Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: FatherMichael on January 22, 2020, 04:57:22 PM

Title: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 22, 2020, 04:57:22 PM
Don't know what to think of this.  It's January 22!

https://youtu.be/0ZvwW3VoT-U
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: van from Arkansas on January 22, 2020, 07:05:09 PM
Cool, bees coming and going.  Maybe orientation flights.  The bees seam to venture further from the hive for typical orientation flights, but I do see some circulation of the bees in the air.  But I see no problems.

Is the tarp, hive cover, new?  This would cause some confusion and re-orientation.
Blessings
Van

Add: thanks for the video, so nice to see flying bees.  My bees are tucked in, currently 34F and not warming until next week.  So I enjoyed watching your bees!!!  Good video, in the future please focus more on the entrance.  The entrance tells all.
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 22, 2020, 08:15:40 PM
Quote from: van from Arkansas on January 22, 2020, 07:05:09 PM
Cool, bees coming and going.  Maybe orientation flights.  The bees seam to venture further from the hive for typical orientation flights, but I do see some circulation of the bees in the air.  But I see no problems.

Is the tarp, hive cover, new?  This would cause some confusion and re-orientation.
Blessings
Van

Add: thanks for the video, so nice to see flying bees.  My bees are tucked in, currently 34F and not warming until next week.  So I enjoyed watching your bees!!!  Good video, in the future please focus more on the entrance.  The entrance tells all.

Yes, orientation flights and possible robbing attempts at the entrance.

But my entrance is small, 3/8 x 4 inches.

The two wool Army blankets and trash bag cover have been on for a while.

This was an 8-frame deep and medium full of bees and honey when I put them to sleep.

But they are not asleep!

Should I worry?
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: Acebird on January 24, 2020, 09:11:44 AM
Well I am going to assume that this occurred during flying temps and this is called a relief dump.  Very common in places that have January thaws.  Good news for the beekeeper because this helps the hive get through winter without nosema.
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 24, 2020, 10:29:56 AM
Quote from: Acebird on January 24, 2020, 09:11:44 AM
Well I am going to assume that this occurred during flying temps and this is called a relief dump.  Very common in places that have January thaws.  Good news for the beekeeper because this helps the hive get through winter without nosema.

Oh, okay.  Thanks, Brian!
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: BeeMaster2 on January 24, 2020, 11:19:06 AM
Father,
My bet is your bees found a good maple source and are taking advantage of it.
I would not worry.
If it was robbing the robbing bees would be all over the box.
Jim Altmiller
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 24, 2020, 12:59:32 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 24, 2020, 11:19:06 AM
Father,
My bet is your bees found a good maple source and are taking advantage of it.
I would not worry.
If it was robbing the robbing bees would be all over the box.
Jim Altmiller

Maple?
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: van from Arkansas on January 24, 2020, 01:05:46 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 24, 2020, 11:19:06 AM
Father,
My bet is your bees found a good maple source and are taking advantage of it.
I would not worry.
If it was robbing the robbing bees would be all over the box.
Jim Altmiller

Jim, I don?t think there is natural maple in that part of Texas. Could be an individual planted one.  Kinda hot and dry in summer.  Mesquite is probably the main tree in that area.  My favorite smoking bbq wood.
Blessings
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 24, 2020, 01:38:43 PM
Quote from: van from Arkansas on January 24, 2020, 01:05:46 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on January 24, 2020, 11:19:06 AM
Father,
My bet is your bees found a good maple source and are taking advantage of it.
I would not worry.
If it was robbing the robbing bees would be all over the box.
Jim Altmiller

Jim, I don?t think there is natural maple in that part of Texas. Could be an individual planted one.  Kinda hot and dry in summer.  Mesquite is probably the main tree in that area.  My favorite smoking bbq wood.
Blessings

Yes, people have maple in their yards.  I doubt any are blooming.  It is just now winter here, though very mild.

I'll drive around the neighborhood to see what's going on.
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 24, 2020, 09:14:08 PM
Nothing big happening with trees or bushes but I went for a close look at the bees coming in from their flights and saw these in the yard in front of the hive.

Can't imagine they'd get much from them but you know bees, right?[attachment=0][/attachment]
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: Bob Wilson on January 24, 2020, 11:09:40 PM
My bees were going crazy this afternoon. I thought there was a robbing frenzy going on, but when I looked closely, I saw no dead bees on the ground, and although they were wrestling in and out the entrance, I think it was highway congestion and orientation flights.
The picture doesn't do justice.
What are the formats and file limits for posting a video off my cell phone? What is a decent free video converter?
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: Ben Framed on January 25, 2020, 02:59:13 AM
Quote from: FatherMichael on January 22, 2020, 04:57:22 PM
Don't know what to think of this.  It's January 22!

https://youtu.be/0ZvwW3VoT-U

Orientation flight.
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: Bob Wilson on January 25, 2020, 09:03:00 AM
Ah figured it out.
My number one son helped me.
Here is my first video.
I believe this is mass conjestion from orientation flight and not robbery. Just a little before this, they were more frenzied, fighting all over each other. 10 minutes later, the entrance was back down to just normal traffic.
Here is the link...
https://youtu.be/9KJpOMQet74
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: FatherMichael on January 25, 2020, 12:06:01 PM
Quote from: Bob Wilson on January 25, 2020, 09:03:00 AM
Ah figured it out.
My number one son helped me.
Here is my first video.
I believe this is mass conjestion from orientation flight and not robbery. Just a little before this, they were more frenzied, fighting all over each other. 10 minutes later, the entrance was back down to just normal traffic.
Here is the link...

Great video, Bob!

Yes, that is what mine were doing.
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: CoolBees on January 25, 2020, 03:01:23 PM
Yup - mine are going crazy today also. Orientation flights. I enjoy watching them up close.
Title: Re: Winter Bees
Post by: van from Arkansas on January 25, 2020, 05:03:24 PM
Today: sunshine, calm and 47F high.   Nice to see bees flying.  Previous week: snow, sleet, rain, ice and cloudy with a high 38F.  So this day my bees are pouring out of the hives for the first time in over a week.  As stated the bees have been clustered for over a week, maybe two weeks, so much constant cold I lost tract.  Really nice to see the sunshine and bees flying.