After observing the 3 colonies, I noticed that in the last few days, one looked as though it had a smaller number of bees going in and out.
The hive is comprised of 3 mediums. When I inspected it today I noted that the bottom box was drawn but nearly empty, little honey and no brood. The middle box had only one frame of capped brood, with just a couple visible larvae, good honey supply on the outer frames. Top box, heavy with honey...I did not see the queen, there were many bees clustered on the 3 middle frames of the middle box. These are 8 frame hives...
I am currently treating with Apigard ( the second week of the second application )...I have an entance reducer to hopefully control robbing, and I have just set some sugar syrup atop the hive ( bucket feeder ).
I am concerned, should I be, and what would you recommend I do?
P.S. Our temps have been pretty warm, for us anyway..in the 80's during the day..high 40's night time
Many thanks
interested in your answers. i have one like that also. it's disappointing because it is the big swarm i caught last year.
ugh, i do get frustrated with bees sometimes...hhhmmm
live and learn...
okay come on folks let Kathy and I have your best hunches/answers...
should have mentioned that this is a hive with chalkbrood. i had two with it and combined them. my thought was that they would make it or not. i have been unable to get rid of the disease even though i have tried the tree tea oil and intentionally upping the hive temp by not venting the top over the summer.
i also have a moderate mite load on all hives, but none seem to be doing poorly except this one. with my wanderings this fall, i did not treat for mites.
my guess is that this one is a loss and that's ok. it's been a bother and non-productive.
Quote from: DayValleyDahlias on October 28, 2008, 04:53:24 PM
The hive is comprised of 3 mediums. When I inspected it today I noted that the bottom box was drawn but nearly empty, little honey and no brood.
I would remove the bottom box to reduce them down to what they can manage
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The middle box had only one frame of capped brood, with just a couple visible larvae, good honey supply on the outer frames. Top box, heavy with honey...I did not see the queen, there were many bees clustered on the 3 middle frames of the middle box. These are 8 frame hives...
Is/was the queen marked? It could very well be that she cut back laying sooner than your other hives if she is still there.
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I am currently treating with Apigard ( the second week of the second application )...I have an entance reducer to hopefully control robbing, and I have just set some sugar syrup atop the hive ( bucket feeder ).
I can't speak for the apigard, never used the stuff, I don't know when you expect cold weather in your area, but I wouldn't be feeding syrup at this point, as they are probably to low in population to dry it out and have a good chance of coming down with dysentery. You would be better off feeding candy or pure sugar. I would keep the reducer in place and close off the SBB if you have one. When the population is low, keeping warm becomes an issue.
Ok I will go take that bottom box off right now...
Thanks...
Ditto on the bottom box and if they already have that much honey than I would quit feeding. Check that cluster and see if the queen is in the middle. If the frames are honey bound than the queen will not lay. Maybe manipulate the frames to where she will have somewhere to lay with the top box being honey stores.
OK PD...I will check that brood box and see if it needs opening...
Thanks!
Having an Idle queen at this time of the year is not unusual, they usually go totally dormant for a short period prior to laying small quanities in Eisenhower dollar sized spots on the center 2 frames. The total interruption in brood cycle is a very good mite control if using SBB or bottomless hives.
I've overwinter colonies in a 2 medium nuc's on occasion. The overall size isn't as important as not having excessive space. To that end it works better to overwinter bees in 2-3 medium 8 frames than the same size and number of 10 frames. It is much easier for the bees to control the core temp of the cluster is the hive is more vertically oriented than horizonally (up verses width). It is much easier for the bees to centure short distances to retrieve stores than longer distances so the wider the hive the more at a disadvantage the hive is.
Even a softball sized cluster that survives can still produce excess (harvestable) stores over the course of the season.
Thanks Brian,
That is good news...there were 2 center frames with brood...I will wait and see...
:)
Hello Everyone,
I was reading your posts and If you don't mind me jumping in I have a question.
I Also have the 3 mediums configuration and last inspection the bottom super was packed w/pollen how can you pull it?
What I saw from the bottom up:
1) The bottom super had polled stores.
2) next had approx. 7 frames brood 3 frames honey
3) next maybe 2-1/2 frames brood the rest was honey
4) next is all honey
How would you rearrange so they still have pollen stores.
Temps have been in the 30's at night and today is going to be nice high 60's I need to get in there today and check thing out.
I also started feeding last weekend and I think I started too late, judging my your comments I need to stop.
This is my 1st year and I gotta admit overwintering is freaking me out a little.
Thanks in advance
Paul
Quote from: try2beegood on October 31, 2008, 09:42:30 AM
Hello Everyone,
I was reading your posts and If you don't mind me jumping in I have a question.
I Also have the 3 mediums configuration and last inspection the bottom super was packed w/pollen how can you pull it?
Why would you want to remove the pollen, they will need it to raise brood before spring pollen is available.
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What I saw from the bottom up:
1) The bottom super had polled stores.
2) next had approx. 7 frames brood 3 frames honey
3) next maybe 2-1/2 frames brood the rest was honey
4) next is all honey
I'm confused is it 3 or 4 mediums?
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How would you rearrange so they still have pollen stores.
I would leave them all the pollen they have and although I'm not sure of your actual configuration at this point, I wouldn't worry too much about arranging it. The bees do a pretty good job of putting things where they want it.
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Temps have been in the 30's at night and today is going to be nice high 60's I need to get in there today and check thing out.
I also started feeding last weekend and I think I started too late, judging my your comments I need to stop.
If you are feeding syrup, then I would suggest stopping. Although the syrup won't hurt them now, they won't be able to dry it down and cap it. Too much moisture (consuming syrup vs honey(natural or from syrup)) will drastically increase a hives chance of coming down with dysentery, especially if they can't get out for cleansing flights. You would be much better off feeding fondant, candy, or dry sugar.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/emergency-feeding/
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This is my 1st year and I gotta admit overwintering is freaking me out a little.
It doesn't get much better in future years either ;)
Robo,
Sorry for the confusion, I don't want to remove the pollen.
I may have misunderstood (or just read too fast) earlier comments about reducing the number of supers.
Reading more carefully I see that the situations are not the same.
Quote from: Robo on October 28, 2008, 07:38:56 PM
I would remove the bottom box to reduce them down to what they can manage
The guy I bought the hive bodies from convinced me to use all mediums and I like the Idea, he had told me
that three mediums = 2 deeps so I guess I was considering the 3 as the "hive"
and the 4th as just a honey storage super.
Sorry, I'll read slower next time.
Just a paranoid rookie beekeeper.
Thanks
Gotcha...
As long as they are strong, I wouldn't worry about having 3 vs. 4 supers. If you said 6 or 7 I would say differently. But the manipulations you would have to do to reduce them to 3 and have all the correct stuff (honey, pollen) would be more stress on them than it would be worth.
good luck,
rob
Robo,
Thanks for the help...
I have two full 2 gallon feeder pails of syrup is it possible to freeze it for next spring or will it keep in the pail.
Hate to throw it out it's 2:1
Thanks
Paul
Put some cider vinegar in it and keep it in a cool/cold place and it should ok. I have left syrup outside all winter and it was still good in the spring.
Cool, thanks a bunch.... great Tip!!
another option if you don't have enough bees to keep the space, is to pull the honey super and freeze it. you can feed the (thawed) frames back later. however, i am with robo. leave it if you can. if you ever get a chance to get into a natural hive you'll see that usually the space is packed top and sides with honey comb. the working CW is that this puts the food stores near the cluster. probably trues. i also think that all that thick honey comb has some insulating properties, especially at the top of the hive.
Quote from: try2beegood on October 31, 2008, 11:35:21 AM
Robo,
Thanks for the help...
I have two full 2 gallon feeder pails of syrup is it possible to freeze it for next spring or will it keep in the pail.
Hate to throw it out it's 2:1
Thanks
Paul
If you've frozen it, just thaw it out and dilute to 1:1 in the spring for feeding, it won't go to waste that way.
A rule of thumb is that once you've experienced 2 consecutive days of frost, it's time to pull the feeders, as generally the day and night temps will be to low for the bees to break cluster to access the syrup. Sure, there will be an occassional day here and there through the winter when it will warm up enough for the bees to do cleansing flights. At those times, if you feel the bees need feeding use fondant or pour granulated or powdered sugar on to a paper laid on top of the frames. Cut the paper back enough so the bees can get around the edges...they will also eat through the paper to access the sugar.
Trying to feed syrup in winter introduces excess moisture to the hive or it turns into a giant ice cube in the hive, both bad for the bees.
we have found that extra syrup will stay good if it is from winter to spring-extra syrup from spring to winter is more likely to sour-and is not fed- ;) RDY-B