Keeping bees warm

[Les]

Not much to report, temperatures are barely reaches the forties the last couple of days.  Not much sun either.  Changing their warmed sugar syrup twice a day and they are drinking away.  Checked on my queens yesterday.  One had already chewed her way out of the cage.  I just closed the hive back up.  On the second hive I think they shoved way too much fondant into the cage and she was still inside.  Couldn't even poke out the fondant, had to pry open the screen on the cage and away she disappeared into the frames.  I will keep the twice sugar syrup change and leave them alone to work their magic.

[robo]

Saw the sun here this morning and it almost got to 40F.  Snowed for 4 hours this afternoon :'(

As long as they keep taking syrup, things are going well.   You will be amazed at their progress once things warm up and you get to take a look.  You will be in much better shape next month then those just getting their packages

[riverbee]

thanks les for your updates!

our weather isn't great either, until today, some unusually warm days for us for a few days now.  hang in there!

[Les]

What a glorious day here in the Hudson Valley!  Temperature reached 68 degrees and the sun was out.  The bees were very happy and very busy.  They are dragging out the dead and I actually saw some pollen on those baskets.  I have a few crocuses up and I can't believe mine are providing that much pollen but somebody in the area must have some flowering.  However, Mother Nature is just messing with us.....Saturday the high is forecasted for 48 and windy.  So, it appears they are holding their own.

[pistolpete]

this time of year it's most likely willow pollen.

[riverbee]

like pete said, willow.....also elm or maples les, these are the early pollen producers in my area, may be different than you.

[Les]

Not here yet, the buds are barely swelling on the trees.  There is a swamp about a 1/2 mile from us, so perhaps something is starting to bud out down there.  Need to take a walk tomorrow and see if the cat willows are out yet.  Can't wait to see the forsythia, usually the first shrub to bloom here.

[robo]

With a swamp nearby,  most likely skunk cabbage.    Here is an interesting article on how skunk cabbage actually creates heat to melt through the ice (and warm the bees).

http://www.beverlybees.com/skunk-cabbage-late-winter-forage-bees/

[CpnObvious]

I've certainly seen my fair share of skunk cabbage... But that bit of info was all new to me... Thanks for sharing!

[Les]

Rob, good to know.  If I could find a point of egress into this swamp, I would love to wander around it.  Steep incline into it so it might be problematic.  Changed the sugar syrup this a.m. and they are loaded with a very light pollen.  They are really starting to ingest more syrup....busy bees need more energy I guess.  The die off from the initial install and a couple days after seems to have stopped.  I don't see any dead ones when I replace the nectar in the box and only a couple around the hive.  So, with the gathering of pollen, ingesting lots of syrup and less dead bees I am hoping that this means a successful install 

[robo]

Sounds like it.   Next step is to take a look for eggs to assure the queen is doing her part.....  With any luck you'll start to see some capped brood mid next week.

[Les]

Rob, when should I do an inspection.....bees installed 3/26??

[robo]

Next warm day,  I would do a quick check, least intrusive as possible to check for eggs.   

[Les]

Not much to report.....weather has been lousy.  Temps in the 30's and 40's, rainy and gray.  Last night we had a clap of thunder that rattled the entire Kingston area.  Guess the cloud cover was so low that there was no place for the thunder to escape after the lightening.  Very strange!  I keep feeding the bees warmed sugar syrup twice a day and close them up as quickly as I can.  Sunday is forecasted for 60's and sunshine, think I will go in the hive and see what is going on then.