A General Hive Question

[Terri Yaki]

Sounds like I winged it good then, thanks. Yes, bottom entrance reducer is removed and I have two quarter sized washers propping the the top to create some air flow.

[The15thMember]

I'm not sure that cross ventilation is a good idea.  I'm pretty sure the FormicPro instructions specify no top ventilation.  If they are really fanning then maybe, but if they don't seem stressed and you can pull the washer out without entirely removing the lid, I'd probably seal the top.  I don't really know though, this is all kind of a stab in the dark as far as what is really best. 

[Terri Yaki]

OK thanks, I'll read up on their instructions and I can weasel them outta there pretty easily.

[Terri Yaki]

A few bees are already dying, is that normal?

[The15thMember]

A few bees are already dying, is that normal?

It's not abnormal.  FormicPro is known for taking down weak or sick bees, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  If you see more than a handful dead though, go ahead and crack the lid again. 

[Terri Yaki]

Thanks. I just checked and I'd guess that I've seen ten or less. I've also heard that they would beard and exactly the opposite has happened. There are a few foragers coming in and all the rest are deep inside. I can't even see any guarding the entrance. I don't know how long foragers are out but the ones coming in seem hesitant to land. With none of them guarding the entrance, is there a chance of robbing?

[The15thMember]

Their hesitation is due to the fact that the hive doesn't smell right.  So they are approaching the entrance and then thinking, "Wait, is this really the place?"  I've never had a hive be robbed during a formic treatment, I think the robbers are deterred by the smell too, but I've also never treated a colony this small. 

[beesnweeds]

I don't use formic, but if I did, I would follow these instructions.  Especially on nucs.

https://scientificbeekeeping.com/formic-pro-and-queens-in-hot-weather/

[Terri Yaki]

I don't use formic, but if I did, I would follow these instructions.  Especially on nucs.

https://scientificbeekeeping.com/formic-pro-and-queens-in-hot-weather/

I did see that earlier and forgot about it. Now I just have to wait and see what happens.

[Terri Yaki]

Our temps have dropped into the 60s so I am thankful for that. We are getting the tail end of the tropical storm for the next couple of days. I checked this morning and I don't have a bunch of dead bees but I do have a bunch of dead larvae. Is this normal?

[BeeMaster2]

Terri,
Would you believe that last night we had a quick rain storm and I looked on the radar and it was a tail of Debbie.
Jim Altmiller

[Terri Yaki]

That sounds like a large storm.

[Ben Framed]

Our temps have dropped into the 60s so I am thankful for that. We are getting the tail end of the tropical storm for the next couple of days. I checked this morning and I don't have a bunch of dead bees but I do have a bunch of dead larvae. Is this normal?

Les,
Several years ago, in May, I was called to remove an open air hive by a company security guard. It was a little bit larger than the size of a football. The guard said that she first saw it in early March and she wasn?t worried about it because it was no bigger than her fist. That hive survived one of our coldest springs in a long time including rain with no protection other than the bees themselves.
Jim Altmiller

This talk of varroa as well as temperature remind me of an older topic,
Can Cold Temperatures With Excessive Ventilation Naturally Aid In Pest Control?
? on: January 27, 2021, 02:08:05 pm ?
https://beemaster.com/forum/index.php?topic=54248.msg491977#msg491977

[The15thMember]

Our temps have dropped into the 60s so I am thankful for that. We are getting the tail end of the tropical storm for the next couple of days. I checked this morning and I don't have a bunch of dead bees but I do have a bunch of dead larvae. Is this normal?

Yes, the treatment will often take out some of the brood too.  Unless it's excessive, I wouldn't be concerned. 

[Terri Yaki]

Thanks for the help!

[Terri Yaki]

And things seem to have settled down. The 'house' looks like it's been cleaned up and the girls are flying about as much as the other two hives, which isn't much with the weather we have.

[Ben Framed]

Thanks for the help!

You?re more than welcome Terri.

[Terri Yaki]

It has been recommended that I condense my largest hive one more time but I have a question about doing that...Should I make that move, the hive will not have any empty space left, with the exception of some empty brood comb. Will this induce a swarm?

[Michael Bush]

You could condense (compress) it and put the empties in the top box and wait for colder weather to pull it off.  Right now they might swarm, though they are less likely than they would have been earlier.

[Terri Yaki]

You could condense (compress) it and put the empties in the top box and wait for colder weather to pull it off.  Right now they might swarm, though they are less likely than they would have been earlier.

I'm laughing at the fact that I didn't think of that already. Thanks. Plus, if they build it up with stores of brood, I could use them in the nuc, which is low on them.