🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[Apis mellifera]

Bit of a scare today for beekeepers. A swarm of Apis Cerana was found on a ship off the shore of New Jersey, it was killed but Tropilaelaps mite was found in the swarm. Not good.

 

[drstratton]

Bit of a scare today for beekeepers. A swarm of Apis Cerana was found on a ship off the shore of New Jersey, it was killed but Tropilaelaps mite was found in the swarm. Not good.

The world has become a smaller place. So much easier for invasive species to spread.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Bit of a scare today for beekeepers. A swarm of Apis Cerana was found on a ship off the shore of New Jersey, it was killed but Tropilaelaps mite was found in the swarm. Not good.

The trash the world makes Jersey takes. They killed the swarm? I'll bet dimes to donuts they didn't get 'em all.

 

[drstratton]

Dale took the shade cover off a few days ago. This should allow the sunshine to warm them up a little more. Getting ready for winter.

Mixing up 3g of syrup to put in for them tomorrow morning

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Still bringing in pollen, slowing down on syrup but going to make one last 3 gal batch. Still good mid day flying. Making a wooden case for the refractometer. Card stock box won't last, saving the formed foam though. Did notice an hour north of us a keeper had 3 hives wrapped. 39F this AM. Have the 2" Foam under the top cover, looks like a couple wks I'll do complete wrap.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Mid 40s have dropped to mid 30s and below, Time to wrap the boxes. Still taking syrup, have to watch them though. Rather they take the syrup, to early for the solid blocks. have the top insulation shimmed 1/8" for venting of condensation.

 

[R2elk]

Got tired of stumbling through the Rocky Mountain Bee plant. Mowed it off.

Nighttime temps have been in the mid 20⁰F range. The Wyoming Italians ate in thewhite hive which is made from 1 ½" lumber.

 

[drstratton]

Got tired of stumbling through the Rocky Mountain Bee plant. Mowed it off.
View attachment 4239610
Nighttime temps have been in the mid 20⁰F range. The Wyoming Italians ate in thewhite hive which is made from 1 ½" lumber.

That looks great. So, you're not planning to insulate the Italian hive?

I think my husband is only planning to insulate the top of our hive. I don't think our temps run as consistently low as your area.

 

[drstratton]

Mid 40s have dropped to mid 30s and below, Time to wrap the boxes. Still taking syrup, have to watch them though. Rather they take the syrup, to early for the solid blocks. have the top insulation shimmed 1/8" for venting of condensation.

You are definitely starting to get cold.

 

[R2elk]

That looks great. So, you're not planning to insulate the Italian hive?

I think my husband is only planning to insulate the top of our hive. I don't think our temps run as consistently low as your area.

Standard thickness of the wood in commercial hives is ¾". This hive is made from 1½" thick wood. I did not build it in a fashion to be easily insulated due to the handholds.

It does have a piece of 2" thick styrofoam over the inner cover.

The last time I did this, all 3 hives came through the winter well.

I did notice that the 2 covered hives were much more active through the winter than they were when they weren't covered. I was unnecessarily concerned that the increased activity would cause them to go through their winter stores too quickly.