Search
May 12, 2019
Shungite Bees responding to Shungite nuggets in new 2019 beehives.
Shungite Bees responding to Shungite nuggets in new 2019 beehives.
3 comments4 replies
1
New Posts
- DiscussionI have 2 Top-bar beehives. I placed nuggets at the entrance right away when they were installed in early May. Both colonies have made 6 1/2 combs and are doing well. Yesterday I placed the powder in a dish at each entrance. Today to my astonishment, it was all gone! The bees took the powder into the hives in one day! Update: June 13, 2019 I removed the plastic dishes and realized the landing board on both hives have been stained black from the shungite powder, which has apparently been tracked. This was the case in the above photo of the empty dish but I didn't notice until I removed the dish. I am curious to see if I can see traces of the powder on the inside of the hives, which I will investigate soon. July 24, 2019 Both my top bar hives are thriving. They filled up when I was out of town and I went in to one this morning to take out combs and give them some more room. I took out 3 big beautifully formed honeycombs! That is by far the most I have ever taken out mid-season. I was awed. The only difference this year is the Shungite, so I am really thinking it has had something to do with how much the hives are thriving. Also, I've never actually had both hives booming at once. I usually have 2 boxes, and ever year one thrives and the other flails. But not this year. They are both booming! All I have done is kept the shungite pebbles at the entrance, and at the beginning of the season I gave them each an ounce or two of shungite powder. I am really pleased with the results so far! And despite the crazy heat we've been having, the bees seem happy, to boot!
Hi Derek. Do you leave the shungite dust on the nuggets or do you wash them before placing them on the hive? Thanks
No washing necessary, I just take them right out of the box and place them at the beehives entrance.
@conditderek Thank you :)
I put some of the dust i bought separately into the entrance about an inch in so the bees had to walk through it . I then put three separate nuggets in the entrance area of the hive while keepoing the entrance reducer in .( Did not wash them) i put a small very shallow piece of wood in entrance in front of the nuggets to make sure thay stayed right where the bees had to go over them on the way in and on the way out . ( Secured the wood by putting a small rock on each end ) Checked the hives today and they are very strong and nuggts in place . They are making lots of bees , queens are healthy and have great laying patterns and they are starting to put up honey. ( In the texas hill country yuu cant count on much honey but this looks promising to see hreavy frames this early in may. )
That's great, we're having similar results here in WA State too. Wait until you taste the new Shungite Honey your bees are now making, you'll LOVE it i'm sure.
Hello, I am visiting my son in Liberty Hill, Texas. Do you know of any beekeepers here using the shungite? Thanks, Linda
Hi Derek, when looking at you the entrance of the hives, its almost like the girls are using the shungite as a doormat. I have noticed in the mid mornings and mid afternoon, there are always to many bees trying to get in the box for them all to land on the shungite. I have noticed that the bees seem to be stronger than normal during the winter period and less die offs present. Do you find this up in your neck of the woods? We are in Southern Western Australia.