Never moved boxes in Feb before!

[Acebird]

Well I decided I would take advantage of this crazy weather and check out the hives.  Both hives are loaded with bees and I thought low on honey.  I was able to take one box out that was empty between two full boxes on one hive.  While I was at it I checked the trays.  Both were full to the brim with water and hundreds of floating dead beetles.  So I am going to have to stay on these blasted beetles in the spring.  Does anyone know what temperature range that beetles start to multiply?  I usually don't see wax moths until May or June.

[Michael Bush]

I'm no expert on beetles but last year, which was the first year I had any issues, I saw larvae much earlier than I saw wax moth larvae.  Only in failed mating nucs and such.  I saw beetle larvae in May.  I usually don't see wax moth larvae until August... sometimes July if it was a very mild winter...

[Acebird]

Thanks Mike.  I will expect them sooner then.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Ace, the problem with beetles is the brood temp is 92F, perfect for the beetles.
Blessings

[beepro]

Are you trying to make the queen lay faster by moving the box off?

[Acebird]

Are you trying to make the queen lay faster by moving the box off?

Certainly not.  Way too many bees in there at this time I think.  There was an empty box between two full honey supers.  I took the empty out and brought the two supers together.  Now I don't have to be concerned that the queen will lays eggs in the empty box with no stores around the brood.  February was a cream puff but March can be nasty.  Impossible to know ... maybe the bees know something.

[iddee]

If you removed all empty laying space, you are begging for a suicide swarm. She is going to find a place to lay, be it in the hive or out.

[Acebird]

Five boxes on each hive Wally.  If the weather stays warm they will eat the space she needs if she doesn't have all kinds of space below already.  May and June is swarm season up here.  They will be cut in half before then.

[iddee]

Swarm season is when she wants to lay and has no place to do it. She will swarm anytime during laying season other than winter buildup.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Wallace, agreed.  Last year, 2017, first swarm in Ar was Febtuary 23, very unusual.  Not in my Apirary, just south of me.  Usually in Ar, swarms peak in April and May, but as Wallace stated; when  the queen has no place to lay...

Ace, I did not think you had serious issues with beetles, not in your area of the US.  Is this beetle issue new with your hives.  Are you talking about FL, then I understand.
Blessings

[Acebird]

She will swarm anytime during laying season other than winter buildup.

Correct, we are in winter build up.  It will last at least until the end of March.  Typically a box of honey will be consumed during that time maybe more.  Many a beekeeper freaks out and fears starvation so you will get all the posts about "mountain camp" in early spring.  Finally nectar will just start to appear.  Then there will a barrage of post about the best way to split and prevent swarming.  Many will actually be too late is doing the split and wonder why their bees are gone.  Then comes the second wave of beekeeper freak out.  Feverishly cutting out queen cells to no avail.  Mistakes will be made and the hive will continue to swarm or be queenless and become a laying worker hive.  That spurs several attempts to requeen.
In June, July, and August some beekeepers will be harvesting, some will try their hand at making overwinter nucs, and most will be battling mites with some form of chemical warfare.  The well experienced beeks will be giving advice on why your hive dwindled or died and the lecture to treat, do mite counts and feed the heck out of those bees so they can make it through winter, will be common place.  Alas, winter comes and we end up where I started this post.  History repeats.

[Acebird]

Ace, I did not think you had serious issues with beetles, not in your area of the US.

Normally it was not an issue up here.  4-5 beetles in the top of the inner cover per month is what most people have seen that had any beetles at all.  I was told that if you had a beetle problem it was a sign of a hive going sour for other reasons.  Well if my hives are going sour wouldn't they be dead by now?

[iddee]

 You are mostly right, except you are in spring buildup. Winter buildup ended approx. Dec. 22, solstice.
The nectar begins coming in and they fill all available space with nectar, since it takes 4 frames of space to dry one frame into honey. That's when she runs out of space and swarms.

Our nectar flow begins about April 15. This year we have frames full of nectar now. It will turn cold again. All I am trying to tell you is keep empty cells in the hive for her. It can change rapidly.

[Acebird]

except you are in spring buildup.

Well technically it might be called that but we are a long way from spring.  I am absolutely certain there is not one cell in my hives that have nectar and that is not going to happen for at least a month.  I am 99% certain that there is plenty of space below the cluster but the queen will not lay in it because they couldn't keep that much brood warm.  Of course the bigger the cluster the more she can lay.  The biggest concern for most northern beeks is starvation which is why so many do mountain camp.  The minute the hive gains weight in the spring you breath a sigh of relief because you successfully overwintered.  Then you worry about swarming not until.  I like to split before they gain weight and provision the splits with plenty of honey.  When they start to gain weight I pile on supers and let them go.  I consider three medium boxes below the first honey super as my brood chamber.  It has worked so far.

[iddee]

""I am 99% certain that there is plenty of space below the cluster ""

That is all that matters. The rest is just chitchat.

[tjc1]

She will swarm anytime during laying season other than winter buildup.

Correct, we are in winter build up.  It will last at least until the end of March.  Typically a box of honey will be consumed during that time maybe more.  Many a beekeeper freaks out and fears starvation so you will get all the posts about "mountain camp" in early spring.  Finally nectar will just start to appear.  Then there will a barrage of post about the best way to split and prevent swarming.  Many will actually be too late is doing the split and wonder why their bees are gone.  Then comes the second wave of beekeeper freak out.  Feverishly cutting out queen cells to no avail.  Mistakes will be made and the hive will continue to swarm or be queenless and become a laying worker hive.  That spurs several attempts to requeen.
In June, July, and August some beekeepers will be harvesting, some will try their hand at making overwinter nucs, and most will be battling mites with some form of chemical warfare.  The well experienced beeks will be giving advice on why your hive dwindled or died and the lecture to treat, do mite counts and feed the heck out of those bees so they can make it through winter, will be common place.  Alas, winter comes and we end up where I started this post.  History repeats.

Ace - amazing - you just saved us all an entire season of posts!  And all in a nutshell, as they say! What the heck are we all going to do now??
 Maybe I'll take up the violin... Once again, thanks for a good laugh. I'm a little spooked by your beetle problem - I've only ever seen a couple in my hives here in Mass. Also, I have been seeing wax moth frass on my bottom board, but is that possibly old stuff that the bees are just now spring-cleaning out?

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Ace, well stated, you left off the treat for mites crowd versus the no treat threat crowd.......  Also,  I believe you (ace) have a Birthday coming up soon if memory serves me correctly.  Hope that day goes well.
Blessings

[Acebird]

Whole nother month for that Van for me and my closest brother.

[Acebird]

Also, I have been seeing wax moth frass on my bottom board,

I have no idea what that looks like so a photo (with broken link if you must) would be helpful.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Wax moth frass?  Is there such a thing from a moth?  The larva definitely, however of what little I know of moths: is the moth is the adult reproduction stage and thus does not eat.  The moth as well as butterfly need moisture but neither has teeth or mouth chewing parts, just a tube for liquid.  I am asking for knowledge here, corrections, as my knowledge of wax moths is definitely limited.
Blessings

[iddee]

He probably thinks like I do, that a wax moth larva is still a wax moth, even if it is in the early stage.

[eltalia]

Ace, well stated, you left off the treat for mites crowd versus the no treat threat crowd.....

Brian is giving out the "Rules of Engagement" for the season - 6 years in and a string of
 deadouts there isn't a lot around failing to understand he does not know.
Around here we don't have "frass" we just got plain ol' sh17...or detritus - if you like...heh

Bill

[tjc1]

Also, I have been seeing wax moth frass on my bottom board,

I have no idea what that looks like so a photo (with broken link if you must) would be helpful.

https:  //imgur.com/wrQB0xv

I hope that is broken enough  - remove the two spaces before the slashes