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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: tefer2 on February 15, 2012, 05:42:18 PM

Title: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 15, 2012, 05:42:18 PM
It got up to fifty two degrees here this afternoon. So I couldn't stand myself, and had to have a look inside.
Everyone still has food and are cleaning out their dead sisters.
Just can't believe this weather for the 15Th of February.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: splitrock on February 15, 2012, 09:43:20 PM
Yes, this weather has really been something. It's good to hear they still have plenty of stores.

When it hits the 50's here next time, I will be putting feeders on top. We have a while before spring yet.

Joel
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: Vance G on February 16, 2012, 12:53:52 AM
I thank you guys for living right and bringing on this winter!  We will be dry here if we don't start getting some snow but at the very worst, I will have bees to feed this summer!
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: T Beek on February 16, 2012, 09:15:25 AM
We barely hit 40 yesterday, but I had bees making yellow to brown polka-dots in the snow in front of all three hives.  My LONG Hive has been quiet for a long time, so the evidence of even minimal bee activity was a blessing to see.  I even heard a faint buzzing w/ the stethoscope.  

My two Langs 'seem' to be doing alright, all things considered.  Both are still surviving on little more than dry sugar.  One has considerably more dysentary evidence but is also the most active.  In a hurry to get outside to 'drop' some perhaps?  ;)

t
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: danno on February 16, 2012, 09:23:05 AM
I still have only 4 deadouts so far.  41 still hanging in there.  I keep saying the worst is yet to come but knock of wood I have been wrong so far
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: splitrock on February 16, 2012, 12:10:30 PM
LOL, I've been knocking on wood since November. Mine will be flying here today.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: danno on February 16, 2012, 01:13:23 PM
I have only plowed snow 4 times this winter.  Most years I do more than that   before thanksgiving
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 01:18:57 PM
I don't have any snow to see the brown-yellow spots. Mine are all out looking for food, burning up stores.
I only had to do the driveway snow thing 3 times this winter. I don't miss that !
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: danno on February 16, 2012, 01:56:39 PM
I'll be making another 50#s of candy boards this weekend.   I have 40 queens coming this spring so cant aford to lose many more
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 05:09:50 PM
I'm ahead of them on making the candy, which is hard to believe. Still have 10 bricks in the freezer. I have been giving some thought to making up some megabee patty's next week.
We are having our annual bee school this weekend at the nature center. Just another sign that spring is on the way.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 05:19:07 PM
Hey Dan, where are they coming from ? Our bee club president and Larry Connors have a special permit to bring Buckfast queens in from Canada this year. I guess Hanson arranged it for them.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: danno on February 16, 2012, 07:32:14 PM
I have been buying from Olivarez for going on 3 years. 
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 07:41:52 PM
Italians ? Are they for splits or just requeening ? I'm having trouble managing what I have now. Your gonna have to quit your day job to keep up. No, wait, thats your plan anyway!!!  I just forgot.
What I didn't forget, was that I need some of that maple syrup you make up there.
Is this the on year, or the off year ?
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 07:53:14 PM
Danno, that got me thinking about how much it would cost to keep 80 alive this winter, That's scary!
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: luvin honey on February 16, 2012, 08:06:12 PM
Congratulations!!

I checked on mine today, and all 3 are still booming :) With stores. This is the time of year I'm so happy for observation windows. I've had the strange pleasure of nearly being stung in Jan and Feb now.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 09:54:18 PM
I'm going to need a picture of this so called observation window, to see for myself.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: danno on February 17, 2012, 08:55:58 AM
Quote from: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 07:41:52 PM
Italians ? Are they for splits or just requeening ? I'm having trouble managing what I have now. Your gonna have to quit your day job to keep up. No, wait, thats your plan anyway!!!  I just forgot.
What I didn't forget, was that I need some of that maple syrup you make up there.
Is this the on year, or the off year ?
Terry
They are mainly for splits.  This is a on year for maple syrup but I dont know how it will pan out without cold weather
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 17, 2012, 09:43:13 AM
I looked at my flow data, and last year maples started to bud out March 15Th. for us down here.
If you have a harvest, I would like to try some!
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: luvin honey on February 17, 2012, 09:56:29 AM
Quote from: tefer2 on February 16, 2012, 09:54:18 PM
I'm going to need a picture of this so called observation window, to see for myself.
I've never downloaded photos before, so I hope this works. Here's one of my topbar hives:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/138/1001964opt2.jpg/ (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/138/1001964opt2.jpg/)

Okay, it didn't work, but perhaps you can find it through this link.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: tefer2 on February 17, 2012, 11:09:14 AM
luvin, show's up fine. Does the glass fog up in the winter ?
It would be nice to see whats going on this time of year.
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: T Beek on February 17, 2012, 12:57:58 PM
Quote from: tefer2 on February 17, 2012, 09:43:13 AM
I looked at my flow data, and last year maples started to bud out March 15Th. for us down here.
If you have a harvest, I would like to try some!

Maple sap requires temps below freezing at night and above 40 during the day, ideally w/ plenty of sunshine to make it an optimal run.  We were getting those temps in December and January and we took advantage and boiled down just under ten gallons of syrup in January so are done till next year   :).

t
Title: Re: They are still alive!
Post by: luvin honey on February 17, 2012, 02:11:25 PM
Quote from: tefer2 on February 17, 2012, 11:09:14 AM
luvin, show's up fine. Does the glass fog up in the winter ?
It would be nice to see whats going on this time of year.
It did fog up, and my reflection is messing up the image a bit, too. They appear to be cleaning house (based on the entrance) and eating.