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Author Topic: Bees up top already?!?  (Read 2799 times)

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Offline Zweefer

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Bees up top already?!?
« on: November 29, 2014, 05:15:10 pm »
I was out fixing a tarp on my boat next to my hives, and looked over to see bees through the upper exit. 
Went over and took the top medium off (insulation) and found the bees on top of the frames, but still below the fondant I left. 
I'm assuming they chimneyed straight up...
Not that there is anything I can do with high temps I the low 20's but any words of encouragement would be nice?

My current plan is to check every two weeks now to see if they need more fondant.

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Offline Perry

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2014, 05:30:01 pm »
Not to worry. I often have hives that are heavy and still find the bees hanging about up top. It seems some hives just do. On those I often do as you suggest, making sure there is fondant on top and then I monitor it every few weeks to see if they are actually using it.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2014, 05:43:12 pm »
So Zweef, to bees ate the honey up thru the middle of the honey super, and are now where the fondant is...??
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2014, 06:09:13 pm »
Thanks Perry!

It's too cold for me to even think of opening up the hive, so unsure of the honey left in the supers. But yes Jen, they are at the fondant.
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Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
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Offline Dunkel

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2014, 08:29:23 pm »
Had a few cases last year where the cluster moved up early and stayed up.  Just so happened they were hives with sugar cakes on top.  They left honey down below.  Kind of made me wonder about putting sugar on early.
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Offline Riverrat

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2014, 08:32:15 pm »
Its actually fairly common. As long as they have stores and a few days every now and then to beak cluster they will be fine. ;)
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2014, 08:43:21 pm »
zweef, what perry and rat said.......... ;)
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Offline Jen

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2014, 11:39:22 pm »
Zweef- "It's too cold for me to even think of opening up the hive, so unsure of the honey left in the supers. But yes Jen, they are at the fondant.

     I am of the mind that they want to eat the lesser perfect food now, and save the real stuff for the deepest part of winter  :)
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Offline pistolpete

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2014, 12:00:50 am »
all of my hives were at the top of the hive for the start of this winter.  In my most populous hive they even filled the space on top of the inner cover with bees.  The top two inches of the cluster are just the insulating layer of bees anyway.   
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Bees up top already?!?
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2014, 08:52:40 pm »
Went to check and they were gone.  Must have gotten warm enough to head back to the better stores.
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Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
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