Author Topic: Caucasian Hive (Read 3374 times)

Hi-Tech · « **on:** June 24, 2015, 11:15:05 am »

I have my first hive of Caucasian bees since I moved to Kentucky a year ago. This hive was started from a package from Winters Apiaries (http://caucasianbreeder.com) that I received yesterday (6/23/15). They say these bees are a direct line from Mr. Bill Gafford's bees. I used to have and work Caucasians with Mr Bill Gafford (bolling bee) many years ago and really enjoyed them. I know several people are interested in Caucasians so I thought I would start a thread about this hive and update it as I went along.

I use all medium hive bodies and have 2 designated (right now) for brood. I also use all plastic foundation but am thinking about removing some of the plastic foundation from some frames and trying foundationless for the brood. I also have a hive of Italians about 15 feet away from this hive so I will see if there is any adverse interaction.

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #1 on:** June 24, 2015, 11:37:35 am »

Keeping a running report is a good plan. We'lll be watching your progress. Thanks.

biggraham610 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 24, 2015, 08:44:00 pm »

Yep, will be watching. Let us know if you think they are the same as the bees you worked years ago. Short of A1 on every queen, Seems like there would have to be some cross genetics by now through open mating. Hard to drench an area with only one strain of drones. Hopefully they have retained much of the sought after attributes. G

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2015, 11:04:13 pm »

Quote from: biggraham610 on June 24, 2015, 08:44:00 pm

Yep, will be watching. Let us know if you think they are the same as the bees you worked years ago. Short of AI on every queen, Seems like there would have to be some cross genetics by now through open mating. Hard to drench an are with only one strain of drones. Hopefully they have retained much of the sought after attributes. G

It would be nice to have an island about 5 miles offshore to raise bees. (needs to be anmemoji for dreaming).

Eric Bosworth · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2015, 09:53:20 am »

Quote from: Dallasbeek on June 24, 2015, 11:04:13 pm

It would be nice to have an island about 5 miles offshore to raise bees. (needs to be anmemoji for dreaming).

I read a book on honeybee democracy. That might have even been the title. It was about how swarms find their new home. In the book he talks about an island off the coast of New England where there are no feral bees so he took packages of bees there for research. On his very first test the bees decided they really liked one of the locals chimneys.

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2015, 11:04:41 am »

Quote from: Eric Bosworth on June 25, 2015, 09:53:20 am

Quote from: Dallasbeek on June 24, 2015, 11:04:13 pm
It would be nice to have an island about 5 miles offshore to raise bees. (needs to be anmemoji for dreaming).

I read a book on honeybee democracy. That might have even been the title. It was about how swarms find their new home. In the book he talks about an island off the coast of New England where there are no feral bees so he took packages of bees there for research. On his very first test the bees decided they really liked one of the locals chimneys.

You are correct. The title of the bood is Honeybee Democracy, by Thomas Seeley. It's an excellent book and I recommend it to every serious beekeeper.

I only wish I could get my hands on his earler books, but they are out of print and the Dallas library doesn't have copies.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #6 on:** June 27, 2015, 12:47:43 pm »

>...the Dallas library doesn't have copies.

Interlibrary loan. I've seldom found the books I was looking for in the library, but I've seldom found any they couldn't borrow from another library...
That and ABE books or Amazon... you often find out of print books for sale.

Hi-Tech · « **Reply #7 on:** June 29, 2015, 05:44:30 pm »

Went in the hive yesterday and the queen is out and laying a few eggs in the little comb they have drawn. Good! However, there was only maybe a double handful of bees with her. I think a lot of the original package may have drifted to my other hive. I made sure they had plenty of syrup (both hives) and there was bees flying in and out. No fighting at the entrance but I made that very small.. I worry about getting the population up in time for winter but only time will tell. I moved them out of the 10 frame medium and into a 5 frame nuc for now. I checked on it again a few minutes ago and bees were flying in and out so I guess the nuc transfer went OK.

biggraham610 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 29, 2015, 08:34:55 pm »

You could always give them a boost from another hive. The important thing is making sure she is there in the spring. Not who helps her get there. That being said, my production hives wintered in singles and came out with a cluster the size of a small cantaloupe. I will be pulling three mediums apiece off of each of them this weekend. Good Luck. Keep us posted. G

Hi-Tech · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2015, 10:32:13 am »

I would love to pull a frame of brood from the other hive by my problem is the other hive is a deep and this hive is a medium..

Eric Bosworth · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2015, 11:00:18 am »

Quote from: Hi-Tech on June 30, 2015, 10:32:13 am

I would love to pull a frame of brood from the other hive by my problem is the other hive is a deep and this hive is a medium..

I currently have all deeps. I was thinking that I might want to switch to mediums going forward. I mentioned that you can put a medium in a deep but not a deep in a medium. The response I received was that you could put a deep in two mediums. Something to think about.

biggraham610 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2015, 11:52:10 am »

Or, you can build a 3 inch shim for your medium box, and insert the deep. Any comb they pull on the bottom of the mediums can be cut loose and rubber banded into medium frames. G

Eric Bosworth · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2015, 12:24:24 pm »

Quote from: biggraham610 on June 30, 2015, 11:52:10 am

Or, you can build a 3 inch shim for your medium box, and insert the deep. Any comb they pull on the bottom of the mediums can be cut loose and rubber banded into medium frames. G

That works too.
If I switch to mediums that is how I will do it. By sticking mediums in deeps until they are filled out and then moving them to a new box.

Hi-Tech · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2015, 02:32:01 pm »

I made the 3 inch adapter and put it on the medium nuke. I added a deep frame of capped and uncapped brood from my other hive. The other hive is full of bees. Definitely had a mutiny when I installed that package. A lot of bees went to the other hive.
Ill give it a week and check on them again..

biggraham610 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2015, 12:22:24 am »

Can you tell much of a difference in the appearance of the bees? Are they darker? I think the main difference is they are able to forage deeper nectar sources right? I just filled a half dozen medium frames with beautiful broodcomb drawn on the bottom of medium frames in a deep. Its was tough for me in the transition from deep to mediums to force myself to drop in medium frames to a deep box at first, but once I saw the results the bees offered, it made it much easier.

Hi-Tech · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2015, 02:05:00 pm »

they are much darker with a longer black tip and less space between the black lines. Most of the Caucasians I have worked were gentle and these are no exception. I have seen them work red clover in the past and have heard they need a long tongue to do that but since I cant get one to open up and say ahhh I'm not for sure.. LOL

Im glad to hear you overcame the deep to med thing. I hope to be able to put that deep frame back and get back to all mediums..

Hi-Tech · « **Reply #16 on:** July 15, 2015, 04:48:41 pm »

I moved my Caucasians to an 8 frame hive. All built by me. I had to make a shim because I had placed a deep frame of brood from another hive in this struggling hive. That definitely helped. I have a top entrance all along the front under the top cover and will be closing the bottom entrance soon. They seem to be building and doing well. Now to start on some more 8 frame hive parts for my Italians!

biggraham610 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 15, 2015, 11:47:25 pm »

Are they building up for you? Have you given them a boost from one of your other hives? If you give them a boost with emerging/capped bees the nurse number will increase pronto and your Queen can lay up some more frames. I sure hope your hive builds up nicely and overwinters well. I am interested in following them. G

Hi-Tech · « **Reply #18 on:** July 16, 2015, 03:30:10 pm »

I pulled a frame of brood from my Italian hive and gave it to the Caucasians. It helped tremendously and they are building up nicely.

biggraham610 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 17, 2015, 01:47:33 am »

Good to hear. Keep us posted. G