mag
Worker Bee
Posts: 143
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Post by mag on Nov 9, 2004 10:43:00 GMT -7
my bees are still takeing food. should i keep feeding them till they don't eat any more? i think i should but im not quite shur. i replace the food evey two weeks or so.
it is a top hive feeder.
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Post by Thom on Nov 9, 2004 11:16:35 GMT -7
Mag,
Keep an eye on their intake. You are feeding them 2 parts sugar to 1 part water right now. They will probably continue taking food on warmer days, but if they have honey in reserve you may let them snack on that for the six weeks leading to January 1. You left them 60 pounds of honey, so take a break.
Though December 22 is the new year for bees (the day the days start getting longer), many beekeepers start feeding their bees a very light syrup on the first week of January. By light I mean 1 part sugar to 2 parts water. It is like a hint of nectar that spurs the bees into thinking about what is around the corner, thus getting the whole hive in gear for reproduction (and yes swarming). Hold off on the 1 to 1 feed until February.
One thing that beekeepers overlook is that if you are feeding them sugar water in the spring you should be feeding them a protein as well. One pollen paddy per hive in January will do. They need the protein for brood production and buildup. By late January or early February they will be out working willow, skunk cabbage, hazelnuts and alders.
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Post by NormCounterman on Nov 9, 2004 14:41:28 GMT -7
Just so you all know; Thoms answer right above this one, he copied out of an old 4H article of mine:
How to Set a Worlds Record for Swarming
Thom, you sure know how to warm an old timers heart.
Keep up the good work.
Uncle Normy
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Post by Thom on Nov 9, 2004 16:56:44 GMT -7
Norm, was that the article that you wouldn't let them place it in their newsletter unless they paid you 22 cents per word? Your demands got you far as a speaker as well I see.
I did mention swarming in the post, but some people want a big spring buildup for hive splitting. I also mentioned one paddy per hive because when I over-winter my first hives I ordered enough paddies so that each hive could consume 5 paddies each. Starting in mid January I threw a new paddy into each hive every two weeks. When I finally opened the hives for a good inspection in March, I found all my hives became Franken hives. It was as though my bees turned into a colony giant nasty bull dogs. Too bad I didn't know Norm then. I would have paid him for good advice back then.
Keep up the good work, Norm
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Post by HarryVanderpool on Nov 9, 2004 17:18:58 GMT -7
I'm all for TONS of bees this spring! I will be following the same program, Thom.  |
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mag
Worker Bee
Posts: 143
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Post by mag on Nov 10, 2004 10:27:21 GMT -7
ill stop feeding them. i have herd that the italians are mean and like to crawl and fly around the beekeeper.
so far all year my bees don't like to do that they will fly up when i clear the frame to remove the honey super. but go right back to the hive no problem. is that normal, i hope so. i would like to catch the swam from this hive this comeing up year. or should i try to split the hive and if i do split it at what time of year should i do that?
well thank you it was nice talking to yall agen.
Michael
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Post by Thom on Nov 10, 2004 11:24:04 GMT -7
Michael,
Splitting is better than letting them swarm because you control when it happens and where they go. Do it as early as new queens are available. Late March is best. Be sure to requeen the old hive and use a new queen in the new hive. Doing this early with new queens assures you that your hive will be up to full strength when the nectar flow starts. Keep in mind that the egg that is placed in the cell will not take it's first flight as a bee until at least 40 days later. So if you want to have a lot of bees working the nectar flow on June 1, there has to be a lot of brood in the hive on third week of April.
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