Thats funny, the house I grew up in had a huge colony between the stud bays in my sisters room, so huge and thriving that honey actually oozed out of the cracks in the plaster. They were destroyed using Chlordane which I felt hastened her death, also affected my dad as his room was below hers.
A Keeper about 12 miles from me has 2 horizontals and 3 Traditional. Trying to catch 'em at Granddaughter's ball game to talk. Me, being an old dog, look at it simply. Bees have been working vertically since time began and with our winters I would think the odds are not in my or the bees favor...
I have plenty of medium comb, but as you said those out side deeps are always the last slowest draw, so we push 'em with checker boarding. They'll need those deeps for their winter stores.
Most of the brood usually is centered with the cluster keeping it warm. I take a frame of foundation from the outside and place it left and right of the center most of the cluster. They will not leave brood and start to draw out comb quickly for centered laying space for the queen keeping the...
The bees are in overdrive, weight of supers are telling the story. Getting lots of new drawn comb which is always a plus, Pushing them a little with checkerboarding foundation. :thumbsup
All 20 frames look like this. I can easily turn this one hive into three after the flow. That's the syrup feeder board leaning against the hive which I put away. Coffee can for brace comb, top bar wax and any propolis. Blocks to the left are for a NUC coming in May. (My Mistake) :he Hedging my...
Removed Apivar, flipped boxes, being a slicky boy and gave them a medium with foundation. Have a Medium with drawn comb once the flow kicks in. What you see outside is double inside. No Queen cells or cups (yet)
Are there a number of dead bees on the deck or ground? Are the bees acting like they are going about business as usual. If you suspect robbing put a piece of duct tape over the upper entrance and use the larger reducer opening. Have you verified the queen is in the split? Look for a closed queen...
Looking about yearly average here, up down temps, have had frost as far out as the middle of May back in the 80s, buy then bloom is done but can kill set fruit. Rather lose a Blueberry pie than pounds of honey. :lol: One thing you can count on, it will be what it will be. Nervous no, maybe...
74, partly cloudy and light wind tomorrow. Final mite chk on one hive with my shop made alcohol wash jars, all getting a medium of drawn comb as it looks like the Blueberry buds are getting ready to pop. Even though all looks good there is still a chance it could go south with a...
:lau:thumbsup Or I could just take a ride and pick some up from a local keeper. I was introduced to Basswood Honey 40 years ago helping a bee keeper who kept hives down there. He moved to West Virginia and I had no reason to go down there since he gave me the hives he had here. Our fall honey...
We have one Holly 25-30 yards from the porch and you can hear the bees working it at that distance. The swamp, 75 yards away is lined with Holly, Maple and some stands of Magnolia. if I walk it I can hear bees hear and there.
I do this, will even drop in foundation for more drawn comb during the flow. The only difference is I add the supers (medium) as needed. I'm wax moth paranoid. I know the bees are supposed to take care of them but as all things in nature you get the curve ball.
The cluster moves up during the winter consuming their stores. Queenie will start laying where there are empty cells which will be close to her in the top super and among the cluster for heat. You will usually find the bottom super has been cleaned of any honey or even very light in weight...
I use sugar bricks, I find the bees just toss loose sugar, they will cluster on the bricks. Usually 2nd wk in March 4 qts enclosed in a medium super, pollen patty on top of frames, 2" foam insulation shimmed for ventilation with top cover, yes the night time temp does get down into the high 20s...