Warm in the Northeast but nothing to bring in . . .

tereads · January 06, 2007, 02:54:18 PM

Hi there: I thought I'd get some second opinions. It's seventy here in upstate NY today. Tons of bees are out but there's nothing coming in. My beekeeping mentor has said that emergency feeding would be a mistake since there's not enough time to process the sugar into honey. So, I can let nature take it's course. Does anyone out there have any other take on this situation? We've had no snow and only a few freezing nights. They've been flying just about every day.
Also, will my openings for ventilation (small one at rear and width-size at front between the upper and lower deeps) encourage robbing?
I welcome your insights on this unusual situation.
My beekeeping style tends towards the "let the bees take care of the situation".
Terry
:-\ :(

Finsky · January 06, 2007, 03:05:41 PM

Quote from: tereads on January 06, 2007, 02:54:18 PM
It's seventy here in upstate NY today.

It is really unfair that nature doest not give Happy New Years Honey 6.1. 2007
http://www.wunderground.com/US/NY/New_York.html

tereads · January 06, 2007, 03:10:30 PM

Finsky, I love reading your posts. One question: is that a picture of you with the "bee beard"? :-\
Terry

Kirk-o · January 06, 2007, 05:10:49 PM

I think the world is getting warmer
kirko

Kirk-o · January 06, 2007, 05:18:30 PM

I think Finsky is a complete Beeperson 100% complete
Kirko

newbee101 · January 06, 2007, 05:52:11 PM

tereads , I am not sure of the answer to that question. I think I might try feeding in February.
Small amounts of pollen were coming in today in CT. 76 degrees in the sun, next to my hives. Every hive was flying, no deadouts yet. 1 hive has tracheal mites I think. About 50 bees on ground, could not fly. Most with K wings.

Finsky · January 06, 2007, 06:21:03 PM

Quote from: tereads on January 06, 2007, 03:10:30 PM
is that a picture of you with the "bee beard"? :-\

Yes, it is me 30 years and 30 kg ago.

mick · January 06, 2007, 09:36:34 PM

Quote from: Finsky on January 06, 2007, 06:21:03 PM
Quote from: tereads on January 06, 2007, 03:10:30 PM
is that a picture of you with the "bee beard"? :-\

Yes, it is me 30 years and 30 kg ago.

Lol Finsky, old age and gravity is catching up with all of us. When I was a lad I could eat and drink everything, no problems. No I look at cake and get fat!

Newbee, they look like my bees!!

tereads · January 06, 2007, 10:09:20 PM

Quote from: tereads on Today at 01:10:30 PM
is that a picture of you with the "bee beard"? Undecided

Quote from: Finsky
Yes, it is me 30 years and 30 kg ago.

Finsky, LOL
tereads

newbee101 · January 06, 2007, 10:54:45 PM

eh Mick, We had January almost as warm as Australia, except no nectar. :-D

TwT · January 07, 2007, 01:13:43 AM

I know one thing might happen, here our fall flow was very weak, I pulled most of the spring honey (in June)and had to put feeders out because the hives never added much this past fall because of the fall flow being so bad, now with all this warm weather I have been feeding with open feeders because I think winter hasn't showed up yet, now when it does and all with the bee's collecting pollen and raising brood now we might see a lot of hive's starve this spring because they are eating up their winter stores now.... just something I have been thinking about!!!!

Kirk-o · January 07, 2007, 09:40:42 AM

Yes the weather sometimes makes beekeeping kind of tricky.
kirko

Michael Bush · January 07, 2007, 10:18:33 AM

I'd feed them some 2:1 syrup if you think the hives are light. It takes pollen to raise brood. Don't give them any and they probably won't start rearing brood unless the maples bloom early. 2:1 isn't that runny that they can't handle it if it turns cold again. What if it doesn't turn cold?

randydrivesabus · January 07, 2007, 11:00:34 AM

its supposed to get more normal temperature wise in the east this coming week but i think the longer range forecast (8-14 days) still calls for above normal temps. haven't been using much firewood.

Jerrymac · January 07, 2007, 12:46:15 PM

Last winter we didn't have winter. About this time last year we thought for sure it was gonna get bad late Feb early March. Nope, No Winter ever got here. This year so far it has been a little more winter than last.

TwT · January 07, 2007, 12:48:55 PM

I have been feeding 2-1 syrup for the last 3 weeks, hive top feeders and open feeders, all the bee's coming to the open feeders are young bee's so I know they are raising brood.....

amymcg · January 07, 2007, 01:12:18 PM

69 Degrees in Boston yesterday.

I checked 3 of 4 hives. All were booming. All still have the upper deep full of honey. Two had mouse damage.

I was really surprised by the number of bees in the hives. The hive that was the weakest this fall was clearly the strongest yesterday. Saw patches of brood in all hives, both capped and in larval stages. They are small patches, but they are there, most bees were fuzzy and new.

Could be a good year up here

Jerrymac · January 07, 2007, 02:56:25 PM

Quote from: amymcg on January 07, 2007, 01:12:18 PM
Could be a good year up here

After our long winter that wasn't, we didn't get any rain.

leominsterbeeman · January 08, 2007, 07:50:33 PM

You can feed them 2:1 syrup, that's 2 lbs sugar to 1 lb of water. But if you can, open up the hive and see what they have for honey stored up.

Or you can try and lift a hive body to and gage it's weight.

tereads · January 10, 2007, 01:57:12 PM

Thanks all: I'll have a chance to lift them this weekend. Interestingly on the 60+F. days I saw "orientation" flights (playtime) although my bee teacher says it's not possible to have new bees now . . .. Your thoughts?

Thanks,
TE