Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => GREETINGS/TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF => Topic started by: Mamm7215 on June 13, 2019, 04:06:29 pm

Title: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 13, 2019, 04:06:29 pm
Glad to be here.  New beek (2nd week), 4 frame nuc doing well, still learning...
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Donovan J on June 13, 2019, 04:49:07 pm
Welcome!
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 13, 2019, 08:53:53 pm
Welcome to Beemaster.
This is the place to ask questions. We love to answer them.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 13, 2019, 10:37:59 pm
Thanks, I got a million of em...
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 13, 2019, 11:01:15 pm
Fire away.
😁
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: herbhome on June 13, 2019, 11:12:58 pm
Welcome Mamm!
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: cao on June 13, 2019, 11:18:20 pm
Welcome  :happy:
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 14, 2019, 12:21:37 am
Well, I?ve had my bees about a week.  Got a 4 frame nuc from a local, inspected registered keeper.  The hive itself is sort of a beginners kit - 8 frame deep brooder with a mason jar honey super.  Idea is they make comb up in the jars and you just unscrew when full.  Also has little hinged viewing window so you can peek in on each deep.  That feature is kinda handy but I?ve already got another 8 frame deep as the more I read, the less I think it?s the way to go for me.  I can see putting it on as a second honey super for some comb-in-jar type stuff.  I started with an in hive feeder with a gallon of syrup and a split pollen patty on top of the excluder to help them get going.  Seems to have worked.  As of now they are very active, lots of bees and there?s a huge blackberry flow on here.  When I took out the feeder they had already started drawing out the blanks beside the original nuc.  I left the pollen patties in.  Last check on Sunday there?s only the outside 2 frames (1 each side) not drawn.  I think that?s pretty good.  Wasn?t sure if I?d need to feed more, still not but they seem to be doing good.  I plan to do a full inspection this Saturday. 
Trying not to get ahead of myself - what if there?s queen cells?  Do I feed more?  Hope I don?t kill the queen.  All that stuff.  And always more reading...
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Donovan J on June 14, 2019, 12:39:05 am
Well, I?ve had my bees about a week.  Got a 4 frame nuc from a local, inspected registered keeper.  The hive itself is sort of a beginners kit - 8 frame deep brooder with a mason jar honey super.  Idea is they make comb up in the jars and you just unscrew when full.  Also has little hinged viewing window so you can peek in on each deep.  That feature is kinda handy but I?ve already got another 8 frame deep as the more I read, the less I think it?s the way to go for me.  I can see putting it on as a second honey super for some comb-in-jar type stuff.  I started with an in hive feeder with a gallon of syrup and a split pollen patty on top of the excluder to help them get going.  Seems to have worked.  As of now they are very active, lots of bees and there?s a huge blackberry flow on here.  When I took out the feeder they had already started drawing out the blanks beside the original nuc.  I left the pollen patties in.  Last check on Sunday there?s only the outside 2 frames (1 each side) not drawn.  I think that?s pretty good.  Wasn?t sure if I?d need to feed more, still not but they seem to be doing good.  I plan to do a full inspection this Saturday. 
Trying not to get ahead of myself - what if there?s queen cells?  Do I feed more?  Hope I don?t kill the queen.  All that stuff.  And always more reading...

I'm positive there wont be queen cells this early but keep an eye out for them. I don't think you have to feed anymore because of the blackberry flow. I live south of you and this is also my first year.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 14, 2019, 01:23:02 am
Thanks, I?ll know more this weekend and will post my update.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 14, 2019, 08:27:24 am
Mamm,
When you open the hive, bee sure to pull one of the outside frames first and place it leaning on the hive. This gives you room to separate the frames and not roll the bees as you pull the frames out. When you put the frames back in, since you have a flow on, put the empty frames in next to the brood and they will draw them out quicker. If the deep is full of bees, add a another box.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 14, 2019, 12:39:48 pm
Thanks, Jim.  Funny, I made notes with that advice at the top!  I'm sure I rolled a couple in my 1st inspection.  My second one I saw the queen and was very careful.  One more quick question, though.  This morning was cooler and overcast compared to the last few days here.  We actually had record highs for June in some areas.  The activity early morning was pretty busy as the hive gets morning sun then intermittent sun/shade throughout the day.  This morning, as I said, was overcast and 14C at 7:30am (low 50'sF) and there was almost no activity in/out of the hive.  I looked in the little view window at the back of the hive and it's pretty full of bees so does this sound normal?  Can they take a little longer to wake up because of temp/weather?  Just curious.  I don't think they've swarmed (seems to still be lots of bees but I haven't opened it up yet).  Was going to do a full inspect tomorrow but should I do it today?  Just curious.
Thanks.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 14, 2019, 12:46:07 pm
That is very normal for 50 degree weather, Especially in the morning. Some bees will start working at 45 degrees (Carnolian) and others want it to bee warmer. Usually your scouts will bee the only ones out. Don?t worry about them. They will do what they need to do.
Jim Altmiller was
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 14, 2019, 12:55:53 pm
Awesome, thanks again!!  The scouts explain the odd bees showing up and leaving. 
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: seanconnery on June 14, 2019, 05:46:45 pm
Hello Mamm7215.
I too am in South Surrey, and I have 2 TBHives and one Warre.
This is my fifth year.
Hope you have rewarding first year.
regards
sean
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 14, 2019, 07:23:56 pm
Hi neighbor, thanks!  Those Warre hives look pretty neat!
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Donovan J on June 14, 2019, 08:35:48 pm
Thanks, Jim.  Funny, I made notes with that advice at the top!  I'm sure I rolled a couple in my 1st inspection.  My second one I saw the queen and was very careful.  One more quick question, though.  This morning was cooler and overcast compared to the last few days here.  We actually had record highs for June in some areas.  The activity early morning was pretty busy as the hive gets morning sun then intermittent sun/shade throughout the day.  This morning, as I said, was overcast and 14C at 7:30am (low 50'sF) and there was almost no activity in/out of the hive.  I looked in the little view window at the back of the hive and it's pretty full of bees so does this sound normal?  Can they take a little longer to wake up because of temp/weather?  Just curious.  I don't think they've swarmed (seems to still be lots of bees but I haven't opened it up yet).  Was going to do a full inspect tomorrow but should I do it today?  Just curious.
Thanks.

Do you have Italians or Carniolans? Italians usually like warmer weather and more sunny skies than Carnies. My Carniolan hive is usually up and working hard very early in the morning. Even on cloudy days they still work.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 14, 2019, 09:41:33 pm
I'm honestly not sure, but the queen is a local.  The folks I got them off were telling me they breed their own here for climate and good temperament, likely the bees are local mutts as well. They haven't seemed tooo angry when I've looked at them so far so they got the temperament right :)
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Donovan J on June 15, 2019, 02:49:29 am
I'm honestly not sure, but the queen is a local.  The folks I got them off were telling me they breed their own here for climate and good temperament, likely the bees are local mutts as well. They haven't seemed tooo angry when I've looked at them so far so they got the temperament right :)

Well that's good. What is the color of the queen? That'll usually indicate what breed she is.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 15, 2019, 02:53:35 am
I'll try to get a pic tomorrow if I can...
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 16, 2019, 02:49:08 am
No pic yet but she?s darker colored.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Donovan J on June 16, 2019, 06:24:16 pm
No pic yet but she?s darker colored.

Italian queens usually have a honey colored abdomen. Carnies usually have a dark abdomen.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 16, 2019, 10:52:11 pm
Maybe a local bred carni sub then?  I'm starting a new thread in the main forum about my inspection, there will be pics...
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Donovan J on June 17, 2019, 12:26:58 am
Maybe a local bred carni sub then?  I'm starting a new thread in the main forum about my inspection, there will be pics...

Okay will check it out
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Bob Wilson on June 17, 2019, 05:14:55 pm
I was under the impression that there was not really a way to tell the race of a feral colony queen. They are genetic mutts. I only have one hive, but the bees vary from darker gray to pale golden yellow, and everything in between. All on one frame of brood. However the queen has an Italian look to her.
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: BeeMaster2 on June 17, 2019, 07:50:16 pm
Bobil,
Your queen is probably mated with several different types of drones. That makes your hive much more likely to survive compared to queens mated to just one type of drones.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Hi from western Canada (Surrey, near Vancouver)
Post by: Mamm7215 on June 18, 2019, 11:42:38 pm
You can see her in my inspection post, 3rd pic, circled in blue:
https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=52488.0
I hope you're right, Jim, they seem to be doing quite well.  Other than me killing a couple of yellow jackets hovering here and there, they're buzzing right along.