Bees Everywhere!

[LazyBkpr]

   48 degrees today..  Checked hives, didnt need the stethoscope..   So far, all but one hive kicking like mad. bees orienting and taking quick flights.  Checked the one southern hive I was worried about.. no sound, popped the top, and they are done.  was an italian cross hive. They remained clustered in the bottom box, they didnt move to reach resources. 6 frames of bees packed solidly between the frames and in the cells Honey all around them.  :(   
   On the bright side, The dead out will give me some spare honey frames if I need them come the end of february.
   This was the last of the bees I had gotten from Texas.  In truth it was only half from there, the queen was a daughter of one of those packages..  They were still in two deeps that I hadn't cut down yet, so one less hive to worry about converting. ALL the rest of the hives seem to be doing quite well. Still heavy, and good buzz that I dont need a stethoscope to hear.  Was NICE to see them flying.
  Looks like the weather average for the next ten days is mid 30's  going to have to keep an eye on them to make sure they have FOOD!!

[GLOCK]

all ways a great feeling I can't wait.

[Jen]

 Lazy ""they didnt move to reach resources. ""

Yeah, see that's why I'm going to use winter patties for this very reason. I learned from this forum that bees may not go out to the side for nourishment but will go UP. Predicted warm days next week. My winter patties should be here next week, then I can open the hive and put on patties AND my handy new inner cover  ~wink~

I do think winter patties would be expensive for those of you who have many hives, that's why I want to learn how to make them myself.

[Jen]

Me neither G! 

[LazyBkpr]

They had honey above them J. they had honey 2 inches above them in fact. s
Same problem I had when their parent hives died.. too cold, too long, they didnt break cluster, they remained where they were and died for it. PERFECT ring of honey above them.  To be honest after losing the parent colonies last winter I expected this when the weather service said -50 wind chill and a month of -5 degree temps..  winter last year wasnt nearly this bad.  we had -20 for two weeks at the longest and the original packages died the same way. This one survived by the skin of its teeth.. having a worse winter this year I didnt have high hopes..
   I'll try more packages, but they wont be from the same source.

[Perry]

I checked a yard of 10 today. Heard bees in all except one. Took the lid off, nothing seen through the inner, cracked it and there they were, a small cluster right near the upper entrance. Closed 'em up and hope for the best.
Another thing, my mind must be slipping. I remember that I had 3 hives there that were light, and a strong single. I figured I better get out there today to check on them, so I loaded up some fondant pattys, shims, and off I went. Heard bees in them so I lifted off the outer covers, lifted the insulation..................and all 4 of them already had fondant pattys and shims on them. 3 of them were into the fondant already.
I don't know who the nice feller is that did that for me, bet he's an intelligent handsome sort married to a wonderful lady, probably has a kid, dog, 2 cats and a rabbit.

[LazyBkpr]

LOL!!!     I thought maybe you had just forgotten that you did it until I read that hes a handsome and intelligent fellow!!     

[blueblood]

Good to hear.  I should have checked my hives yesterday when it was nearly that warm.  I am curious how many of my hives didn't make it through the sub-zero temps we had for three days.

[Jen]

Seeee! how generous beekeepers are! just looking out for each other any way we can 

[riverbee]

"I don't know who the nice feller is that did that for me, bet he's an intelligent handsome sort married to a wonderful lady, probably has a kid, dog, 2 cats and a rabbit."

....... perry, could you send that nice feller down my way, have some hives needing some looking after......
ps. have room for the wonderful lady, kid, dog, 2 cats and the wabbit.......