Author Topic: Hive observation today (Read 5072 times)

bwallace23350 · « **on:** February 19, 2018, 01:20:56 pm »

I took a peak at my hive today. Lots of activity and most bees seemed to be bringing in yellow pollen. I only looked at the top box but the bees were crowded in there. I saw what looked like uncapped honey and some yellow pollen. Things are starting to bloom so I am gong to offer sugar water but I am not sure if they need it.

Van, Arkansas, USA · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2018, 01:25:19 pm »

Did you see any capped Honey? How about brood, small hive beetle?

iddee · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2018, 01:30:03 pm »

Heft test. Heft test. Heft test.
How heavy was the hive?

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2018, 01:40:53 pm »

Just a guess because I did grab it but I would say two deeps and a shallow weighed 30lbs

iddee · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2018, 02:26:11 pm »

Feed, Feed, Feed. It should weigh 75 plus.

Van, Arkansas, USA · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2018, 03:04:53 pm »

Wallace, as you may or may not know, Iddee is everyone?s mentor, including yours truly, the fella has been with bees a long time.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2018, 03:06:30 pm »

Fixing to whip up a batch of feed right now. Thanks

iddee · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2018, 03:13:06 pm »

Van, you may not know, but my name is Wallace.

Van, Arkansas, USA · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2018, 03:52:30 pm »

Yes Sir, Wallace, uh er ah, any relation to the fella in Alabama? Or just coincidence?

iddee · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2018, 04:08:07 pm »

NO. My first, his last names.

bwallace23350 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2018, 04:19:42 pm »

Quote from: Van, Arkansas, USA on February 19, 2018, 03:52:30 pm

Yes Sir, Wallace, uh er ah, any relation to the fella in Alabama? Or just coincidence?

Nope that I know of. My grandad and him were roughly the same age and often had interactions together, before he was governor, but my grandad did not like him at all.

Waveeater · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2018, 04:46:45 pm »

checked mine this weekend also. Many were in good shape but I found several that needed food. Took some from a couple of dead outs and placed on those. Also found one hive with plenty of food but only about 100 bees around a fat queen who has apparently quit laying, afraid they want make it much longer. Several of the hives were busting at the seams already. May be an early swarm season for some.

eltalia · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2018, 04:55:23 pm »

Quote from: iddee on February 19, 2018, 02:26:11 pm

Feed, Feed, Feed. It should weigh 75 plus.

errr... why, feed. And why again, who/what says
the colony should weigh anything like that?

From an earlier post:
"We have red maples, blueberries, pears, plums, some clover,henbit, and
others already blooming. "
Is all that dead to this colony, you think?

Bill

iddee · « **Reply #13 on:** February 19, 2018, 05:18:48 pm »

Since the boxes weigh more than 30 lb., I wouldn't want the bees carrying a half mile or more, since this time of year they are at their absolute lowest population. That's why feed, feed, feed. They need it at their door step until the new spring bees are foraging.

PS. One deep with drawn comb, empty, with inner lid, tele. lid, and bottom board weighs 35 lb.

eltalia · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2018, 07:26:54 pm »

@iddee
fair enough... there is your idealogy, so lets's not get bogged down in
sementics over colony weights. Numbers (for all) I would dispute.
Such helps nobody.
It has been declared you mentor folk.. so you have a responsibility, allbeit
maybe unwanted, to advise accurately given what informatjon you
are told. Already some 80 reads have been given this thread. That tells me
it is important information being sought after.

The OP mentions stores, and that in an inspectilon by lid lift.
Earlier the same poster told of early blooms, food abounding.
What you are advising would surely create a false "flow",
assuming your "feed feed feed" includes both sugar and patties.
Such a contrived situation has it's hazards at this time. You agree?

For mine, I would be caging the queen, creating a short brood break
until the colony boots up with sufficient collected stores to allow
laying the colony is capable of sustaining. It may be just a few days
but important in allowing tbe colony to recover towards critical mass
(CM) and covering any further "cold snap" in the offing, as some
locations do experience coming out of winter.

Caging the queen over a section of empty brood cells makes for sound
insurance.

Bill

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2018, 11:22:36 pm »

Bill,
I agree with Iddee. If Wallace thinks it feels like 30 pounds, probably half of the weight, it is too light for 3 boxes, a lid and a bottom board. Here in the south, right about now we are going into a dearth. If I was at home right now I would be feeding my bees, with just 2 holes it the lid, to get them to start building up to get ready for the main flow and to keep them from absconding. I only use 2 holes fownhives that have a lot of honey or very little open, so that they do not back fill the brood nest.
Jim

iddee · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2018, 12:00:07 am »

Eltalia, here right now there is not enough nectar coming in to sustain 4 frames of bees with 2 frames of brood, much less expand that hive. A queen doesn't need to be caged since she will only lay what eggs the bees can cover.

Next, we have about a 2 month honey flow, 2 month mini flow, and 8 months dearth. Most beeks feed in early year to have a foraging force during that 2 months. Queen breeders and package suppliers start feeding sugar and pollen sub in late December. Natural, non-fed bees will be lucky to give 15 KG. excess honey for the beek each year. We are not in a great honey area. Alabama is a bit better, but still not a great producing area.

eltalia · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2018, 12:41:25 am »

Quote from: iddee on February 20, 2018, 12:00:07 am

Eltalia, here right now there is not enough nectar coming in to sustain 4 frames of bees with 2 frames of
brood, much less expand that hive.

As a statistic (historical fact) for your localised area, fine. All local to you
would have to accept this given your experience level.
Yet the original post does not mention brood, pretty safe to assume
that area was not examined, given tbe post reads as a lid lift and
peek in.
My suggestion is brood being present would be a problem.

Quote

A queen doesn't need to be caged since she will only lay what eggs the bees can cover.

And when there is sugar and patties thrown in there the bees will max
that ability out, mistakenly.

Quote

Next, we have about a 2 month honey flow, 2 month mini flow, and 8 months dearth.
Most beeks feed in early year to have a foraging force during that 2 months. Queen
breeders and package suppliers start feeding sugar and pollen sub in late December.
Natural, non-fed bees will be lucky to give 15 KG. excess honey for the beek each year.
We are not in a great honey area. Alabama is a bit better, but still not a great producing area.

Sooo.. in a nutshell your local is endeavouring to create a honey producing
activity in an area not suitable for such an enterprise.
Using the word "natural" does not place the blame for performance - lack of in your
judgement - on the bees... is what I get from that read.

Bill

iddee · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2018, 07:26:56 am »

We can argue forever, but what it comes down to is, I gave the man good advice for his area for this time of year. You can think what you want.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 20, 2018, 08:26:31 am »

Bill,
Our local, ex inspector, expert has been telling club members to feed feed feed since January. Our weather is similar to Alabama's. Our bees start to build up the brood nest on December 22, winter solstice.
Jim