It was 50 degrees today, so I did a rare Christmas Eve inspection. 8 hives and two double story nucs all alive and flying today. In all of my hives except one, the bees are down pretty far in the second deep. In one of my Russian hives, they are at the very top. I am wondering if they are running out of honey? Maybe it is time to rob from the rich, to feed the poor. I do have some shallow supers on a couple of strong hives to spare.
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(http://www.acmepainting.com/decrussian.jpg)
Mine are virtually always at the top. Lift the hive to find out if they are out of honey. Don't depend on where they are or guesses. If the hive is heavy, they have honey.
mine are at the top too. they have plenty to eat. lots and lots of bees!!!!
Most of my 2-box colonies are on top, perhaps 70%. If colony is small and temperature is long time -4F - -20F it may die in upper box and lower box has 40 lbs winter food. But not in these weathers.
If temperature is 50F, bees are not in winterball.
There is no idea to check this time of year hives and start to rob from rich to poor. I do that in April.
After cleansing flight I check the weight of hive but I cannot check them under snow and when they are stacked to ground with ice.
You live in south. But what flame is under your arse when yours food is lacking before winter even starts.
Feed feed feed and then food is suddenly finish. - I become crazy to read all the time these advices.
finsky,
i have not fed since right after i went down to two boxes. when they stopped taking syrup, i figured they were full. you seem to be of the opinion that once the two deeps are full, they will make it through the winter fine? we worry to much? :-)
i was worried because the two boxes i have for wintering were so very full of bees. they still are. even with the die off, the boxes seem crammed full.
Quote from: kathyp on December 25, 2006, 11:51:11 AM
i was worried because the two boxes i have for wintering were so very full of bees.
I have too. I have double long and colder winter and food is enough for big hive. Don't worry. It is not opinion, it is 40 years experience.
Finsky,
QuoteYou live in south
Actually I live in the northeast
QuoteBut what flame is under your arse when yours food is lacking before winter even starts.
Is this another one of your obnoxious and rude remarks for the sake of your own pleasure?
Not everyone has
Quote40 years experience
like yourself. Beginers make mistakes. When I realized there was no stores for the winter, I fed them until they would take no more. I did not weigh every hive. I assumed since one hive was at the top, maybe they were low on food. MB's response was to the point, without talking down to me. Maybe you could do the same next time.
Quote from: newbee101 on December 26, 2006, 08:20:32 PM
Finsky,
QuoteYou live in south
Actually I live in the northeast
From my site you live in south west. Vey few live in notheast. :-D
Finsky,
We in the US refer to our areas as Northeast (New England), East Central (DC area), South East (Georgia, Florida, Alabama), Mid West (Missouri & Mississippi river), Mountain (Rock mountain), South west (Texas to Arizona), Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Montana) and West (Nevada and California).
I realize the to you we all live in the south, east or west, but some do not understand the joke and get offended if their area of the US is mislabled. It's like refering to Finland as western Russia.
Finsky, Brian, etc
I know this subject has been worked over pretty well but I am still curious about this: I fed my hives in Oct/Nov because they were quite low on stores. Now, with January and probable colder weather coming my hives are really light in weight. I'm concerned about them making it to late Feb. Is there a consensus on a mid-winter feeding strategy for this situation?
After cleansing flight it is very easy to feed bees more but berofe that feeding may run bees outdoors and they cannot come back.
If you have so fine weather that bees may return, there is no matter how you feed. However feeding may start brood rearing and there is no use to start it in the middle of winter. This is year 2006 !
If you want to feed the bees without stimulating brood rearing use a boardman feeder with water only and bee candy (fondant) the bees will use the water to consume the candy but the mixture will not be thin enough to create a general stimulous. That said, don't be surprised if they start brood rearing anyway. If you mix in a pollen substitute it well for sure.