My wife is going nuts

Aroc · February 11, 2018, 11:46:41 AM

We have 5 hives that we are currently wintering. It?s been a long cold one so far. She sees these videos of people doing inspections etc so she wants to get out there and do a split. I?ve told her she needs to wait.

She knows but is getting so anxious. This is her first year overwintering and she just wants to make sure things went okay.

I think we may have lost one but it was suspect going into winter to begin with.

We still have 5 deg temps and 6 inches of snow.

tjc1 · February 11, 2018, 12:24:14 PM

Yes, for those of us in northern regions this is a tough period - spring is still quite a ways off! Then you get the occasional warm day and some bees come out and it makes the itch even worse! Patience - don't scratch that itch too soon!

Acebird · February 11, 2018, 02:47:55 PM

Antsy and started with five hives? I can see where she would be going nuts.

Aroc · February 11, 2018, 03:06:25 PM

Quote from: Acebird on February 11, 2018, 02:47:55 PM
Antsy and started with five hives? I can see where she would be going nuts.

Actually I started with one a couple years ago. We started her last year with two. The other two were splits off my hive.

We have his and hers. She has a very different approach to beekeeping. Actually kind of nice. I?m more by the book and she tends to color outside the lines.

Van, Arkansas, USA · February 11, 2018, 05:53:59 PM

Aroc are you close to seely swan valley or phillipsburg, your county is kinda inbetween last time since looked at Montana map. I lived in the bitterroot valley for 20 plus years, Lewistown for 5 years.

Yes, it is going to be a while before you see spring, but the knapweed honey is worth the wait. That knapweed Honey is second only to Tupelo in my opinion.

I remember seeing snow July 4th in the valley. In May, in mountains, the fairy slippers, Mountain orchids bloom, a flower unforgettable with the shape of a tiny slipper thus the name fairy slipper.

Aroc, I think you and your wife both working with bees is totally cool. Good to involve the wife, she sounds like a keeper for sure, beekeeper that is. Ok another dumb joke:) Spring is on the way, knapweed Honey will be your reward.
Blessings

Kathyp · February 11, 2018, 07:33:58 PM

QuoteShe knows but is getting so anxious. This is her first year overwintering and she just wants to make sure things went okay.

other than dumping some dry sugar in there if they are low on food, there's not much can be done even if things have gone wrong. If you get a warmish day it's OK to pop the top and look in with a flashlight to see if there is still honey. DO NOT pull frames or do anything else. If they look low on food, or you are not sure, put dry sugar either on top of the frames on some newspaper, or on top of the inner cover. I do the later, but my February is probably warmer than yours especially this year.

Warmish = at least cleansing flights.

Anything else you do is more apt to cause harm than good especially if you accidentally kill the queen.

beepro · February 11, 2018, 09:12:12 PM

Feb is the time with extended daylight hours going forward everyday. The bees
reacted by gradually expanding their brood nest. They will use the hive resourced to
begin brood rearing. If your wife see what I see inside my hives now she would agree to
feed more not split them yet. I made a split just to test if she will get mated. My usual time for
a hive split is around March after the almonds.

Acebird · February 12, 2018, 08:52:51 AM

Quote from: Aroc on February 11, 2018, 03:06:25 PM
Actually I started with one a couple years ago.

So did I about 6 years ago. I think beeks should not discourage starting with one hive. Look where you are now.

jimineycricket · February 12, 2018, 10:52:42 AM

QuoteShe knows but is getting so anxious.

I feel her pain!! About 50F here the last 10 days, then woke up to snow this morning.

bwallace23350 · February 12, 2018, 12:06:46 PM

We have things blooming already. Henbit, Red Maples, Japanese Tulips, and blueberries are starting the bloom.

yes2matt · February 12, 2018, 04:14:58 PM

Quote from: Aroc on February 11, 2018, 03:06:25 PM
Quote from: Acebird on February 11, 2018, 02:47:55 PM
Antsy and started with five hives? I can see where she would be going nuts.

Actually I started with one a couple years ago. We started her last year with two. The other two were splits off my hive.

We have his and hers. She has a very different approach to beekeeping. Actually kind of nice. I?m more by the book and she tends to color outside the lines.

I'm guessing this means she's more risk-averse? She should see drone brood at least capped in her or a friend's hive before the splitting, as the queen needs flying drones to mate. I'm on the edge of my seat too. I say to them every morning "go bees go!" and again when I see a thermometer cross 50? ... boxes are lined up and ready.

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Aroc · February 12, 2018, 05:43:17 PM

Quote from: bwallace23350 on February 12, 2018, 12:06:46 PM
We have things blooming already. Henbit, Red Maples, Japanese Tulips, and blueberries are starting the bloom.

Shush

bwallace23350 · February 13, 2018, 12:54:28 PM

Quote from: Aroc on February 12, 2018, 05:43:17 PM
Quote from: bwallace23350 on February 12, 2018, 12:06:46 PM
We have things blooming already. Henbit, Red Maples, Japanese Tulips, and blueberries are starting the bloom.

Shush

We are in the midst of a warm streak. I don't see a day in the outside of highs in the 60's for the next ten days

yes2matt · February 23, 2018, 03:55:08 PM

Quote from: Aroc on February 12, 2018, 05:43:17 PM
Quote from: bwallace23350 on February 12, 2018, 12:06:46 PM
We have things blooming already. Henbit, Red Maples, Japanese Tulips, and blueberries are starting the bloom.

Shush

Made my first split on the 17th. Just sayin'

Already have SHB trouble tho, so there are drawbacks to having a long season.

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Van, Arkansas, USA · February 23, 2018, 07:34:48 PM

Matt, you already made a split?????? You guys are killing me with all this talk of flowers, warmth, flowers sunshine, flowers flowers flowers and now you talk of making splits a week ago. Your killing me softly. Now in N Arkansas my bees are mostly still clustered, cold cold cold I wear a coat every day. This Sunday we are supposed to be in the 60F range, a Blessings.

OK, I feel a lot better now that I vented. Good for you beeks making splits, how fun. Blessings

Acebird · February 23, 2018, 08:58:39 PM

It is a thing Van. I have a friend in northern NY who takes his tired bees to the Carolina's in the fall. He splits the heck out of them right about now and builds them up for pollinating apples up north. Makes a living the hard way.

Barhopper · February 23, 2018, 09:59:27 PM

Splitting five in the morning and planning for ten more next weekend.

Van, Arkansas, USA · February 23, 2018, 10:21:22 PM

I?ll bet the sun is so bright you have to use sun block to keep the skin from tanning. My clustered bees will be freed soon, very soon..... I hope.

Enjoy you Southern beeks, enjoy.

Acebird · February 24, 2018, 09:50:06 AM

Quote from: Van, Arkansas, USA on February 23, 2018, 10:21:22 PM
I?ll bet the sun is so bright you have to use sun block to keep the skin from tanning.

Our daughter is WPB was telling us how beautiful it was at 6:40 PM and we were driving in pitch black and raining.

Van, Arkansas, USA · February 24, 2018, 04:44:08 PM

Here in Arkansas, been raining for 3 days. Emergency declared in state, 33 (and rising)out of 77 counties seriously flooded and the rain continues to pour, I mean pouring pounding rain. Wind is insane, trees blowing down.

My house and bees are safe, no worries here as we are on high ground, bees are on 18 inch stand and strapped. What a storm.
Blessings