Recent Posts

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Ben Framed on Today at 05:54:51 pm »

Terri, Devan Rawn has a good video explaining how and why he winters single deeps. He is in Canada. A real nice fellow who is always willing to help
Phillip

https://youtu.be/YjyNcyVvbEI?si=2mhX7N7pLUFk6uiO

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Follow the Bloom - 2024

« Last post by Caashenb on Today at 05:51:55 pm »

Mimosa blooming here now.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 05:45:09 pm »

That's about what mine has now and opening up all the way does sound risky. I see what I come up with.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 05:11:59 pm »

If they seem congested, there is nothing wrong with opening the entrance up more, however you choose to do so.  Just keep in mind that some congestion helps to prevent robbers and other intruders, so I wouldn't recommend opening them up all the way, at least not yet.  A standard entrance reducer usually has a 1 in. opening and a 4 in. opening, if that helps you.   

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Follow the Bloom - 2024

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 04:22:05 pm »

Yeah, those aren't the fullest ones they're bringing in but that is the picture I got. It's funny to watch them wobble down the plank with those things stuffed full.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 04:20:42 pm »

Everywhere in Upstate, NY is harsher than I am but depending on where in Upstate, NY, it can be really harsh. Thanks for that video, FatherMichael, it was interesting and gives me more to think about.

Another question that is coming to mind is my entrance. I have the large entrance open because the small one was obviously too small early on but now I'm seeing a little bit of congestion with the large entrance. The bees won't land on the other end of the board and walk in, they'll land on the weeds out front or the concrete and they are kind of jockeying for a landing spot and struggling to get in. I'm OCD on efficiency and think it's more important than working hard so I want to streamline their path back into the hive. Should I make another entrance blocker with a second entrance on the other end or should I just remove the entrance reducer altogether? I'm leaning more towards a second entrance so they don't have to defend the whole front end.

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by FatherMichael on Today at 03:30:05 pm »

Some successful and profitable apiaries use the single hive body management strategy.

Dr. Thomas Seely recommends it but he also promotes swarming to control mites and taking not more than 20% for a harvest.  That would be one deep for the brood and a shallow for the super.

This sounds interesting but how well would a single deep colony survive a winter in the NE?

The videos I've watched are by Canadian beekeepers and Dr. Seely did his studies in Upstate New York.

Here's one about preparing a single brood box for winter in Ontario:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfO9DTl6SJc

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 02:54:49 pm »

I should probably clarify that my colonies have 3-4 mediums of brood at maximum, but I do have a broodless period in winter and get all my colonies down to two boxes.  I don't have experience with NE winters as a beekeeper, but I wouldn't be surprised if a single deep colony wintered well.  Maybe a deep and a super, I'm not sure how much honey is recommended in your area.  I doubt a winter cluster, just considering bee bodies, takes up more room than a 10 frame deep.  Dr. Seeley is in upstate NY, so his climate would be similar to PA.     

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: Follow the Bloom - 2024

« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 02:49:34 pm »

That's nothin'.  I've seen pollen baskets twice that full!   

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GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. / Re: A General Hive Question

« Last post by Terri Yaki on Today at 02:19:54 pm »

Some successful and profitable apiaries use the single hive body management strategy.

Dr. Thomas Seely recommends it but he also promotes swarming to control mites and taking not more than 20% for a harvest.  That would be one deep for the brood and a shallow for the super.

This sounds interesting but how well would a single deep colony survive a winter in the NE?