i got out and walked some fields between showers yesterday and i'm seeing signs of a possible early spring down here. henbit is up and should be blooming any day, my ball clover is up a few weeks earlier than last year, my crimson is already getting a little tall and wax myrtle and privet are putting on new leaves already.
i know this doesn't mean squat down here because we could still end up with a hard frost in april. still if the stars line up right and the weather cooperates i think the flows could start early this year. i'm going to look at the red maples on my way into town today.
what is everybody else seeing?
Broccoli needs picking and more firewood brought to the house with the cold front coming in middle of this week here in North Georgia. They are talking about 12 degrees to single digits. We'll see.
Highs 25f Wed and Thurs lows 6f here in Mt Juliet. But I did see a couple dandelions blomming yesterday, they are in for a shock.
they show lows in the teens here but it warms right back up a couple of days later. we could easily end up with ice in march again but i'm hoping against it this year.
10-framer, you're about 20 minutes latitude south of my location, which is negligible. Our cold weather just started(we had a light freeze in November, but fairly warm since then). Our average first frost is about November 19 and average last frost about March 19. I'd be surprised if spring will be this early for either of us, though it would be nice. I have a fig tree that budded out after that early November frost, to be caught by freezing westher this week. A friend had irises blooming last week. I'm sure they will have a second spring later.
dallas, i'm not planning on supering next week. i wouldn't complain if i needed to before april, though.
The Wall Street Journal today says diesel fuel prices fell for the ninth straight week last week because demand for heating oil in the Northeast has been lower than usual. Diesel oil and heating oil are pretty much the same. In another thread on the Forum, about gas prices, Blue puzzled over the difference in price of gasoline and diesel. I wasn't aware diesel and heating oil were the same. Anyway, the WSJ talks about the mild winter in the Northeast, with snow covering only 42% of the area, compared to 86% the same day last year. So our observations in our areas are also being noted up north. Maybe there's hope for supering in April after all.
temperature is only one factor. a couple of years ago things bloomed a little early but rain and high winds kept the bees in.
My apologizes, but i couldn?t help but chuckle a little at this thread. Night time temps have been hovering around zero. wind chills -20. Its 22F now and that?s the warmest in several days. Just over the hill to my north, they have been battling , again, lake effect snows measured in feet. Blown by wind gusts reaching 40 mph or more. I have been lucky, a degree or two change in the wind direction and it would have been upon me. Early spring? Way too early to hope for that here! :)
me too! I had to wear a T shirt today
Here is West Kentucky we had a hard cold snap last week. Temperature around zero with wind chills around 20 below. This week we hit upper 30 degree range but the rest of the week looks like mid teens for lows and upper 20's for highs. The crappy weather gave me chance to build three 8' hive stands. I am already dreaming of spring and seeing all my girls!!!
My girls are in full build mode. In the observation hive they have toe entire brood area full of brood, it was completely empty a month ago. they ware bringing in lots of maple pollen and nectar. They filled almost all of the drone brood cells with nectar and are still building more. Their numbers will be doubling any day now as they are hatching. I am hoping they will start to build new comb soon in the 2 empty foundationless frames on top of the hive. I just hope all of the other hives are doing the same.
I hope we do not have a long cold spell in the future although a quick cold snap can reset the maple bloom and make it start all over from what I am told.
Jim
yeah, we've had a 3 day cold snap and now it's being followed by rain because it seems like i live in some kind of sub tropical rain forest.
so the maple is on a little south of me, that's kind of what i expected. i'm going to want to go through and feed again the first chance i get and see just how strong the hives are. seems like they're gearing up a lot earlier than last year.
i don't know how you guys up north do it. i get stir crazy enough in our short winters down here.
mine are acting like it is summer. there building numbers
I'm seeing pure WHITE and ground as hard as steel right now.....
The Great Lakes are now 30% iced over.
Central FL....bees bringing in lots of pollen. The TBH had new white comb. The Langs hive that I was concerned about has stored honey...guess the robber screens helped. All 3 hives had orientation at the same time two days in a row. Only in low 60's today..no sun...bees are working but not like yesterday.
After about 10 days below 50f, today it's about 60f and the girls are lovin' it. Both my hives are active. Supposed to be like this at least through the weekend.
Lots of red pollen today.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 12, 2015, 01:12:06 PM
My girls are in full build mode. In the observation hive they have toe entire brood area full of brood, it was completely empty a month ago. they ware bringing in lots of maple pollen and nectar. They filled almost all of the drone brood cells with nectar and are still building more. Their numbers will be doubling any day now as they are hatching. I am hoping they will start to build new comb soon in the 2 empty foundationless frames on top of the hive. I just hope all of the other hives are doing the same.
I hope we do not have a long cold spell in the future although a quick cold snap can reset the maple bloom and make it start all over from what I am told.
Jim
OK Jim, the knifes in........ now just twist it a little........... man im jealous, I hate this time of year when it comes to the bees, we just had a couple brutal weeks and are lucky to see 40 for an hour during the day. Sad to be glad when you see a couple dead bees on the porch so you know your mortuary bees are still working. Finally peeked for a minute today, 5 still kicking, lost 2 earlier, mites......... Hoping for the best on these 5. 4 seem strong, 1s still hangin, only time will tell I expect. Happy for you deep southern boys. G
G,
Not trying to dig it in, just sharing what I am seeing. Not sure how long it will last but they are still putting on weight on the hives from the maple trees. Still have a full brood area but no drone brood.
Jim
I know that Jim, I was just being facetious. Im happy for you brother. Hopefully Old Man winter will pack up his gear before long here. Jonesing for a buildup. Just a nervous time thats all. Keep up the good work and advice, its always appreciated. G
68 today with bees flying. Celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary, so i can't open the hive until Monday. Something about priorities...
Never let a woman get in the way of a hive inspection!
just kidding. Congratulations! Good thing you remembered.
I checked my 2 colonies a few days ago and started feeding. I could not get into one because they were rowdy. The other more gentle one I examined Till I got a good look at a frame with one side filled with capped brood. Closed it up as quick as I could so not to chill to much. Looking good. d2
Up in the mid 50s today for the first time in a few weeks, the bees were flyin. Also see the maples are budded up pretty good. Come on spring, hang in there girls!! G
i saw some geese flying east/north east today. not sure what to make of that. i guess they could have been going to a different pond or moving from the chattahoochee to the flint. but they weren't headed south if that means anything.
I went into 11 of my hives today. I wanted to see what was the status of them. What I didn't see was drone cells. I did see where they had started laying again. I went ahead and marked the queens. I had a late swarm last October. The best I can tell is the queen wasn't mated. She hasn't laid any eggs since they swarmed. Time for a combine.
I have lost 7 this winter. But the rest are bringing in pollen so I am hoping for the best. I have 50 nic boxes ready for the spring splits and swarm catching in the lower counties when they put out the pollinator hives. I have friends who have picked up as many as 50 swarms in a day form the counties all from the side of he roads.
Hope to get at least a dozen or so myself this year if I can get out there.
John
Quote from: divemaster1963 on January 19, 2015, 10:19:52 PM
I have lost 7 this winter. But the rest are bringing in pollen so I am hoping for the best. I have 50 nic boxes ready for the spring splits and swarm catching in the lower counties when they put out the pollinator hives. I have friends who have picked up as many as 50 swarms in a day form the counties all from the side of he roads.
Hope to get at least a dozen or so myself this year if I can get out there.
John
...and where do you live..,
(lol)
i see a little pollen coming in today. light yellowish gray.
Quote from: GSF on January 20, 2015, 07:37:02 AM
Quote from: divemaster1963 on January 19, 2015, 10:19:52 PM
I have lost 7 this winter. But the rest are bringing in pollen so I am hoping for the best. I have 50 nic boxes ready for the spring splits and swarm catching in the lower counties when they put out the pollinator hives. I have friends who have picked up as many as 50 swarms in a day form the counties all from the side of he roads.
Hope to get at least a dozen or so myself this year if I can get out there.
John
E
...and where do you live..,
I looked out side and all I see are trees fields and a drive. I think I live in the middle of nowheresville :tongue: :wink:
John
Once the swarms leave the fields they are wild and free for the getting. Just make sure you know the property lines.
(lol)
divemaster, it never crossed my mind about the pollinator hives swarming. But then again, it's what bees do. That's a hoot.
All this talk of bee activity is getting me anxious for spring.
High today around 58. Just a few bees flying. I didn't stay long and didn't see any bee bringing pollen back. But they are still alive so I'm happy :cheesy:
Picture of SE Indiana bees peacefully marching on MLK Day.
Upside down apparently.
I haven't looked in any of my 19 hives yet. I did a walk by inspection yesterday. Everybody is flying. Bring in pollen. Yellow, white, and red. Hives are still pretty heavy. I put out more syrup for open feeding, just to make sure everybody is set, when the weather snaps back cold. I assume the red maple is blooming here too. Will a a hard freeze kill it back? Will it restart as someone posted above?
My bees have been steady busy in and out...walked down to look after I got home this evening, one hive was in for the night, it was 52F, the other two hives still had bees going in and out. My biggest, oldest kinda worries me, there are three streams of ants going up the hive on three sides and some were on the front of the hive, and the hive smelled kinda strong. It looks like trouble, but I don't get home til right before dark, supposed to be a high of 49 Sat, and partly cloudy and 58 Sunday...I won't be at ease till I know if something is wrong.
i'd at least tap on the side of that hive and listen for some buzzing. if it's a dead out and you may not have any salvageable comb when you do go into it.
Quote from: jvalentour on January 21, 2015, 10:31:56 AM
Picture of SE Indiana bees peacefully marching on MLK Day.
Upside down apparently.
You need to knock that off. 😀
I turned my iPhone around to look at it and the picture just flipped upside down again.
Jim
Quote from: 10framer on January 22, 2015, 11:13:24 AM
i'd at least tap on the side of that hive and listen for some buzzing. if it's a dead out and you may not have any salvageable comb when you do go into it.
Oh no, there are bees flying in and out even til almost dark....but the amount of ants make me think something's up in there...unfortunately I won't be able to look until Sunday
Wrap legs of stand with paper tape and apply thin coat of vaseline? Or wold that affect bees? Don't see how it could be worse than ants.
Quote from: Dallasbeek on January 22, 2015, 07:59:23 PM
Wrap legs of stand with paper tape and apply thin coat of vaseline? Or wold that affect bees? Don't see how it could be worse than ants.
My fear is I know there are hive beetles in there, they live in the cluster during winter, and we have been having some days in the 60's the last week. I also have 2 supers on this hive, one was full in the fall and the other had a small amount, that I didn't know what to do with... I am wanting to get that upper super off...and my "stands" are concrete blocks. The bees seem to be acting normally, but I've lost a hive to the beetles before and I guess I'm paranoid! :) They have had ants before, but this amount doesn't look good...
Quote from: Dallasbeek on January 22, 2015, 07:59:23 PM
Wrap legs of stand with paper tape and apply thin coat of vaseline? Or wold that affect bees? Don't see how it could be worse than ants.
Take your used coffee grounds and spread them around each leg to block off the ants access to the hive.
This will not help if the ant nest is now in the hive.
I have to check the screen top boards every week for ants. They keep moving in to them.
Two weeks ago I looked into a hive that I had checked for a 2 week period. I had a mound os carpenter ants in the STB, several thousands of ants. I think I killed most of them. I never saw any down ion the hive but a week later, this hive was empty of bees. I still had honey and pollen through the hive but no brood and no bees other than robbers that hat just started to clean it out.
Jim
Where I live, I haven't seen temperatures above 32F or 0C in a few weeks. We don't even have much snow either. On a positive note the ski areas have had plenty of cold weather to make snow... I won't see bees for quite a while. On Tuesday the high is predicted to be 10F.
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 23, 2015, 06:57:30 AM
Quote from: Dallasbeek on January 22, 2015, 07:59:23 PM
Wrap legs of stand with paper tape and apply thin coat of vaseline? Or wold that affect bees? Don't see how it could be worse than ants.
Take your used coffee grounds and spread them around each leg to block off the ants access to the hive.
This will not help if the ant nest is now in the hive.
I have to check the screen top boards every week for ants. They keep moving in to them.
Two weeks ago I looked into a hive that I had checked for a 2 week period. I had a mound os carpenter ants in the STB, several thousands of ants. I think I killed most of them. I never saw any down ion the hive but a week later, this hive was empty of bees. I still had honey and pollen through the hive but no brood and no bees other than robbers that hat just started to clean it out.
Jim
Thanks sawdstmakr...I have never had a problem with ants building nest in hives...but when I had a hive destroyed by hive beetles, ants starting making trails all over it, taking advantage of the situation. This is what I am afraid of now...the bees seem to be acting normally...hope to find out Sunday.
No problem Bewildered. Good luck on Sunday.
Jim
I'm seeing snow here in Mt. Juliet Tn this morning.
sunny with highs in the 50's down here for a while sterling. i'm starting to see some buds on trees.
I've saw a couple of blooms on some yellow bell bushes for about a week now.
I'm seeing lots of bees flying, even on chilly days! Looks like all but two are doing well, I would like to get into a few of them, but it has been just a little too cool or raining. I have a hard time pulling a frame below 68-70F. My bees were far less active this time last year. When do people in the NE FL, SE GA area start looking in the brood nest?
Finally a couple warm days. Bees are flying like crazy. Still have 5 kickin. Feeding deadout honey frames away from the hives. lost 2 early in winter. Even the small clusters are seemingly holding their own. Not really growing much but definitely not shrinking. Its close to spring. Fingers crossed. G
Nothing good - although one hive had numbers of bees flying just last week, I checked today and all 3 of my hives are dead. Haven't taken the hives apart, but looking down the frames it seems that numbers of bees in all 3 are very small. Looks like there are still stores... Last year I had 100% survival and I felt like I was getting the hang of this...
I moved my 2 hives a week ago and they were very, very light. Expected a cold week, so I gave them sugar using Mountain Camp method. Yesterday was warmer and they were flying. Today is warmer, so I'm going to check on the sugar to see if they've been taking it. Spring is close, but we'll have at least one freeze before mid- March, so I'm wit G -- fingers crossed. I had hoped to make some queens this year, but now I just hope to see them build up and survive.
While I was typing, tjc1 posted a msg. That's tough, man. Sorry to hear that. Better luck with the next hives. If there are SOME bees still in the hives, maybe there's hope???
Gary
Okay, now I see where you are located. You've had some really rough weather recently, so don't give up.
I checked my hives and one is taking the sugar, but the other isn't. The sugar left on the paper is still dry, in granules. Shouldn't it be lumped together like a big cake, due to moisture in the hive? We've been in a long drought, but really.... I gently sprayed the sugar that was left and replenished the supply on the hive that appears to be taking it. Any other suggestions?
Im assuming if they arent taking any, they still have honey, the hive of mine thats still flush with honey hasnt touched the sugar blocks, the others are using it in varying amounts. 60s today, they were flying like crazy and even saw some pollen coming in. Come on spring. Grey and Olive Drab. G
I checked my hives today. I have NEVER seen so many hive beetles! Hundreds in every hive. I have got to get a handle on them or else.
Steve
Quote from: asprince on February 08, 2015, 10:49:03 PM
I checked my hives today. I have NEVER seen so many hive beetles! Hundreds in every hive. I have got to get a handle on them or else.
Steve
NOOOOO. Good luck brother, I hate those bastards. G
Shb ran off my first hive (I made stupid mistakes also) and they almost did my second in last October right after the cutout. I put them on an oil trap bottom and I haven't seen any since December. :smile:
I dropped in a new frame last Sunday and had this today with eggs. They are also bringing in pollen and nectar. It is an early Spring.
Well, if you have'em in Houston, we csn't be far behind. Good on you!
Lost one due to starving out. Bad thing is I was in that hive a couple of weeks ago and had it in my notes to feed it. I fed it some, but obviously not enough.
On the good side, I thought one of my hives had an odor coming out of it so I checked it late yesterday afternoon. Too much pollen being brought in for me to disturb them mid day. This hive had about 3 frames of capped brood, always becomes aggressive when the top is opened, good numbers and propolis every where. No drone cells.
Pollen is coming in by the but loads in most all my hives. FEED! FEED! FEED! but not to much.
It got up above 50 this weekend and I open fed the girls syrup in both apiaries to give them a little boost in case they needed it. They collectively took down +/-100 pounds with no trouble. As I quickly reviewed landing board activity it was clear one of the hives found pollen. Light yellow with a little grey. Where it came from I don't have a clue and apparently neither did the other hives. It was exciting to see pollen though. It's a sign that spring is coming!
My girls were real active yesterday and Saturday...opened them up yesterday, two hives had some ants nothing major it seems...they still have honey in the super I left on for them, so doing good! Buttercups are blooming and a couple of buds on the Forsythia have opened! :grin:
Quote from: asprince on February 08, 2015, 10:49:03 PM
I checked my hives today. I have NEVER seen so many hive beetles! Hundreds in every hive. I have got to get a handle on them or else.
Steve
i went through mine saturday and i didn't see a single beetle even in the two weak ones. i saw very few beetles last year but the two years before i had tons of them.
i'm surprised at how built up most of my hives are already. i've fed twice this winter and really could have skipped it on most of the hives. there is still a good bit of capped honey in most colonies.
if the weather doesn't get crazy over the next 5 or 6 weeks i think i'll be seeing swarm cells by early march this year.
red maple is finally blooming along the flint river. i also saw some hen bit in bloom. too bad we've got a week of basically no-fly days for the bees.
Seeing lots of dandelions popping up and henbit is starting to emerge. I think the next warm spell will provide a lot of early forage for the bees.
Central Alabama
What I hope I am not going to see is the possible 9 inches of snow forcasted for the next two days.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
gww
Purple martins have migrated back up to Montgomery. Last week.
Two inches ice on my back porch and freezing rain still falling this morning. Lows predicted below zero Wed night. The only polen my bees have seen is Ultrabee in buckets. :rolleyes:
Bees doing well, lots of pollen, brood exploding including drone, building new wax.
Temps down to 28 today no bees out today.
Right now we have cedar and hazelnut starting. I walked out in the woods yesterday and it looks like the maples will be blooming in a couple weeks or so. The girls are bringing in lots of pollen from somewhere.
The girls are really hunting down water. The last couple of days when it got warm enough to fly they were gathered up at puddles. I keep white carpet in front of my hives and I thought something was wrong with a couple of my hives. It looked like hundreds of bees were out sunning themselves. I checked later and they were back inside. I guess they were getting the moisture from the carpet as well.
10 degrees and due to go into negative digits tonight, snow on the ground, and thinking seriously about going and moving my smaller clusters to the basement till next week. Hope they are still alive. G :sad:
>10 degrees and due to go into negative digits tonight...
And I thought VA was in the south...
yeah, it's not above freezing here yet and the wind is terrible. i fed sunday afternoon and i'll probably go ahead and do it again saturday. then i think i get 4 days of rain followed lows in the 20's for a few more days after that. clover is starting to get taller, blackberries and privet are putting on leaves. i went through some brood nests a couple of weeks ago and had 5-6 deep frames of brood in my biggest hives. i'm worried that after two weeks of being cooped up with all the emerging bees some of the hives will hit swarm mode by march 1st if anything decent is blooming. it could turn out to be an interesting spring.
Quote from: Michael Bush on February 19, 2015, 02:59:06 PM
>10 degrees and due to go into negative digits tonight...
And I thought VA was in the south...
So did I................. G
Global Warming
I went into 3 of my hives today. I saw drone brood in one of them
Wow, was I pleasantly surprised today. I lost a hive here at the house the other night when it got in negative digits. That just bolstered my fear that the small clusters I had at my Pops place were toast. they are only the size of a softball. Went today to see and all three were kicking. I know we are not out of the woods yet, but, that being said, they made it through a beast of a cold snap. :grin: Come on Spring! G
good to hear G
we finaly turned on the heat for on day and back off
I'm seeing tons of bees sitting idle. Looks like they are ready for some real blooms!
Also saw eggs in queen cups in one. Have to go back as soon as I can to check that one.
Observation hive now has capped drone brood. No adult drones in the hive. Have not seen any sign of queen cells. They look like they are getting ready to swarm. During warm weather they are starting to beard outside of the hive and are very runny on the comb.
I saw a couple of drones in my out door hives. They are very full.
Jim
i've seen several flocks of robins, a bluebird and geese flying north. red maples are blooming from macon to columbus and trees are budding. winter might be getting ready to wind down in a couple of weeks.
Dang cold weather and rain......
Sleet yesterday, snow this morning. Where's spring?
No snow here in Central Arkansas today but it's colder'n who thought it.
It's suppose to be cold for the next couple of days then warm up into the 50's Sunday and next week.
Hoping this is the last bout of winter.
Don't count on it.
Warmed up to 52 this afternoon, but I'm not seeing my bees. Have my fingers crossed.
Ditto on the robins, been seeing a ton of them in Montgomery this week. Also blackbirds are flocking around here.
I've notice squirrels chasing each other (mating ritual) making their little noises as they run around the trunk of the trees. For a couple of weeks the eastern blue birds have been vocal as well. The American gold finches are just now piling up on my thistle sock feeders. Those finches will be here until around the 1st of May. That's about the time they turn yellow - then leave. We literally have hundreds.
rabbit trailing -
I've see the weather forecasters miss it by a mile twice in the last week. One day the high was to be 49 with a low of 38 that night. At dark that day the temp finally reached 34. It did warm up after midnight though
It was supposed to be in the 40's or near 50 today. Again I'm not sure it got out of the 30's.
8 inches of snow on my front porch at 5 am. Again! Man I'm ready for spring. Looks....... like it may be turning the corner next week................ of course I said that a couple weeks ago............ G
Quote from: biggraham610 on February 27, 2015, 01:19:58 AM
8 inches of snow on my front porch at 5 am. Again! Man I'm ready for spring. Looks....... like it may be turning the corner next week................ of course I said that a couple weeks ago............ G
LOL, I keep doing the same thing... Got drifts around the hives atm.... Getting impatient
Spotted some drones during my last inspection of one big hive and some bearding on the front on the last warm day. The hive is a split from last year and the queen isn't a year old yet and the hive is cranking. Need to really break up the hive by spliting it into two and start a 5 frame nuc from it to slow down any swarming coming my way. Warm weather is called for starting Monday so it is time to crack open the hives and make early splits. Can't get queens right now so I'm just going to let the girls make thier own and requeen later in the season if needed.
If the weather is nice this Sunday, I plan on going into my hives and look for queen cells. If I find them, and we have swarms being reported, I will be making splits. I I do don't find them and the hives are still strong I will make a queenless nuc with lots of bees. I will also give them empty drawn frames to slow down the swarming until I can make the splits.
Jim
Best of luck to you Jim. I'm going to check on the smaller clusters Sunday myself. Hope they are still kicking. Spring is coming 2 weeks. G
Quote from: biggraham610 on February 27, 2015, 04:58:54 PM
Spring is coming 2 weeks.
You keep saying that. :happy: I'm looking at 1 week before the forecast starts heading up for the next month and beyond...
Quote from: texanbelchers on February 27, 2015, 07:45:08 PM
Quote from: biggraham610 on February 27, 2015, 04:58:54 PM
Spring is coming 2 weeks.
You keep saying that. :happy: I'm looking at 1 week before the forecast starts heading up for the next month and beyond...
I dont remember where it was, but maybe the Wizard of Oz, someone said if you close your eyes and say something over and over it will come true............ " Theres no place like home" = "Come the hell on Spring!" :wink: G
West Kentucky has been horrible during February. Lows at -15 below zero F and almost a foot of snow. All kinds of record lows this month for our area. I haven't been able to check on my girls for weeks now!!! Extended forecast only shows 1 day through the first week of March that will be above 50 degrees so I can feed either patties or syrup. COME ON SPRING!!!
EVERYBODY: COME ON SPRING!
Big G, I just noticed something funny, all summer, you chop wood, all winter you smile and wink. What's up with that? :grin:
Spring doesn't come to New England until marathon Monday. :wink:
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :smile:
Quote from: richter1978 on February 28, 2015, 03:07:55 AM
Big G, I just noticed something funny, all summer, you chop wood, all winter you smile and wink. What's up with that? :grin:
Burnings alot easier than chopping. No, the woodchoppers gone with this new format, and I sure do miss him. G
Just cut and split almost a lifetime of firewood for living in Florida. Have almost 3/4 of a cord stacked by the shop after my neighbor gave me a pile of oak after clearing out some property. Firewood in Florida is like having flopflops in the Artic, you don't use it much.
Got all the equipment needed for Monday's bee day, hope the splits work out. Been raining all day so made a new solar wax melter using a second hand stainless steel sink and a old deep super. Just need to hit it with some paint
What am I seeing? I'm seeing a box on the front porch from Suzie in LA!!! Woot!
I put that bad boy on and my twins think I look like the robot in Big Hero 6. :tongue:
Got the hives, got the suit.... just need some bees... :happy:
52? Here yesterday a few bees flying. A sharp knock on the box tells me they are still alive :grin:
Those girls are survivors. WTG ladies.
I seem to find a way to burn plenty of firewood, but its a bit colder this way.
Hadn't noticed the loss of the wood chopper, dang it.
We are easy 30 growing degree days ahead of the curve, with high 50?s and no rain in the forecast for the week. My log has most blooms at 21 days ahead. It is supposed to be 45 and rain but the bees are working the working the pond for water. I am glad I tried pollen sub this year but do not know if full hives on the first day of March is due to weather or pollen. I refused to cut the grass in February but I don?t think I can delay it any more.
:grin:I'm happy....I think. It warmed today and I saw bees flying from both hives, but more freezing rain, fog, drizzle, sleet and snow and COLD in our forecast, but at least they made ithrough the last week of cold, sleet, snow, etc. I couldn't bring myself to open the tops at 50 degrees to check the sugar supply. Things will get bad after noon tomorrow. Should I open it or not?
We had 16 days of above average temps in the month of February. 12 days of snow made it the snowiest (Denver) on record. A few brief warm days left more telltale signs of life as the living scattered the snow with bee corpses out front of all the hives.
'Hoping the warmup, forecast to begin Thursday, will melt away the 6-8" of snow still remaining from the two feet we've gotten in the past week and a half. It'll also have to work on the additional ~3-7" we're expecting tonight.
I'll have the feeder jars ready - planning to do some splits in another month or two. Spring isn't too far off around here... :wink:
Crazy Texas weather! 70+ today and tomorrow, then lows in the 30s again. :(. It should be a steady warmup thru the month. Splits around the 15th?
At least they got a couple of good flying days. Lots of pollen coming in. I moved them into a new long hive this weekend and they appear to be stable. Lots of brood and capped drones; new wax and no queen cells
It finally got above 50 degrees for the first time in at least 3 weeks, but to rainy to pop the lids on my hives. Unfortunately we're predicted to get 6-8 inches of snow tomorrow. I'm getting a little antsy to play with my bees.
I opened up one 3 medium hive and it was full of bees and capped queen cells. I made 3 hives from one. Each had swarm cells. Never did see the old queen. Even though the cells were capped, it did not look like it swarmed. I also split a 3 medium nuc that was real strong into 2 hives and added a frame with swarm cells from the other hive. I found the queen and moved her to the new location. She has 7 frames of bees, honey, pollen and brood and 3 drawn frames. The other one has 8 frames plus one frame from the other hive with the Queen cells.
My biggest concern is that the swarm cells are on the lower portion of the frames and if it gets too cool, the bees may not keep them warm during the cold snaps at night.
Jim
Yesterday here in Mt Juliet temp was in the sixties and the bees were working the pollen substitute cause very little real pollen available. But today it is raining and going to snow tonight and high tomorrow 25.
Winter Storm "Thor" is getting set to pull off to the east. Looks like it's going to slam you guys out there. It only left about 1" of snow here rather than the 3-7' they were calling for. Highs in the teens, today.
Forecast is a week of warming, with 60's next week, and the first above freezing nights in quite some time.
sterling, you guys have been taking a beating up there.
Quote from: 10framer on March 04, 2015, 09:05:05 PM
sterling, you guys have been taking a beating up there.
yea we haven't got work in three weeks. The bees have been able to fly a day here and there but nothing out there to work but fake pollen I put out. Supposed to be better next week.
yeah, it's brought my apartment project to a stand still.
henbit and aster (i think that's what it is) are blooming and in town the first of the yellow pollen is starting to cover cars. a lot more geese flying north and clover is getting taller.
if we just hold on a couple more weeks i think we'll be through with the worst of it down this way.
One more shot I guess............. supposed to get 6-8 inches tonight, 2 more nights in the teens, then............according to everything I see, smooth sailing, no colder than mid 30s at night and 45-65 for the foreseeable future. Thank Goodness. Im sick of this. The bees were working hard mortuary duties the other day when it was warm. Saw a few Pupa with the older dead removals, expect they got chilled and removed. Haven t been back to the 3 small clusters, but I am assuming if they made it thru that last brutal stretch, which they did, they will be waiting to see me. Fingers crossed. G
Hang in there, brother!
Hang in there, indeed! It's a beautiful blue sky morning here. Thor's hammer has departed. 'Not supposed to get very warm - maybe low 40's - but I suspect some of the girls may venture out this afternoon if it stays calm.
March Madness began today at Mann Lake. Some pretty good deals if anyone is looking. Today through Sunday, while supplies last. I put a small dent in them.
Same here, I waited until the sale before I got more frames. I would have bought them anyway but my wife saw the sale and I waited for the lower prices.
Rob, I also have been seeing the pollen puddles when it rains and on the cars.
We haven't progressed as far GSF...just starting to see the husk of the bradford pears opening, peach blossoms are starting to open... I opened my hives last Saturday, because it was 69, and the girls were real active...looked good in there, lots of brood... The first hive I opened, the first framed I chose to pull, there was that fat missy prancing along, came right up to the top of the frame towards me... She is a light caramel color, and a purty gal too! :)
Dadelions in good bloom.
It quit snowing here and has rained everday this week but at least it is getting into the 60s.
i went through the hives today and found no swarm cells but there is nectar coming in. checked my fields and some crimson clover is already starting to bloom. red maple and plums just came in a week ago and blackberries aren't even close. i guess the highs near 80 have the clover a bit confused, it's about 3 or 4 weeks early.
I was surprised to see pollen coming in, in southeast S. Dakota yesterday.
Bees here in Central Arkansas are recovering from that last bit of winter a week or so ago.
They are dragging out dead larva and a few old bees.
They are bringing in some pollen but I have got Dry feed placed around for them to feed on as well as 1-1 sugar syrup in a 5 gallon feeder.
They are really going after the Ultra Bee Dry Feed.
I place some of mine on a canola field yesterday. They will build up rapidly on that stuff.
Steve
red buds,peaches are gieetig cranked up here in mid Ga. d2
watched mine for a while today. they seem to be on a small flow. i think the weather is supposed to hold a couple more days and then it's biblical floods. i'll end up feeding one more time just to be safe.
Aarghh, swarm cells! Sick as a dog Tuesday for my big spring overhaul inspection. Property owner called last night about a big swarm high in a tree, he helped me hive that one. Got out there today and found about a third of the hives that were about to swarm. Lotsa splits. White wax and new combs being drawn. Here we go!
It finally got warm here. 2 weeks ago, snow on the ground, suddenly there are leaves coming out on the trees. Several weeks ago I went into the hive and there was no space, no brood, lots of bees. I need to get in and look, I'm hoping they ate some of that honey!
They're going gangbusters, I see a lot of brown stuff on their leg baskets. I'm guessing some of it's propolis, this bunch seems to stick it ALL together.
They're kicking out the drones here.
I have some pollen coming in West Kentucky. Feeding brood building patties to make sure we get through March. It was a pretty hard winter late February and early March. Jonquils' are blooming this week.
drones and a good bit of nectar and pollen coming in.
Avocados a blooming
According to my apple trees we are two to three weeks behind last year. I'm ready for some hot weather.
Dandelion in bloom, Apricot bloom nearly done, peaches will be in full bloom by this weekend.
clover is coming in early, blackberries are finally starting (late), and trees have just about all put on leaves now. there will be a cool snap this weekend, after that i'm going to make more splits and add a super to my production hives. i think the spring flow is going to be long and steady around here this year.