Winter Planning--First Thoughts

[pholcomb]

Just checked my two remaining hives this morning at 1130. The temp was 47 and the Wayne's Bees hive was foraging heavily, bringing in a lot of bright yellow pollen, probably camellia. Tipped the hive earlier in the morning and it still seemed pretty heavy.

Unfortunately, my last hive of Carniolans appears to be a dead-out. I'll open it on a warmer and drier day.

Paul

[herbcoop]

Just checked my two remaining hives this morning at 1130. The temp was 47 and the Wayne's Bees hive was foraging heavily, bringing in a lot of bright yellow pollen, probably camellia. Tipped the hive earlier in the morning and it still seemed pretty heavy.
Paul

Paul, good to know your Waynes were out today, I came into work today I hated to use another vacation day on snow. I'm also glad now I went around my hives yesterday morning and removed the snow and ice that was blocking the entrance. I hope I get to see them out by the time I get home. If not I'll need to make sure I'm ready for the end of next week, I heard it could get close to 68 on Thursday I think.

[pholcomb]

Fortunately, I started my week off on Wednesday. Checked on the bees again about 315 and they are still foraging heavily. Almost all of the pollen they are bringing in now is light green. Not sure what that is.

Paul

[herbcoop]

Paul, from the bee calendar the green might be red or silver maple, yellow it says willow
I went ahead and put some pollen patties in both of my hives last week on top of the sugar bricks; if they wanted it they could have it.
I need to learn the hive tip method for weight that’s for sure. I did a quick visual inspection on Tuesday night after work, here I went ahead and made some sugar water to make sure they have enough food since when I tipped the hives they felt light. When I opened up my large hive I was happy to see them eating the sugar bricks, I went ahead and removed my top medium super and it was heavy, I did a quick look at my deep and lifted that and that had some weight to it the brood box looked good but didn't lift that just puffed some smoke and put everything back together. Once we get a stretch of good weather I'll take the medium off completely and depending on when that is I might do a hive box reversal then again 12 days after.
The weaker hive is doing better, when I opened this top cover I said where did you all come from since there were more than what I had been seeing. This hive only had a bottom deep brood box and a medium super. I have another deep painted and ready to go on

[herbcoop]

It's been a busy month to keep an active eye on my hives with the rain we've had, I started getting worried when I went out to the hives and saw all the dead ones on the ground in front of the hives. I was able to take a peek inside the 2 hives Saturday and my large hive from last year isn't as large as last year. At this time but they still have honey supers full to help take them through the next couple of months if not I've made some sugar bricks to be safe that they don't starve. My second hive is larger than last year , They have honey supers as well and emergency bricks in case.
The dead ones are nature taking its course I believe