New hive venting

[ccwonka]

Question - I have two, two and one half week old three frame nucs (doing great) in 10 frame deeps, they already have screened bottom boards, but with the hives being so new (and thus weaker than established hives) should I prop open the top lid for more ventilation now that we're at +90 degrees everyday here in NW GA?  I haven't seen them bearding at all, so I kinda feel like it'd be better to leave a single small entrance and let them deal with the heat than add a second entrance that would need defending . . . .

I put out two jars of sugar syrup about 15ft in front of the hives on a 'spool', and they never even touched them, they've been bringing in a steady stream of pollen since day 3 of their residency.  Is there a way to know that they're getting the nectar they need as well?  I know I'm probably over paranoid with the dry hot weather, but I think I get a month or two of paranoia for free as a newbie!!!

Thanks all!
CC

[HAB]

Don't feed in the open, especially a small weak hive.  Doing so might attract Robber Bees they can destroy your weak hive before you can say whoa. Had it happen to mine couple weeks ago and they are still trying to recover.:'(

Feed internally using the sandwich bag method, hive top feeder, or another method.  If you've got pollen coming in they are probably not going to take much sugar syrup if any.  But keep it available and watch that it doesn't sour.  In summer heat it can do that fast.

Do they have a water source?  If not place a pie plate near by (away or above pets) fill with paper towels and add all the water the towels will hold plus about a 1/2 cup.  Keep them soaking wet.  Don't change the towels until they look really bad. The bees like them better after they have had time to age a little.

Here with 96F 50%Humidity 101 Heat Index using SBBs and mid day shade from a Red Oak we  have no sign of heat problems (Bearding)  and so need to prop open yet.

We started with a 5 Frame Nuc 1st day of May and today it ready for its next deep. :shock:

Wish ya luck. :)

[ccwonka]

See, I was told by a local beek to keep the food OUTSIDE the hive to avoid robbing, at least 10-15 feet away and in the open, that other bees might find and steal it, but at least they weren't stealing from inside the hive!  Anyways, it's moot at this point since I've since replaced the boardman feeders with boardman waterers to make sure we have water closer to the hives than our swimming pool!!

Anyone have an opinion on opening the top cover with such a new nuc?

CC

[HAB]

Reduce your entrance until you see bees crowding to get in or out.  Will also help to prevent robbing. :)
Also modified my first reply.

[chemlight]

I just wanted to stop in and say hi. I live about 45 mins away in Rydal. Maybe we can get together and compare notes someday. I am finishing my first month with my 2 hives. I was worried about having enough flowers left for the girls after those storms blew through a couple of weeks ago. So I have really been looking this past week and have found fields full of thistle and queen Anne's lace (mostly thistle). You probably have the same if you live in the outer part of Rome.

It is definitely hot right now with this weekend being the worse so far. I have had a lot of fanning going on on the board but not enough to cover but about 1/3 of the entrance. I bought 2 started hives and have added a medium super that is 50% capped and 80% filled. I added a small super last weekend, but to my surprise today they haven't started drawing the frames yet. Oh well, still much to learn.

If there is anyone else in the NW Georgia area maybe they can chime in with what, if any flow is coming up. Also is the Sourwood flow finished?

[Moonshae]

I've also found that boardman "feeders" make awesome waterers. With 5 kids and two pools between my next door neighbors, the bees can't get a closer water source than the boardman. :)

[ccwonka]

Chemlight, I wish mine were developing that quickly, I think I picked the wrong foundation for these particular bees, they started on wax and I've tried to force plastic on them . . . sugar water and such haven't really helped, but I think I'll be adding either wax foundation (depending on how long it takes to ship the order I've already placed) or maybe even just the starter popsicle sticks!

I'm not worried about them, I just think they'd draw faster if they were happier with my interior decoration choices for their hives!!

Live and Learn!
CC

[chemlight]

And I've been considering trying the plastic frames. Guess your comments will help put that idea to rest.

Best of luck and I hope everything shows up on Monday. Keep us up to date on their progress.

[Moonshae]

I started my first hives last year on plastic, and didn't have any problems, even without adding extra wax to them.

I do like starter strips for my brood frames, just because of the convenience, but I think I'm going to use plastic in my honey supers from now on, for the strength.

[ccwonka]

I've noticed that if you ask five beeks about wax vs. plastic you get a minimum of 12 opinions from them :roll:, so I assume there is no RIGHT answer . . . in general, but I think there might be a right answer for each person or each hive . . . and to me it just feels right to go with what they're already using, and what is closest to what they'd build themselves from scratch.  I'm sure that if I removed the frames, painted them, coated them with sugar again, reintroduced them, etc etc I could probably get them to take to them, but who needs the hassle!!!!

CC

[qa33010]

    My bees have always let me know when they have nectar coming in and they are a swarm or new package...ect.  That's when they refuse to eat sugar syrup.  Unless the syrup is COLD they will take it until they find a better source.  If I use a boardman I use it inside the hive with a top box or, as Moonshae said, they make great waterers. 

     If I feed inside and use honey b healthy I reduce the entrance, because they may be light on stores and there is nothing available for nectar. 

[Brian D. Bray]

In a dearth or drought even feeding internally can set of robbing in which case an "artificial flower" set up some distance from the bee yard can draw the attentiion of the foragers away from the neighboring hives so that they can consume that syrup without peril.  I've gotten so that anytime I'm feeding a hive, swarm, or package, I put out a feeding station at least 50 feet away and near plants that bees will gather nectar from.  The outside feeding station is easier for the bees to access, hence they don't usually resort to robbing.

[Michael Bush]

If they aren't bearding you don't have a ventilation issue.  If they are bringing in pollen this time of year they have nectar.  Especially if they are ignoring your syrup.