The Honey Factory

[Burnt Brass Homestead]

Highly unlikely that this was the cause. I have had bees active all winter on warm days. It is far more likely that they ran out of food stores because of increased activity in the hive or one of the many other causes such as mites.

that sucks to know there was a possibility that I let them starve. I will pay more attention this year to their food.

I hate opening their hives when it is so cold out.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[R2elk]

that sucks to know there was a possibility that I let them starve. I will pay more attention this year to their food.

I hate opening their hives when it is so cold out.

Thanks for your reply!

When I have hives that are surviving the winter, I start feeding in February. I wouldn't open a hive in cold weather.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

There are a few knowledgeable beekeepers here. I'm too new to be of much help, as this is my first year with bees.

If you have questions, ask! Start your own bee thread, if you like, too.

We need a bee section here on BYC, like they have on BYH.

Which I still haven't been able to log on to, at last check, which was a couple weeks ago... I should try again. Sigh.

Me neither. I tried to make an account and never got any confirmation email so I gave up.

 

[R2elk]

Me neither. I tried to make an account and never got any confirmation email so I gave up.

Try now.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Try now.

Magic. It works now.

 

[CLSranch]

split my bee hives, now running 8 hives there looking good.

I split 2 last week, hope all works out for us both.

We did a sugar roll last Friday. We found 3 mites, so 1%.

We have Formic Pro that came with the hive we bought. From what I've read, it's going to be too warm to use it, for the forecasted future.

Any suggestions, anyone?

Don't treat. I never treat. https://bushfarms.com/beesnotreatments.htm

Hey all,

I am new to beekeeping. Do you guys know of any good platforms like BYC, but for bees?
Or is this a good forum I can get advice from to be a sufficient beekeeper?

I lost my first batch of bees in 2021 during the winter when the temperatures reached 65-70 degrees for 2 days. The bees came out of the hive, but the temperature dramatically dropped to approximately 30 degrees and remained in the 30s to mid-40s.

We think it was humidity that killed them. I was not the only one who lost their bees that year.

So, this is my second attempt at keeping bees.

What do y'all think?

R2 said it. Probably starved. I've had it happen not checking on them and ASSumEing they were good.
Beesource.com. Can be very opinionated but still a wealth of knowledge
Beemaster.com another wealth of knowledge. Funny to watch the heated political debates in the coffee house forum.
https://bushfarms.com/bees.htm A great person/place to learn from. He also has books but the same thing is free on his website. Listening to him on some of the other bee forums he is an amazingly intelligent person.

I always forget about the BYH bee forum. Like the horse thread on there I've not seen any activity when I looked. I think I've talked as much about horses on Beemaster.

 

[Sally PB]

Don't treat. I never treat

Can you give me some more info on the "small cell foundation?" I'm not sure what he's talking about. As I said, I'm VERY new to this.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Can you give me some more info on the "small cell foundation?" I'm not sure what he's talking about. As I said, I'm VERY new to this.

The idea was that somehow mites in colonies are suppressed when using small cell foundation.

https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/cr...l-of-varroa-mites-in-new-york-honey-bees.html

https://theapiarist.org/small-cell-foundation/

 

[CLSranch]

Can you give me some more info on the "small cell foundation?" I'm not sure what he's talking about. As I said, I'm VERY new to this.

The idea was that somehow mites in colonies are suppressed when using small cell foundation.

https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/cr...l-of-varroa-mites-in-new-york-honey-bees.html

https://theapiarist.org/small-cell-foundation/

Apis m pretty well covered it.
Short story. Years ago they started foundation with 'larger' cell size to make bigger bee's (closer to drone size) to make bigger bee's to carry more nectar/pollen back. In such making it easier for mites.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Since 2014 I've been trying to tell people I see black honeybees at our farm. No one believes me. I finally got proof today. They are just a tiny bit smaller than my Italian but have the same body shape. They were on the Basil I let flower.
What I could find when I looked, was that these bees were extinct.
I could be wrong, I'm just very interested in them.