different behavior

Kathyp · March 04, 2007, 04:42:20 PM

yesterday and today we had warm weather. today it's 60 and the shorts are out!! so are the bees. my package hive from last year is flying like crazy and cleaning house. my rescue hive, which is really getting it's first chance to come out, is cleaning house some, and flying a little, but most of them seem to be crawling around on the hive, ground, and RR ties.

there is a lot of broken comb and some with honey on the ground. they are into that. they seem to be taking the syrup that i put out yesterday. they have not been to interested in the pollen patty, but neither is hive 1.

my biggest concern is that this hive may have no queen. because of the weather and the fact that i just got some decent comb into that box a few days ago, i don't think an inspection for laying would do me much good now in either hive.

does their behavior indicate something or might this be normal for them, and for this being the first time they have had good weather here? i also wondered if they were sticking close to the box and porch because they were concerned about robbing? none seems to be going on. both hives have plenty of food.

Michael Bush · March 04, 2007, 04:47:43 PM

According to www.pollen.com you have cedar/juniper, hazelnut and elm pollen available in Boring, Oregon. I would expect to see them hauling in pollen like crazy.

It might be worth checking for brood/queen.

Understudy · March 04, 2007, 04:51:33 PM

It has been long enough that it is worth checking.

If the bees gather on the outside of the box and there is plenty of room inside it could be a sign that there is no queen this is different from bearding in that they gather outside the box but don't always gather at the entrance.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Kathyp · March 04, 2007, 04:58:28 PM

thanks guys. i'll check. late start this year. we would normally have at least the cherry bloom, but all the rain and the late cold snap has set things back.

i just checked the trees and they look to be about 3 or 4 days from the first bloom. rain is coming back, so that won't do us any good.

i see nothing coming into the first hive. that's why i decided to go ahead and feed even though they still have some stores.

Kirk-o · March 04, 2007, 08:53:18 PM

Hey maybe if it stays warm you could check and see if there is some eggs or new brood.Good luck
kirk-o

papabear · March 05, 2007, 04:39:20 PM

MB how did you find out what type of pollen was in that area. I didn't see it on pollen.com

Kathyp · March 05, 2007, 04:46:38 PM

no eggs, no brood in either box...near the top. however...the activity today looks more normal and the activity inside the hive is very normal. busy drawing comb, etc.

i'm thinking that they have just broken cluster. these are the first days when we have not been in the low 40's and raining during the day, and in the 30...sometimes snowing during the day.

i didn't dig down to the bottom and i'm not going to do that right now. i'll keep an eye on them, but it looks like they are hard at work and i don't want to set that back.

my address is a boring address, but i really live just out of sandy. higher elevation and a good bit colder. when it was raining in boring, we had snow.

Jerrymac · March 05, 2007, 05:25:21 PM

My address isn't all that peppy either

Apis629 · March 05, 2007, 05:35:43 PM

My address is ok. Mail get's to it and it's not to far from places.

Kathyp · March 05, 2007, 09:45:50 PM

you guys are very funny!! you ought to try to make a catalog order over the phone with a 'boring' address. i just stand there with the phone held away from my ear and wait for the laughing, and bad jokes to stop :-) at least i don't live in Drain......

Understudy · March 05, 2007, 09:54:51 PM

I live in Florida. The whole state is a joke. It is so bad that fark.com gives it's own icon. Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen have made a rich living pointing out how silly this state is.

If you haven't seen any brood or queen cells. I would do a newspaper combine.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

reinbeau · March 05, 2007, 10:51:19 PM

No, Brendhan, we live in the worst state. As we traveled down to Georgia last month I was amazed at the attitudes towards anyone from Massachusetts. We're not all idiots up here

Michael Bush · March 05, 2007, 10:57:34 PM

>MB how did you find out what type of pollen was in that area. I didn't see it on pollen.com

I went to www.usps.gov and then "zip code" and then "by city" and then put in the city. Then I went to www.pollen.com and put in the zip code.

Kathyp · March 06, 2007, 12:46:21 AM

understudy, i didn't see eggs or brood in either hive. i'm sure hive 1 would not have come through the winter so strong, if at all, without a queen. it's supposed to stay warmer this week. i'm going to give them both the week and then look again. if, for some reason, i have lost both queens, i have nothing to combine. in that case, i'll order a couple and see if i can salvage one or both.

papabear · March 06, 2007, 02:45:38 PM

Thanks MB I found it.