dead outs

danno · January 11, 2014, 04:43:24 PM

Got to check a yard of 17 today and found my first deadout of the winter. The bee's are working the candy board hard. Its going to be a long winter

rwlaw · January 11, 2014, 09:09:06 PM

Ya, gotta go thru my hives tomorrow. Partly sunny & 40 woohoo!

BeeMaster2 · January 11, 2014, 09:32:22 PM

Quote from: rwlaw on January 11, 2014, 09:09:06 PM
Ya, gotta go thru my hives tomorrow. Partly sunny & 40 woohoo!

40? By go through, I hope you mean nothing more than look under the lids.
Jim

splitrock · January 11, 2014, 09:48:58 PM

Probably means just a walk through, I know that's all I'm going to be doing.

T Beek · January 12, 2014, 10:44:38 AM

Predictions today are for low 30;s here. Almost got there yesterday, I think we got to 29......Hopefully this little warm up will be enough for my bees to re-group if needed because a return to below zero is in their future and mine. I took a peek yesterday and all 5 of my hives still have live bees, two have already discovered the dry sugar though, and are working on it, which is concerning in mid January and 3 months before anything blooms.........but its easy enough to dump more in.

10framer · January 12, 2014, 10:51:58 AM

in three months the main flows will be coming on down here. i don't know how you guys do it.

tefer2 · January 12, 2014, 10:55:16 AM

I got to check two yards with this warmup we have had.
Found one dead out so far. Can't say that about my nucs though.
I've lost three of them that couldn't move to stores.
The only ones that are on the candy were made up to late.
I'll be out today lifting lids to check how the bricks are lasting.
We still got a bunch of winter ahead of us here.

danno · January 12, 2014, 11:05:18 AM

One of them that I checked yesterday and found alive was the swarm I caught on the Aug 22. They are in a single deep with candy above. Just wanted to bring that up because Blueboy felt the need to remind me what month it was.

T Beek · January 12, 2014, 11:07:52 AM

Quote from: 10framer on January 12, 2014, 10:51:58 AM
in three months the main flows will be coming on down here. i don't know how you guys do it.

:laugh: I don't know how my 'bees' do it.

Seriously though, while some methods of beekeeping may differ dramatically from both neighbors and those further away, a northern BEEKS main job is to 'leave enough honey' for the size of the colony to be wintered, and even that doesn't always come out. :)

tefer2 · January 12, 2014, 11:24:45 AM

Why is it that you never have enough of those candy bricks when you need them.
I'll have to use the wife's stove to make a few small batches now. :imsorry:
She hates the mess!
The sun came out from behind a cloud, what a rare sight around here lately.
I think we have finally turned the corner.

Vance G · January 12, 2014, 12:43:14 PM

Quote from: tefer2 on January 12, 2014, 11:24:45 AM
Why is it that you never have enough of those candy bricks when you need them.
I'll have to use the wife's stove to make a few small batches now. :imsorry:
She hates the mess!
The sun came out from behind a cloud, what a rare site around here lately.
I think we have finally turned the corner.

There is an easier way. Do them in the garage by pouring a ten pound bag in a bucket and ONE pint of water. Mix til all sugar is damp. I then pack the mush into Dixie brand paper soup bowls and let them dry or if need is right now, just put the paper bowl in too. They can be carefully inverted. Just so much less mess and takes little time.

tefer2 · January 12, 2014, 12:57:44 PM

Vance, it normally turns out that I need them now.
Have tried Lori's recipe over on BS and they have to set for a while to harden up.
I use the fish fryer propane burner on the 25lb batches.
I got a free stove to put in the garage for next season's candy.
I just need to get them made in fall before it gets to freezing.

I got it done while she was at the store, :devilbanana: she smelled it the minute she returned.
Busted!

danno · January 12, 2014, 07:08:45 PM

I made another 50 lbs today

rwlaw · January 13, 2014, 08:13:52 PM

On the hive subject, no deadouts so far.
On the bricks, I bartered for a brinkman gas burner that beer makers use. Almost makes it fun, almost.

T Beek · January 14, 2014, 07:48:15 AM

Quote from: rwlaw on January 13, 2014, 08:13:52 PM
On the hive subject, no deadouts so far.
On the bricks, I bartered for a brinkman gas burner that beer makers use. Almost makes it fun, almost.

Cool! 8-) I use my gas burner for Maple Syrup, for Beer boils and to make sugar syrup or candy for my bees (always in the garage :)). A very versatile tool indeed.

merince · January 14, 2014, 11:55:46 AM

I have for sure 2 nucs and 2 singles that made it through the "Polar Vortex". My apiary is pretty much a snow drift - I suspect there are more by the fresh bees on the snow, but won't be able to tell for sure for a while. My yards with the double deeps and the rest of the singles are inaccessible at the moment.

Bush_84 · January 14, 2014, 12:14:03 PM

Ya I had a disappointing dead out....