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Beekeeping

kelcher said:
First year. Bought a nuc, but I was pretty disappointed. Seemed more like a couple frames with a little brood and a couple frames of comb. I have given them syrup, but they don’t seem to be taking it. Been about three weeks and they haven’t even started making comb on a lot of the frames in the first deep box.


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It’s a numbers game and with smaller colonies it takes a long time to get going. If they needed it they would build it plus it’s not good comb building weather. Where did you get it? You really need a frame of capped brood and bees to add to it and you’d see a 180 degree change


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Just thought I would check in with you all and see how your bees did this year. Mine finally took off when we hit the really hot weather. I am not going to get any honey from them this year, but they did fill up the two deep boxes. I did not put any honey supers on since they are just now getting comb drawn and everything filled up in the second box.

If they survive this winter they will have a good start for next Spring. If they don't make it then I guess new bees will get a good start for next year. Should get honey next year for sure . . . .

How have you guys winterized your hives to insulate, but provide enough ventilation?
 
kelcher said:
Just thought I would check in with you all and see how your bees did this year. Mine finally took off when we hit the really hot weather. I am not going to get any honey from them this year, but they did fill up the two deep boxes. I did not put any honey supers on since they are just now getting comb drawn and everything filled up in the second box.

If they survive this winter they will have a good start for next Spring. If they don't make it then I guess new bees will get a good start for next year. Should get honey next year for sure . . . .

How have you guys winterized your hives to insulate, but provide enough ventilation?
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Never insulated.....good wind break. I have used moisture control methods ie Mountain Camp, etc. Cold doesn’t kill bees, moisture does. I’ve also used tar paper


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kelcher said:
Just thought I would check in with you all and see how your bees did this year. Mine finally took off when we hit the really hot weather. I am not going to get any honey from them this year, but they did fill up the two deep boxes. I did not put any honey supers on since they are just now getting comb drawn and everything filled up in the second box.

If they survive this winter they will have a good start for next Spring. If they don't make it then I guess new bees will get a good start for next year. Should get honey next year for sure . . . .

How have you guys winterized your hives to insulate, but provide enough ventilation?
Click to expand...

Still some pollen blooms to go yet this year, so if they're about full I'd give them more space even if you don't plan on harvesting the honey. Otherwise if they get crowded they might swarm on you which won't do you or the new hive any favors this time of year. I haven't insulated in the past and even with a good windbreak have lost some hives. Just saw what they called a hotbox at fleet farm this past week. Looked like a super filled with a courser fiberglass insulation that had screen stapled on each side to keep the bees out. That should breathe and looked easy enough to make if you have an extra super box.
 
kelcher said:
Just thought I would check in with you all and see how your bees did this year. Mine finally took off when we hit the really hot weather. I am not going to get any honey from them this year, but they did fill up the two deep boxes. I did not put any honey supers on since they are just now getting comb drawn and everything filled up in the second box.

If they survive this winter they will have a good start for next Spring. If they don't make it then I guess new bees will get a good start for next year. Should get honey next year for sure . . . .

How have you guys winterized your hives to insulate, but provide enough ventilation?
Click to expand...

Depending on what you’re gonna use to treat mites you need to be getting started on that.


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Just picked up new bees to start a second hive and now we have freezing temps. Not a good combination . . . . . I guess we'll see what happens . . . .
 
Looked online and put them in a single deep with an empty deep on top with a sugar syrup jar right above the frames. The hive is closed up in my shed out of the wind right now. Crossing my fingers.
 
kelcher said:
Looked online and put them in a single deep with an empty deep on top with a sugar syrup jar right above the frames. The hive is closed up in my shed out of the wind right now. Crossing my fingers.
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Hopefully so, we’re almost through it. You’d been better off to do a single deep with a winter and pollen patty until you can feed 1:1


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Probably true, hopefully they will be working down in the frames and it will be an easy shift to a top feeder and a regular top cover set up. Hopefully they are not building comb right now on the top cover or the empty deep box . . . . . that could get interesting . . . .
 
kelcher said:
Probably true, hopefully they will be working down in the frames and it will be an easy shift to a top feeder and a regular top cover set up. Hopefully they are not building comb right now on the top cover or the empty deep box . . . . . that could get interesting . . . .
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I doubt they are building comb anywhere right now


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Agreed, they are probably just trying to stay warm. Will be trying to get things the way they should be this weekend. Weather looks like it is turning around some.
 
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