🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[5Australorpasaures]

I'm not sure what the target weight in your area is but let's say its 130 pounds for 2 deeps. If your hive weighs 110 pounds you would feed them 2 gallons of 2:1. A gallon of 2:1 adds about 10 pounds.

Full top super of 90+/- is OK but I do like that they keep packing it in the bottom.

 

[Sally PB]

Practical question... how do you weigh a hive? There is no way I can lift 90 pounds.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

NICE! Sister-in-law dropped off 20 lbs of dry picked Cranberries yesterday in exchange for the honey we give them.

 

[drstratton]

Practical question... how do you weigh a hive? There is no way I can lift 90 pounds.

If you can't lift the back of the hive with 1 hand or can barely lift it, you probably have a good load of honey in there.

 

[drstratton]

We're finally doing an inspection and mite check today. It's been crazy around here and there's always something that keeps us out of the hives. It's supposed to be 77° today, so hoping the bees are out and busy. The temps then drop into the 60's with a couple of mid to upper 50's days. Overnight lows are still in the 40's.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Practical question... how do you weigh a hive? There is no way I can lift 90 pounds.

Some beekeepers tilt a hive on to a scale. Or you can guess at the weight by counting full frames of honey. A full deep frame is about 8 pounds and a medium frame 5 lbs.

 

[drstratton]

We combined two hives today. We just didn't like how they were looking. The new queen in hive #1 was laying very spotty, the pattern just wasn't good or strong. I only saw a few eggs and not much larvae. We added them to the swarm hive. Next year we will probably replace all of our queens at some point.

We still have 2 hives to inspect. We wanted to let the 2 we combined settle down a bit. Hopefully the next 2 look good. If not we will combine them and go into winter with only 2 hives.

Didn't get much in the way of pictures today.

 

[Apis mellifera]

We added them to the swarm hive.

Did you remove the queen before combining?

 

[R2elk]

Removed the thymol blocks from the Wyoming Italian hive. Just an impression but the hive seems healthier at this time than before the treatment.

 

[drstratton]

Did you remove the queen before combining?

Yes, we removed her. She must have been poorly bred. I'm really bummed about it.