Hello fellow bee keepers of this forum. I am going to start by saying my first nuc bought last April (late start/found bees) came with 5 frames of honey,pollen, and 2 or 3 frames brood. Immediately I dropped them in my deep once home. They swarmed, later say 3 weeks in (say late may maybe 1st week June)....I was unable to obtain them at their temporary spot in a tree near the hive. into June, I managed to destroy 3 queen cells on accident/purpose ( thinking they were swarm cells, an they,queen-right...)...a few weeks of doing study of my hive I came to the conclusion gee, they are queenless....lol; I managed to re-queen from a local keeper near my area. I did not harvest much honey in the fall, I did not expect to being my first year. I treated with mint oil and dryer sheets in summer/into fall to keep SHB/V mite away. I used Dadant winter patties,for as I knew their stores were low. I intend on making most of my patties(if needed) from this point forward.
The swarm that got away... Well They have been robbing my not so strong colony thus far, they even made it through the winter (the swarm/feral bees now)...I am going to attempt to catch them in the next few weeks or so...
As for my overwintered colony, they are sitting on plastic foundation, which this year I am going to attempt to move away from an going the bee route(their foundation,not ours). I just added thymol to my brood box ,for as I saw a few mites on some bees coming and going from the entrance on a 65 degree day about week to 10 days ago. I am going to invest into a oav soon for sure. I intend to remove the thymol once the pollen flow an nectar open wide.
An my wood working skills are growing...No experience before hand.Basic tools
I have made 1 deep an as well a nuc. The deep was out of refurbished pallets, the nuc is from refurbed fence panel(5/8in)...I intend to make more boxes,top covers,etc....I am considering making a top entrance cover..(M. Bush, thank you!)....My thank you also goes out to D.C honey bees with their simple nuc plan and design.
My plans for this spring? What are my bees plans is the better question..lol
I intend, I say intend, to add a second deep,let them build up an I do a split...if at all possible and enough stores. by say April-May here in my neck of the woods (zone 7a)...As well the possibility of adding a swarm to my yard is always a plus.
Objective for this year:Spring,Summer,Fall??:
Grow in size....Potentially with the minimum of 3 hives going into the fall of this year. Hopefully more... As well grow in experience in beekeeping, learning more about pest management, an other traits a beekeeper needs to have a healthy hive. I am attempting to go with natural treatments, I would rather stay away from hard chemicals as much as possible; plenty of that out an about outside the hive these days. My breed I believe are of Italian origins for the most part.
I have started getting comfortable with my bees thus far. most times no veil or gloves. They are as of at the moment docile on 60 degree days. I imagine this changes as numbers and strength of colony picks up, as well as temps.
Hope everyone's colony's this spring explodes with honey and pollen.