Guilfordbeekeepers.org

It does look it's been painted with flat black paint. And the pollen that was in it was black as well. Good to know that there's nothing wrong with it except age. Thanks for the advice on saving it to use for swarms and for the info on storage.

I did a hive inspection today. (Thank goodness it's finally warming up!) I have 3 supers on my hive. I didn't pull out all my frames, but about 3 per super. Top super - full of capped honey and heavy. Middle one had lots of bees, capped honey, and some brood, larvae, an uncapped queen cell and some ...

Thanks for the info! Good timing to have John talk about making splits in March.

I'd like some advice on making a split. I got into my one hive on Sunday to check on the bees. I fed them 2:1 sugar water heavily through the fall to help them build up. When I checked on them Sunday, the top super was still heavy - full of capped honey and had bees walking all around on it. I lifte...

Is there anything we need special we need to do for the next few nights of really cold weather to protect our bees? Is anyone taking any special precautions with the single digit temps?

My bees are bringing in dark golden pollen. I watched a number of them bringing it in this afternoon. I saw a few of them in the camellias a few days ago, but the cold has gotten the blossoms right now. Not sure where else this pollen could be coming from.

Rob - I'm a first year beekeeper. Can you explain what you mean by boosting your bee populations starting in mid-January? Does that mean your going to start feeding them heavily? How does this work?

That's helpful information. During the cold weather last week, I had 17 dead bees one morning and 21 the next morning. When it warmed up to the low 50s this weekend, they started flying and I guess carried the dead ones away because the running board was cleared. I assumed this was just winter die o...

How long do you feed your bees in the fall? I've been giving mine the 2:1 sugar syrup mix since September to build my hive up, and they've gobbled it up pretty quickly each time I feed. Now that it's turned much colder, is it time to stop, or do I keep feeding on the warmer days?

Check out the front page article in the Wall Street Journal from Wed, Oct 2, 2013 entitled "A Scientist Teaches Drones and Queens the Birds and Bees."

I'm glad you posted that. I was wondering what you do with a small hive like that in late September. They wouldn't have time to build up any stores for winter. I hope the queen works out for you.

Thanks!

Myassistant principal has been watching a swarm for a few days that's hanging on a realty sign at 4012 Melissa Laine Road, Greensboro in zip code 27406 if anybody wants it.

I lost my only hive this summer when robbing started (even though I had a robbing screen on) and then the small hive beetle and wax moth took over. I froze all the woodware for 3 days and cleaned it all out. Then I got a nuc and started over with them in a new super. They're going great guns - I've ...

That's just what I needed to know. Thanks for the advice.

I found my little hive being robbed this morning - again. This is the second day another hive has been after them. It was very obvious robbing and many more bees than the previous attack. I already had the entrance guard in place after Wally told us that it was robbing season and to be ready. I clos...

Thanks everyone for the advice. It's good to know that's not how they're supposed to be! That gives me some ideas on how to proceed.

Hmmm - thanks, Wally. I guess I assumed that was the way it was supposed to be!

How do you keep bees from drowning in the top hive feeder? I have bees coming in from the corner of the screen that covers the top hive feeder under the cover. There's a small square of space on both sides where they come in even when the cover is on securely. Every time I go in to check/replace the...

The queen may have emerged, but I gave her about 6 days to get mated and another 4 to start producing eggs. I still had no evidence of eggs in the comb. That's why I went with the new queen. Today is the 4th day from putting the new queen in her cage in so I'm going in this afternoon to see if she's...