Guilfordbeekeepers.org

Hello,
I am interested in beekeeping and have been taking the beginner classes for the last few weeks. Everything sounds great in theory, but before I take the plunge and purchase equipment and bees, it would be great to have a bit of hands-on experience with live bees. I am still a little hesitant about spending lots of money on bees without actually being around them first. I don't have any fear of bees- I just would like to have a better understanding of what I'm getting into.
I realize this is not the best time of year to be opening hives, but if anyone will be checking on bees in the next couple weeks I would love to tag along. You're welcome to post here with contact information or just contact me directly: hansen.kara@yahoo.com
Thanks!
Kara

" I realize this is not the best time of year to be opening hives"

Truth is everyone I know with bees will be in their hives over the next two days. We don't get many chances this time of year and it's going to be close to 60 degrees or better Saturday and Sunday. This is the most dangerous time of year because they will fly on warm days and burn stores but there's not much if anything coming in to replace what they are burning. Its a great chance to see which hive and NUCS need some supplemental feeding to make it through the next month or so until the natural food arrives. We could get 3 or 4 more chances over the next 6 weeks or we could get 0 chances. Gotta get in there when you can.

Kara--I'm planning on going into bees on Sunday. I'll be going into hives at my house just as soon as it hits 60°F and then be moving on to other locations to get as much done as possible. If you want to come by the house Sunday when I go in the bees, give me a call at 336 740-1703. I'll be watching the National Weather Service temperature graphs for Sunday and be making my plans based on that.

Two members of the beginner beekeeping class (and readers of this forum) came over yesterday and got a little hands on experience with bees. I did break the brood cluster on one very weak hive so that they could see a queen, capped brood, larvae and eggs. We also saw the workers surrounding and touching the queen. There were not enough bees in this hive to make it worth combining with another hive, and it will take a minor miracle for it to make it through winter. I can hope.

I had a couple over, too. Had a good time showing them around in the hive and got to evaluate it at the same time. Found capped brood, but no open brood or eggs. Hopefully, she just shut down during this last cold spell and will start again now that it is warmer. Added a few partial frames of honey and will hope for the best.

Did both of you guys 'lift' the hive(s) before going into them? I am curious to know if you were able to anticipate what you'd found inside just by the weight of the hives. I didn't go inside mine since I found the cover had blown off. Lots of bees were coming and going and the hive was heavy. I'm crossing my fingers until warmer days arrive.

I did not lift or tip hives because I was going in them to determine cluster size and location and to determine food stores. For most hives, I took off the outer and inner covers and briefly lifted the top medium up. I wanted to see the cluster and to judge the weight of honey above the cluster. I did have one hive at another location where the cluster was in the top medium, which was still heavy. The cluster looked large enough to stay in contact with honey on either side of it, but I still want to get more food above the bees as soon as I can after this upcoming cold snap.

I always heft the hives. It keeps me in practice if nothing else.