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Author Topic: Early Iowa Spring  (Read 5533 times)

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Offline Sheepless

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Early Iowa Spring
« on: March 09, 2016, 11:28:18 am »
Well, I apparently made it through my first winter as a beekeeper. I did my first spring inspection yesterday, and was surprised to see the hives in a good mood. They were bringing in a lot of pollen, apparently from maple trees.

It's unusual for us to have temperatures in the 70's this early. I was wondering what some of the other Iowa beeks are doing? Is it too early to remove insulation? Also, I've got some sugar candy in there...how do I know when to remove that?

Dave

ps. Anyone going to the meeting in Coralville Monday night?
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2016, 11:41:10 am »
Welcome Dave
I see you have been signed up for a while, Nice to see your first post, looking forward to many more.
Nice to hear that your bee made it through the winter. Until the dandelions start to bloom there can be dearths in nectar ether from enough nectar producing plants, favorable weather for the plants to secret nectar or flying weather so the bees can collect it.
Did you only have one hive?
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Offline gtrr4

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2016, 12:00:04 pm »
Warm here in Ohio as well, upper 60's through the weekend.  I was able to look at 2 of my hives yesterday before daylight was to far gone.  Both hives had about 50% Brood on 4 Frame faces.  So good signs I hope this early in the year.

Jason
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Offline Sheepless

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2016, 03:03:54 pm »
Apisbees,

Yes, just one  hive. Started with 2, went into the winter with one very strong and one very weak hive. No surprise, I guess, that the weak hive made it through the winter and the strong hive failed.  :sad:

There were some commercial beekeepers in my family, but I've proved that it's not genetic, and am taking a beekeeping class that started this winter. I'll be adding two more hives this spring.

Thanks for the welcome!

Dave
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2016, 06:35:33 pm »
Second to the welcome!  So happy you had at least one make it through...
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2016, 11:56:53 pm »
Welcome sheepless!

where are you in iowa?  we have a couple members, tedh and LazyBkpr in iowa also. 

maples and willows for me are the first pollen, but we are still a little from that, won't be long. weather has been crazy, very cold temps, a warm up the past weekend in the 60's, 70 something yesterday, and now we are right back to 30's again. 

i wouldn't remove the insulation just yet, not until temps are more stable, and well above freezing.  i don't usually remove my wraps until late march or april, weather dependent, we can still get some crazy cold snaps and blustering winds in march.  when to remove the sugar candy? 
i wouldn't remove it until temps are good enough for you to feed syrup (if necessary), or wouldn't remove it if they don't have ample stores in the hive to survive without some feed on or feed present in the hive.  hope this makes sense?
again, WELCOME!
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Offline Sheepless

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2016, 07:34:50 am »
I was hoping tedh and lazybk would show up here...I met them both at lazybk's place last year.

My place is a ways north of Iowa City.
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Offline tedh

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2016, 06:30:42 pm »
Hey Sheepless!  Keep in mind this is only my second spring with overwintered colonies but here's MY plan.  First weekend in April remove tarpaper, remove insulation, remove remaining sugar, clean bottom board, quick inspection, maybe remove entrance reducer in preparation for oxalic treatments.   Second weekend treat hives, third weekend treat hives, fourth weekend skip treatment (maybe inspect), fifth weekend treat.  First weekend in May make nucs for producing queens.  Off to the races from there!  That's the plan, not carved in stone.   Good to see you on the forum.  Lazy's been pretty busy but I'm sure he'll jump in here.  Ted
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2016, 06:47:38 pm »
Dave! Good to see you here!
   I try to keep the sugar on until the maples start to bud out. Usually the first or second week in April, depending on the weather...  Yeah, the weather!!!!  WOW, not complaining about these temps at all, but it makes me nervous!!   We could see a foot of snow in April...   So..  do you start feeding for build up and take the risk of two weeks of below freezing the end of march the first of April?
   According to the weather folks that is not going to happen....    Right!!!   I should have been a forecaster...  ONLY job you can have where you can be consistently WRONG and still keep your job.
   My bees seem to be bringing in pollen...  from what, I have no clue. NOTHING is green yet, but the grass is just starting to turn green under the winter brown...
   I will leave the sugar on for now, and wait until I see them starting to fill cells with nectar, then I will pull the sugar cakes etc and start preparing for splits/honey.
   You can also keep an eye on the front of the hive. "usually" ...If they start carrying the sugar out, its time to pull it.
 
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Offline CBT

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2016, 06:54:48 pm »
Are you using oxalic acid to treat? It works very good. Could I suggest treat then check. You may only need one this time of year.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2016, 07:36:32 pm »
I did get the EMail for the meeting...   1401 5th street at the Library in Coralville IA  6:00 to 8:30 PM I believe?
   An hour drive for me, so dont go to their meetings too often. Seems to be a good group of people there.
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Offline tedh

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2016, 08:46:06 pm »
Lazy, the silver maple are blooming and that means the willow have been for a week or so.  The bees are bringing in LOTS of pollen here at home.  I think it might cool down toward the end of the month but don't think we'll see the teens again and I only have a fifty percent chance of being wrong about that!  Ted
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Offline Sheepless

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2016, 08:00:10 am »
I was out with my dogs and heard bees buzzing at the edge of the timber. I followed the sound and they were heavy in a silver maple. I went to the hive next to try to see if that was my bees, and they were bringing pollen in steadily.

I kind of agree with Lazybkpr's "forecast"...it is just as likely to turn cold and wet again as it is to warm up. But it is an El Nino year I'm guessing that a plan like Ted's is about as good as any.

I didn't treat with oxalic last year. I had dosed them with cider vinegar though the summer, then did an ether roll in October and saw zero mites.

Thanks for putting in your $0.02 guys...
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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2016, 12:15:55 pm »
Quote from: Sheepless on March 11, 2016, 08:00:10 am


I didn't treat with oxalic last year. I had dosed them with cider vinegar though the summer, then did an ether roll in October and saw zero mites.


Sheepless,
How does the cider vinegar work?
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Offline Sheepless

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2016, 05:30:01 pm »
Quote from: neillsayers on March 11, 2016, 12:15:55 pm
Sheepless,
How does the cider vinegar work?

Pretty much the same way oxalic acid works. There is acetic acid in vinegar. It's very weak compared to oxalic acid. I just sprinkled some vinegar every 6 weeks or so. I probably used too much, and would get some bearding on the hive while they tried to fan the extra moisture out.

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-acid-questions-answers-and-more-questions-part-1-of-2-parts/
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Offline Chip Euliss

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2016, 07:41:48 pm »
Congrats Sheepless.  It's been a very mild winter here and the bees are flying.  No pollen here yet!
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Chip

Offline Sheepless

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #16 on: March 11, 2016, 08:43:53 pm »
Holy smoke Chip! Are there fish in ND? Or did you travel to catch the one in your avatar?

I didn't think there was anything in ND but prairie dogs and teepee rings. :laugh:
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Offline Chip Euliss

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #17 on: March 11, 2016, 09:54:51 pm »
Yep, fish here but I drive through Iowa every year for the family fishing trip down south!!!
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Chip

Offline kebee

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Re: Early Iowa Spring
« Reply #18 on: March 12, 2016, 07:03:38 am »
 Welcome Sheepless, glad to have you with us and back so stay a little while this time and glad your bees made it ubtil now, just watch their food supply.

Ken
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