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Offline Perry

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A good day.
« on: April 13, 2015, 05:32:04 pm »
I wish I knew what I was doing right so I could spread the feeling I'm having right now. Took a few, and probably won't be able to take my wedding band off for a day or two...... ;D
I was out to the hives most of the day today, and was removing inner covers to place on pollen patties and supplemental feed if needed. It was my first good chance to get a sense of colony strength.

5 nucs = all alive and doing well

65 colonies = 62 alive   
                  -  3 were weak, but should make it without much trouble
                  -  3 were OK, not great, but what I consider acceptable
                  - 22 were good, should easily be able to pull a nuc in May
                  - 34 seem strong, probably good for an early nuc, and another one in June

Today was a good day! :)
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2015, 05:39:16 pm »
Sounds great Perry!  Kinda SAD when you look forward to taking a sting or four??    :laugh:
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Offline iddee

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2015, 05:44:32 pm »
""Took a few, and probably won't be able to take my wedding band off for a day or two...... ;D""

OOPS, can't go visit the across-town" mistress for a few days.   :o

Good to hear, after nearly wiping out a year or two ago.
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Offline Jen

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2015, 05:56:22 pm »
Iddee- "OOPS, can't go visit the across-town mistress for a few days.
     
      Good Grief Iddee   :D

Perry- "65 colonies = 62 alive   

      Perry is gifted! Should make a movie and show the world how to be a successful beekeeper. Really happy for you  ;)
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Offline Perry

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2015, 05:57:40 pm »
My worst year was about 4 years ago, took 40% losses that time. We had moved from Lunenburg to Wolfville in August - September (critical months), and I just couldn't give them the attention I should have. I went from 20 to 12 or something like that.
Since then I have gone:
29 hives going into winter - lost 1
51 going into winter - lost 3
This year - see above
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Offline Jen

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2015, 06:00:51 pm »

For You


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Offline Rugerbob

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2015, 06:06:17 pm »
Perry

Good to hear, guess I can count on getting my nuc. ;D

Bob
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Offline Papakeith

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2015, 06:08:29 pm »
Awesome news Perry!  Glad to see your girls did well this winter!
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Offline 40 Acre Bees

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2015, 06:16:23 pm »
Excellent - All the more chances for us.....  Hint Hint.  Glad you made out so well, it was a brutal winter here in Nova Scotia.  Still at least 1 1/2 foot of snow on the ground here on the south shore.  On the news they said they were pruning the tops of the apple trees in snow shoes with no ladders. (Perry's neck of the woods)
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Offline Les

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2015, 06:48:57 pm »
Good for you Perry!  Hopefully the semi-weak hives will rebound (once your snow is gone, egads).  My first daffodil pushed out today, I cannot imagine still having snow on the ground!
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Offline gtrr4

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2015, 07:36:45 pm »
Congrats on the success rate Perry.  I hope all of us can be that successful at some point in our beek careers.  I am sure you have been asked before, how do you overwinter your nucs?
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2015, 07:51:57 pm »
That's great, Perry!     :eusa_clap:

Maybe snow is the secret ingredient for success?   :eusa_think:
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Offline Perry

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2015, 08:27:57 pm »
I'm a pretty fortunate guy. ;)

Rugerbob, you are on the first page of my list (nuc #29) so you are a positive.

40 Acre Bees, you are on my third page, but as I said, I will do my best to get you back up and running.

gtrr4, I overwintered 5 over 5 nucs. Bottom 5 were solid bees, and upper boxes were full of honey. I kept an eye on them and once they were into the upper boxes I kept fondant on them. I have them all side by side, pushed together and covered on all sides with styrofoam except the south-facing front, which got tarpaper for solar gain.








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Offline Zweefer

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2015, 12:29:37 pm »
Quote from: Jen on April 13, 2015, 05:56:22 pm
Iddee- "OOPS, can't go visit the across-town mistress for a few days.
     
      Good Grief Iddee   :D

I agree with Jen.  A good mistress will know you are married and won't care about the ring  :o ;) :P :laugh:

Congrats on the success! I know with the winter you have had, good news was needed!
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Offline ledifni

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2015, 09:52:15 pm »
Quote from: Zweefer on April 14, 2015, 12:29:37 pm
A good mistress will know you are married and won't care about the ring  :o ;) :P :laugh:

Agreed.  I always say, be honest with your mistresses.  The ones who are worth it won't care and the ones who care aren't worth it.  (insert wise Confucius smiley here -- why don't we have one of those?)
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Offline blueblood

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2015, 10:30:25 am »
My losses were minimal this winter also.  I am thinking this is going to be a good season!
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Offline Perry

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2015, 01:15:11 pm »
From what I am gathering from the snippets of information I have been gleaning, it sounds like this has has been a good wintering for many commercial keeps, but not so much for many of the hobbyists. Not sure why that would be?  ???
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Offline ledifni

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Re: A good day.
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2015, 01:26:37 pm »
Quote from: Perry on April 17, 2015, 01:15:11 pm
From what I am gathering from the snippets of information I have been gleaning, it sounds like this has has been a good wintering for many commercial keeps, but not so much for many of the hobbyists. Not sure why that would be?  ???

Well, it was an excellent wintering for me, but then again my sample size is exactly one hive, so not very scientific.
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