Spring Build Up

Rurification · May 15, 2016, 07:07:52 PM

No question here, just a happy report.

This is my 5th year and over the years I've been a lot more tenacious than successful. I'd like to blame it on a tricky micro-climate instead of my ignorance/mistakes, but the truth is it's probably a combination of both. At any rate, I had a single colony make it through the winter this year after losing everything the two winters previous. The cluster in this colony was the size of my fist in March. They're Russian crosses and build up slowly so I waited. And waited.

I've always heard other beeks talk about how you have to watch in the spring because when they get going they really grow fast, but I'd never seen it in any of my hives until this year. That colony is really going now. Two weeks ago they had finally filled 70% of their single medium box so I put another medium on top. I've been watching and they are always really busy at the entrance bringing in tons of pollen, so I thought I'd check them today. They have filled 70% of the top box and 5 1/2 of the frames in that box were full of eggs and brood.

I put a 3rd medium [2 drawn frames and 8 empty foundationless] on for them to start filling with honey and will be checking it weekly to see if they want more. Our wild blackberries and locust trees have just started blooming and there are acres of them. Fingers crossed I'll actually see some honey this year.

Acebird · May 15, 2016, 09:17:52 PM

Quote from: Rurification on May 15, 2016, 07:07:52 PM
The cluster in this colony was the size of my fist in March.

I don't have any experience with russian bees but that is a long way to come to produce honey. A package is larger than a fist full of bees. How many hives did you lose through the winter?

billdean · May 15, 2016, 09:49:58 PM

I hope you have a successful season!

Billie

cao · May 15, 2016, 10:54:15 PM

>They have filled 70% of the top box and 5 1/2 of the frames in that box were full of eggs and brood.

With all that brood I'd bet you will have to add another box within 2 weeks. I've had a hive fill and cap a medium box within two weeks during a good flow. The blackberries around here have been blooming for over a week. The locust are just about done. I added boxes last week and probably will add more next week. This year the blooms are about three weeks early. Its been keeping me busy.

Glad your bees are doing good.

bwallace23350 · May 15, 2016, 11:31:35 PM

Glad your bees are doing better. Down in Alabama our flow has really slowed down. It has gotten hot and dry and past the spring bloom.

GSF · May 16, 2016, 08:26:12 AM

Speaking out of school, I think what Robin described concerning the brood/cluster is a trait of the Russian bees.

Robin, keep the honey dome open. In theory this will help prevent them from swarming. They will draw out and fill those frames in the drop of a hat during the flow. Then they swarm. Also if you see the queen take note on whether she's fat or not. A slim queen may suggest a swarm fixing to take place.

mtnb · May 16, 2016, 11:05:35 AM

Oh I'm so glad for you Robin! I hope they make you lots of honey.

Rurification · May 16, 2016, 01:37:53 PM

Quote from: GSF on May 16, 2016, 08:26:12 AM
Speaking out of school, I think what Robin described concerning the brood/cluster is a trait of the Russian bees.

Robin, keep the honey dome open. In theory this will help prevent them from swarming. They will draw out and fill those frames in the drop of a hat during the flow. Then they swarm. Also if you see the queen take note on whether she's fat or not. A slim queen may suggest a swarm fixing to take place.

Thanks for the tip! I've had Italians up to now and these girls are pretty different in temperament and behavior - but I didn't know if that was just this queen or a breed thing. I'd heard how fast a build up could be but Wow! It's something amazing to see.

Since the supers are foundationless, I thought that might slow them down a bit and I'd be safe checking just once a week. We have robbing issues here and I need to balance between giving them enough space not to swarm but not too much that robbing starts. It is the flow now, so maybe I don't need to worry about robbing right now and can put on a 2nd super. In fact, I'll bet I could put a 2nd super on as soon as I see they're starting to get serious about drawing out the 1st one. They're close enough to the garden that I can check several times a day for robbing and shut things down fast if I had to [Been there, done that.]

Also, we do crush and strain, so I can pull half a box of capped honey and clear out some space in a super pretty quick if ever I'd need to.