Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: wd on November 26, 2010, 03:02:59 pm
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Thought I'd do a share and ask a question.
This hive currently consists of one deep - 10 frames and one medium - 10 frames
At first, all bees were in the deep. I pulled a frame out of the medium then decided to get a camera.
I took these pictures approx 10 minutes after opening it up. In September this hive was over flowing
with life. I've been doing a light check twice a month. When I opened it yesterday, the hive was
active, bee's flying in and out yet the population has dwindled. What would you do?
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8kUQLCmPI/AAAAAAAAAxE/7lsSk7QVZG8/s640/Picture%20118.jpg)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8k2tbP4aI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/lNP1tjiVq88/s640/Picture%20122.jpg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8kURx5g4I/AAAAAAAAAxA/Aw8LiZoLlmM/s640/Picture%20116.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8kTzihJLI/AAAAAAAAAw4/SvyCJpVCg0s/s640/Picture%20112.jpg)
web album (http://picasaweb.google.com/114618827154388384387/HiveVna)
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check for queen-RDY-B
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Thought I'd do a share and ask a question.
This hive currently consists of one deep - 10 frames and one medium - 10 frames
At first, all bees were in the deep. I pulled a frame out of the medium then decided to get a camera.
I took these pictures approx 10 minutes after opening it up. In September this hive was over flowing
with life. I've been doing a light check twice a month. When I opened it yesterday, the hive was
active, bee's flying in and out yet the population has dwindled. What would you do?
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8kUQLCmPI/AAAAAAAAAxE/7lsSk7QVZG8/s640/Picture%20118.jpg)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8k2tbP4aI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/lNP1tjiVq88/s640/Picture%20122.jpg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8kURx5g4I/AAAAAAAAAxA/Aw8LiZoLlmM/s640/Picture%20116.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TO8kTzihJLI/AAAAAAAAAw4/SvyCJpVCg0s/s640/Picture%20112.jpg)
web album (http://picasaweb.google.com/114618827154388384387/HiveVna)
The population always dwindles in the winter. They cut back on population in the winter.
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JOEL how did your hive check turn out---any thing interesting going on--RDY-B
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joelel writes:
The population always dwindles in the winter. They cut back on population in the winter.
tecumseh:
well said.... I will add as we approach the shortest day of the year brood production may reach zero, so checking for the queen may well mean seeing the queen directly since there is liable to be very limited (to no) eggs or brood in the box.
if the bee appeared settled (not jumpy or runny) relative to the prior times you have inspected the hive the it is highly likely the queen is still on board and waiting anxiously for January 5 to roll around (at this date, when the days grow longer brooding should start up again). a bit of thin feed (1 to 1) or flow may jump start this date.
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JOEL how did your hive check turn out---any thing interesting going on--RDY-B
All hives doing real good. Still treatment free and no problems with pests or disease. Sold alot of nucs last summer. Still no CCD.Orders are coming in for the spring. How are yours doing ?
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every thing out here is 8-9 frames-feeding lots of sub-- 8-)
the hive in the pic should be going into winter at 5-6 frames
it shouldnt fade that fast with the wheather we have -hope it has a queen
so he can pull it through--RDY-B
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Just got back from looking for a queen. Went through it twice, couldn't find one. The 2 frames off to the side in this picture are obviously spotty with comb and bare on other portions. The farthest frame to left in this picture has some comb on the out side that is raised for traffic to walk on the frame and not be seen in one corner. Good place to hide but still no visible queen, No brood of any kind, lots of what looked like bee bread to me along with shiny clean cells on two frames. Camera wasn't working well, this is the only shot that took. Bees were calm until I smashed a few. 9 frames of honey in the medium with a lot of bees this time though not near as many as what's in this pic. No robbing going on.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_EVyVg8TEhrU/TPQu3cg0HQI/AAAAAAAAAx4/LRpQwvtAep4/s640/11-29-10.jpg)
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where in CA?
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Chico area, frost in the mornings the past few days, warms up enough to fly, when I arrived, the local rosemary had bees on it.
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you might consider putting that in your profile. ca has so many climates. maybe there is someone close to you who can tell you what you should be seeing....
i would be surprised to find a hive totally broodless in your area if there is still forage. is this your only hive? if not, how does it compare to others? populations do go down in winter, but it is early for it to be so noticeable. when did you have your last drones?
i am not clear about what you found in the lower box. was there room for brood in the center, or had they filled it all? i'd guess queenless but they look very calm.
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WD Is that pic --one from the hive we are talking about--a resent pic-- :lol: RDY-B
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That's a lot of bees in that box! Are you sure they're not honey bound?
Love your hive tool.
Scott
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I totally missed that hive tool in the pics the first go around. If it works. :-D
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I'll compare asap.
Yes, same hive in all, this one was taken this afternoon around 1:30 p.m.
Honey bound, ya think? There's whole box of assorted hives tools not shown.
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the hive is fine -give them a patty and they will be fine
are those tinoco bees-and did you treat looks good from this angel-- 8-) RDY-B
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yes they are tinoco bees, no I didn't treat ... patty, will do.
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Thumbs up--RDY-B