rjoki
Worker Bee
Posts: 144
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Post by rjoki on May 11, 2011 21:20:13 GMT -7
My two hives have been taking syrup like crazy for several months now. The had packed in a lot of the syrup in the comb, so I decided to let them drink the feeder down to the bottom, which they did. I still have just a 1/2 frame of capped honey between both of my hives. They still dont seem to be bringing anything in from the outside, and remain completely dependant on the syrup.
Does anyone in the Portland area have bees that are following a flow, and bringing in enough nectar to start the honey making process. I would be surprise to know if anyone actually has a super on yet. Let's share some of our detail this week and see if we are all in similar situations....
.... so what's up with your hive ??
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Post by Guest on May 13, 2011 16:43:58 GMT -7
I am in inner SE Portland and picked up one package of Carniolans and one package of Italian bees from Ruhl on 4/7/11. My Carniolans are in a top bar hive and have crafted 10 or so top bars of comb. Of course ost of it is across 2 bars and I don't want to look in and ruin their home.
The Italians I put in my first langstroth hive - I really like it. In two years of beekeeping it's the first time I have ever seen my queen in situ. The lang has one deep and 3.5 frames that aren't yet drawn. I have a bucket feeder that I refill about once a week. The entrance reducer is in. The bees seem happy when warm, the queen is making brood and the workers are storing pollen and nectar? (or is it sugar syrup?) I can't tell.
It's fun. I love the bees. I am hoping to be able to put the other deep on soon and stop feeding them.
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Post by chickbee on May 16, 2011 17:31:39 GMT -7
We are in NE and only had one strong hive survive the winter. That one hive has already swarmed and is full of bees. Since both my bottom boxes are adequately full and supplied I added a super and they are filling it up. I have not had to feed my bees at all this season.
The frames we are using are already drawn out, which is certainly hastening the pace of the hive. The later part of this week is going to be just beeeeeautiful and I'm sure the bees will take advantage of it.
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Post by beehaver on May 16, 2011 22:09:17 GMT -7
the maple flow is on its way out, some may get some maple honey but very doubtfull since by the time they actually get any in the supers there is then a dearth before the main blackberry flow and the bees usually suck it all down before it is ripened enough for us to get at it.. you could get lucky but usually your just not going to get maple honey unless it's a one or two frame deal wich is not enough to mess with if you have larger numbers of hives
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Post by bugleman on May 31, 2011 13:49:26 GMT -7
In Aloha I have at least one hive that made almost a full super of capped Maple honey.
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