Author Topic: question for southern beekeepers  (Read 1612 times)

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Offline neillsayers

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question for southern beekeepers
« on: August 13, 2018, 10:15:44 pm »
Not a lot of action here lately so I thought I'd get a thread going about a question that bugs me, pun intended. What brood box configuration seems to work for you? One box, two? I see a lot of info on the internet for both and it seems many southern keeps do well with one. I get why those in the north need a lot of bees and honey to get through the winter, but it's starting to look like winter is going to become a memory for us southerners.


Thoughts?
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline Wandering Man

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Re: question for southern beekeepers
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2018, 11:53:59 pm »
I use two brood boxes.  Even though they say only one is needed because of the warmer temps, I still like to use two.  I figure my bees are more active during the winter and may consume more fuel, so I like to leave them with plenty of stores during the warm days of dearth during our winters.  We have only a few days below 50, and even fewer days that drop below freezing.  I may still be mowing grass in January, but that doesn't mean we'll have blossoms with nectar and pollen.
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Offline Lburou

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Re: question for southern beekeepers
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2018, 12:55:49 pm »
The size of the brood nest (hopefully) increases as a hive grows from a split, a swarm, a package or NUC.  The space needed for the brood nest is smaller in the Fall and over winter & larger from late Winter and early spring and summer.  I don't like to use queen excluders that much so I try to keep the brood in one or two boxes, depending on how robust the colony is.  I will use an excluder to limit the nest to two boxes. 

My favorite is a Deep and a Medium for the brood nest, but I don't think the bees see it the way I do.  I have gone away from using medium supers & largely keep just deep hive bodies and supers.  Having one size makes managing hive bodies and frames a lot easier.  JMO 

We are coming up on the Fall.  I will consolidate all brood in the lower box as they go into winter and, if necessary, feed until I feel they will have the stores they need to get through the winter, (I realize this consolidation is optional).  My bees do better and have a good population early,  (meaning, a big population for an early honey flow), if they have plenty of stores and do not need to be fed in Spring, (it's a lot easier on me too).

Most important thing for the bees now is mite control.  The bees are raising the bees tasked to overwinter here in warm Texas.  The healthier these bees are, the better the hive will come through winter and make a good population explosion to gather the Spring honey flow.
:)
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: question for southern beekeepers
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2018, 09:56:32 pm »
Thanks guys,

This came to mind because I have 5 hives of Italian VSH bees this year started from nucs. It's been slim pickings this year yet they have held there own. Brood boxes (single 8-frame) are all drawn with only 1-3 medium frames drawn in the super at this time. Since we are in a summer dearth I have commenced feeding all of them syrup.

The Russians I used to have wintered well with a ridiculously small cluster but I doubt I can count on that with these bees. I was hoping to get them to winter with one deep and a medium of stores.


Next week I will do mite counts and treat as necessary.
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a

Offline Lburou

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Re: question for southern beekeepers
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2018, 11:04:48 am »
...5 hives of Italian VSH bees this year started from nucs.
...It's been slim pickings this year
...1-3 medium frames drawn in the super at this time.
...Since we are in a summer dearth I have commenced feeding all of them syrup.

...I was hoping to get them to winter with one deep and a medium of stores.

...Next week I will do mite counts and treat as necessary.
Very succinct account of a good plan Neill.   :yes:
Lee_Burough

Offline neillsayers

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Re: question for southern beekeepers
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2018, 10:02:58 pm »
Thanks Lee! :)
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a