The Honey Factory

[duluthralphie]

So I have watched videos about small cells being more mite resistant . Also hygienic traits and ankle biters . Since I like the idea of natural methods I find it interesting . I see Mann lake sells small cell foundation . They say small cells are hard for mites to infest . Brood hatches a couple days earlier on small cell . Disrupts the mite gestation also .

Interesting

 

[duluthralphie]

Mine haven't chased me at anytime. They are right in front of the coop. I walk within a foot of them multiple times daily.

I am willing to bet you wouldn’t walk within a ft of the mean hive more than once .

I did warn the queen to prepare herself for a beheading in the spring.

 

[R2elk]

I am willing to bet you wouldn’t walk within a ft of the mean hive more than once .

I did warn the queen to prepare herself for a beheading in the spring.

I have had mean bees in the past. I did not walk by their hives daily but still did it frequently. A number of bees died in failed attack attempts and a number of bees died in successful attack attempts.

 

[karenerwin]

We had warm temps last Thursday so I opened my hive and added some sugar water. I saw the queen but I thought it was very odd that she was up in the empty super (where the sugar water was). I did not open any further than that, especially with the queen being up there. I didn't want to take the chance of smooshing her or losing her as I moved things around. Later that same day I saw what looked like robbing behavior to me. I had left the top tipped up to expose the flight/vent hole exposed because the bottom entrance is so closed off because of how the small hive beetle trap fit under it. So I went ahead and closed the outer top cover completely. This weekend the temps were in the 75 and 73 degree range but I didn't see any bees coming or going today. I'm hoping I was just viewing the hive at the wrong time
It's a bit nerve wracking being a newbie at this and not knowing if I'm doing it all wrong or not! I figure if they make it through the winter it will be a miracle!

 

[jerryse]

I have seen several posts about robbing while feeding . If they do not make it through the winter use the hive as a bait hive . Trap a swarm = free bees . That is how I got mine . Good luck .

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

We had warm temps last Thursday so I opened my hive and added some sugar water. I saw the queen but I thought it was very odd that she was up in the empty super (where the sugar water was). I did not open any further than that, especially with the queen being up there. I didn't want to take the chance of smooshing her or losing her as I moved things around. Later that same day I saw what looked like robbing behavior to me. I had left the top tipped up to expose the flight/vent hole exposed because the bottom entrance is so closed off because of how the small hive beetle trap fit under it. So I went ahead and closed the outer top cover completely. This weekend the temps were in the 75 and 73 degree range but I didn't see any bees coming or going today. I'm hoping I was just viewing the hive at the wrong time
It's a bit nerve wracking being a newbie at this and not knowing if I'm doing it all wrong or not! I figure if they make it through the winter it will be a miracle!

It's a miracle when anyone's bees make it through the winter. Every March we go out to really inspect the hives and see if they made it. This is our 8th year, since April 2013, I count years by summers.
First year beekeeping in January on a warm day I opened the hive like my mentor said to check to see if they needed more food. They were meaner than he** and sprayed me with banana attack spray. I shut the hive and yelled, " go ahead and starve!"
They didn't, it was my original hive and they survived 7 years, lol.
Now I will look for activity at the front on a warm day, or thump the side and listen for buzzing. I give them lots honey and winter pollen patties, and hope for the best.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Oh and if you feed winter patties or spring brood patties you don't have to take the wax paper off. Yeah I learned that the hard way, with my mentor chuckling at my ignorance.

 

[duluthralphie]

Both hives were alive today.

I finally had a day to get the wind breaks up and wrap the hives in Tyvek. I couldn’t hear the bees, of course, helicopter took most my hearing 40 years ago.

So I asked the WW to put her ear to the hole and see if she could hear them buzzing. She refused. She claims she could hear them without putting her ear to the hole.

While wrapping the hives a few bees flew out as if to attack, however they did not reach us before dropping.

I am not hopeful they will make it to spring, but I will try.

 

[R2elk]

My Italian hive was out and flying strong today. I might have seen one of the Saskatraz out and about.

 

[karenerwin]

It was warm enough for them to be out today but way too windy!! I will check on them the next warmish, non (super) windy day that we have that I am not working!