not the most efficient pollinators

Good video on the various types of bees

April 14!!.First swarm of the year. It so early. Lucky me I was there  when this happened and was able to catch them. It was huge 
Location. Northern Lake County,Il. ​

Looks like a bigfeet track......

Installed an indoor hive for the winter.  Very amazing to watch the behavior or order.  

64 pounds from 2 hives, but did lots of splits and have 7 hives going into winter. Getting an indoor hive soon.  Had a swarm, several requests which was odd.   Fun hobby still.

Either way, he is still flying, although perhaps a little crooked for the next couple hours....

I can see how that could easily happen with a can of soda, or a can of beer. Luckily it was a wine Tumblr, and I could see him pretty easy!

He did end up flying away, so I guess I did my good deed for the day!

This guy stopped in for a drink of cab....

I gently scooped him out with a blade of grass.  He's a little too drunk to fly right now, maybe in a few minutes...

Usually overcrowded 

Beekeeper stated he had multiple swarms this year with 24 hives. Why do they swarm like that?

Agree, going to be a bad honey crop this year.  Half of last year guessing.   1st swarm ever last week.

Just picked up ​1/2 gallon of annual honey! I have perennial flowers around the house and did not see much for bees this summer at all. Beehive guy stated too much rain this year. Wildflower honey is delicious! Keeps me from getting sick and eliminates my allergies!

My late uncles and aunts did that also. Nothing like the pure taste of honey with out that added stuff!! Wow my farming days are trully coming back to me.thank-you my friends for reviving old memories!

When our kids were small, I used to raise Solitary bees (both Mason and Japanese Horn Faced).
After much trial and error, I just switched to buying the disposable tubes in 3/8" and 5/16" to put out in the Spring. 
Like BMRR, I bought the nice houses to protect the straws.
Finally, for me in the Spring, I found it was best to keep my over wintered houses filled with straws in a shady part of my yard. If the bee houses received too much sun and therefore warmth, the bees would emerge and become active before there were enough flowers to feed on...

Finally, remember that Solitary bees are much more efficient pollinators than Honey bees !

Wish i could snake,however you guys and gals are as fixed and solid as cocrete as me! One final thought with a  few pics to end this brief encounter and maybe change your mind ! LOL!!