Bees

[TexasFreedom]

Robin,
What 'sugar'? Did you open the hive? Do you have a thermal gun/camera? That will tell you a heat signature even if you don't open it. Otherwise, if it gets into the 50's, you can do a very-quick pop-the-top-and-look. But, what can you do differently if they are there or not? I'd just leave it, wait for a warm day that you a do an exam. Put an entrance reducer to keep mice out. SHB/moths won't be a problem in the cold. If they have failed/absconded, save the frames for next time (freeze them for a couple of days). Beekeeping is a heart-wrenching activity. Sometimes we make the mistake, sometimes the colony just doesn't survive due to their own flaws. It happens. Keep in mind, 40%+ of colonies nationwide fail each year. Most BKers experience that over and over. My bees are just too mean to die like that. But most everyone can't or won't keep mean bees like mine.

 

[Robinjopo1]

It was so rainy here this year, no one has much honey. They ate it on those rainy days. People are supplementing by using sugar. I was refilling hives and noticed there was sugar in the hive and zero bees came at me when I opened the lid. Put my ear to the side and disnt hear the usual buzzing. Went to front and no activity. I didn't have my smoker so I didnt try to pull any frames. Plus it was rainy and grey so everyone would have been inside.

 

[TexasFreedom]

Robin,
How many boxes were in the colony? So you're using a frame feeder or top feeder? It's near 50F there, either today or tomorrow split the boxes and look around (quickly). When you see the cluster, close it up. If they aren't taking the sugar water, don't add more (it spoils, and they can't take it below about 60F).

 

[Robinjopo1]

Robin,
How many boxes were in the colony? So you're using a frame feeder or top feeder? It's near 50F there, either today or tomorrow split the boxes and look around (quickly). When you see the cluster, close it up. If they aren't taking the sugar water, don't add more (it spoils, and they can't take it below about 60F).

No feeder. I have 2 boxes on each hive. We just put down newspaper and put sugar on it then sprinkle with water so the don't carry it away. No sugar water. There's really nothing I can do to them until spring. I will monitor and add sugar if their is anyone there to eat it.

 

[TexasFreedom]

I love how beekeeping is so vague in our language.
OK, 2 boxes. Bottom is deep? 2nd box, what size & does it have frames & all drawn, or is it the box for sugar? Or is the sugar above that box in a spacer area?

You can pull the entrance reducer, and stick a wire or spatula in & sweep across the bottom area. Do a ton of dead bees come out? Lots & lots? Be sure to put the reducer back in place. This is better than opening up the whole hive.

One evidence of the colony being there is if the sugar continues to harden up. That comes from the moisture rising from the bees below. Compare that sugar to other colonies. I'm not a fan of feeding crystal sugar, but I'm in a very different climate and cold doesn't mean anything down here (I caught an abscond colony in the first week of january a few years back).

 

[Robinjopo1]

I have 2 deeps with frames. The paper sits directly on the top frames and the sugar is poured directly onto paper. Then the sugar is sprayed with water to make crusty so it doesn't stick to the little legs. Then you put the inner cover (crown board) on, then lid.

 

[Robinjopo1]

I love how beekeeping is so vague in our language.
OK, 2 boxes. Bottom is deep? 2nd box, what size & does it have frames & all drawn, or is it the box for sugar? Or is the sugar above that box in a spacer area?

You can pull the entrance reducer, and stick a wire or spatula in & sweep across the bottom area. Do a ton of dead bees come out? Lots & lots? Be sure to put the reducer back in place. This is better than opening up the whole hive.

One evidence of the colony being there is if the sugar continues to harden up. That comes from the moisture rising from the bees below. Compare that sugar to other colonies. I'm not a fan of feeding crystal sugar, but I'm in a very different climate and cold doesn't mean anything down here (I caught an abscond colony in the first week of january a few years back).

They were there last week when I put the sugar in.

 

[TexasFreedom]

How often are you feeding them? I'd look no more than once a month right now. If they need feeding, put it in. And put plenty in. Enough that they're good for several weeks. I'd still advise the entrance sweep. If the colony failed in-place, that will tell you. Do you have insulation on top to avoid condensation & cold water dripping on them? (I think that was an issue last year)

 

[Robinjopo1]

How often are you feeding them? I'd look no more than once a month right now. If they need feeding, put it in. And put plenty in. Enough that they're good for several weeks. I'd still advise the entrance sweep. If the colony failed in-place, that will tell you. Do you have insulation on top to avoid condensation & cold water dripping on them? (I think that was an issue last year)

If I put in very much, the lid will not close so I put about 1.5 lbs. They are completely out of honey because the ate it because of the rainy season.

My mentor told me to put two roofing shingles or cardboard on top of the inner cover . then put on the lid. He said not to put an empty super on to hold the sugar because it would be too cold for them

 

[TexasFreedom]

Hmmm. 1.5 lbs is nothing. Have you considered getting a 3/4" shim? Usually it has an entrance.... let me find a link: 10 Frame Shim with Entrance Unassembled | Hive Components | Mann Lake Ltd.

Put tape around the small entrance to seal it. That gives you 3/4" space to fill with sugar, maybe 10 lbs or so.

 

[Robinjopo1]

Went down to add sugar and the hive was worried about was empty. There are zero dead on the floor so I guess they absconded. I did see a lone bee at the entrance. I left the uneaten sugar in case a swarm comes and needs a home. Lol

 

[TexasFreedom]

Sorry to hear that. Store your wax. You don't want wax moths to destroy it. Save for trying again next year, it'll give the new colony a big head-start.

I went to my bee yard yesterday. My bees bagged a nice 6-point buck. Carcass was only 10 ft from the hives. Coyotes had been working on it & not much left. (yeah, yeah, some of you might think a hunter shot it, & it laid down by the hives to die... but it was by the hives, and my bees claim it! I only told them they need to tag it if they claim it) Might need to mount the rack on top of one of those hives!

 

[Robinjopo1]

My friends dog ate lots of a deer carcass and has been in the hospital for 5 days. It gave him pancreatitis so watch your bees for any signs. I bet they have a tiny pancreas.

 

[DrHenley]

Nope, no pancreas in bees or any other insect.

 

[Robinjopo1]

Nope, no pancreas in bees or any other insect.

You do know I was joking dont you? Except my friends dog part is true. Almost died.

 

[DrHenley]

Well, I thought it was a good question so I looked it up. LOL

 

[TexasFreedom]

You're both right. Robin said their pancreas are tiny, and not existing is really, really tiny. So Doc was right too. But, no expected issues. They never have problems after they eat me up. Got one right between the eyes the other day, the same day I found the deer.

But, Robin, you raise a point. I'll have to be careful not too feed my dogs too much zombie getting started. Don't want them getting sick on it! Maybe I can mix it up? A little mexican zombie. Some young white and black zombie thug? Don't know that I can find much yankee zombie meat, but we'll see! Dogs eat mostly chicken and pork meat now. They both should be really, really similar to zombie meat... lazy fat pork & cowardly chicken?

 

[Noctis_Labyrinthus]

Robin sorry to hear that your bee's took off. The biggest question now is, why did they abscond? Obviously you already knew they were very light on stores. However, was the hive queen right? Was there disease in the hive? What was your mite count? If you aren't tracking your mite count, you need to.

I would tear down that hive and give it a good inspection to see if I can see anything that might look suspicious. Do not leave the frames outside all winter. Wax moths can make short work of those frames, especially when it starts to warm up. Toss that sugar and give the frames a good week long freeze in the freezer and pack them back up in a way to ensure wax moths cant get to them.

I live in Southern PA and this is what my season looks like most of the time. I did not add in the mite control mainly because depending on the environment and the severity my techniques change:

Any warm day in January, Feb, March - Check the bees and their stores, Do any emergency feeding VIA fondant (This is done by hefting the hive and a very quick look at the cluster on 50° or higher days.)

Late March to Mid April - Feed 1:1 syrup if they need it and do a mite count. Do a normal inspection. Check for queens. Check temperament looking for hives that have hot genetics

Mid April - Do a normal inspection. Identify hives that need supers. Swap the hive bodies positioning. Checkerboard hive bodies if needed. Look for hot genetics. Do a split if needed. Stop all feeding of 1:1 syrup if the flow allows for it.

Early June - Do a normal inspection. Identify hives that need supers. Checker board hive bodies if needed. Do splits if needed. Do a mite count . Pray that my swarm mitigation worked this year. Start grafting queens from strong gentle hives.

Mid June - Normal inspection. Identify Hives that need supers, do splits if needed. Chase and catch swarms

Early July - Beginning of the end of the flow. Normal inspection. Check supers and add frames if needed. Do a mite count. Nix queens in hives with hot genetics and in hives where the queen has shown less than ideal laying patterns. 3 to 6 days later, introduce the new queens into the queenless hives and check for balling.

Mid July to Early August - Dearth is here. Pull Supers and harvest honey. Do an inspection. Do a mite count.

Mid August - Fall prep and the start of the fall flow is here or will be soon. Do a mite count. Check stores. Feed 2:1 syrup if needed

Early Sept - Do an inspection. Do a mite count.

Mid Sept - Do an inspection. Do a mite count. Check Stores. Feed 2:1 syrup if needed

Early Oct - Do an inspection. Do a mite count. Check stores. Feed 2:1 syrup if needed

Mid Oct- Do an inspection. Do a mite count. Check stores. Feed 2:1 syrup if needed

Early Nov - Do an inspection. Do a mite count. Check stores. Feed fondant if needed. Add moisture quilt box and board. Add shim for fondant for emergency feeding.

Mid Nov - Getting cold. Final check on the hives and final oxalic acid mite treatment

Mid Nov to January - Prep my gear for the next season

I do not harvest fall honey. I leave it for the bees. They need it more than I do and I have noticed better winter survival if you leave the honey.

Also a little tip. Even though I get into my hives about every 2 weeks I do very limited inspections. I check for signs of the queen but hardly ever try find her. I check no more than 4 frames for brood health. I'm in and out of my hives in less than 5 min.

Also if you are using the normal leather beekeeping gloves, get rid of them and start using nitrile gloves. Bees don't sting these gloves and the added dexterity they provide helps keep the bees calm and your work more efficient. Its all about gentle bees and a gentle beekeeper.

 

[TexasFreedom]

Welcome to the thread NL. Overall I like your guidance. We are on opposite sides of the 'hot genetics' fence. But I'm in Texas and we're in very different environments. You're in your hives more often to count mites than I'm in my hives all year. Nitrile gloves don't work with my bees, but I can see where with gentler bees where they'd really help. Just make sure they can't crawl up the wrist.

 

[edprof]

I've gotten into bees for six months now. I suit up anytime I am going to open a hive. I have three. So far, I haven't been stung a single time. The advice on here seems good.