Ok asking different ?

[Mikey N.C.]

Is it possible that with warm winter,  we were 1 month ahead of scheduled on swarming.  Now when all beeks north of me, are splits made with caged Q's , a month before swarm possibility.  Or did we just hit at that timing ? ?
Where our Q's arrived at peck swarm time because of weather ? ?

[Perry]

Weather plays a large part in swarming, the faster a colony grows and uses up space, the faster it could swarm. Some years are just swarmier (is that a word?) than others as well.

[Green bee]

Mikey there's been a lot of swarming in our area also. I've been hearing of two or three a day being caught and that's just what I been hearing so I know there's more. There definitely ramped up in swarming mode 

[Mikey N.C.]

Swarmier yep,  makes me wonder?  How do you decide with unpredictable winter.  When to add pollen pats. And added to soon will create problems ?

[CBT]

How can having lots of bees be a problem. I try hard starting after xmas to get that box cranking so at first honey flow or selling nucs there are max bees available. If you want them to grow slower don't feed much and only use winter patties that are +- 2% protein that keeps them alive but not stimulated.

[Perry]

Good post CBT!

[Green bee]

CBT , do feed pollen in the spring? The reason I ask is because when I asked about it to some of the local beeks I was told not to feed pollen in the spring because the shb liked the so much. What's your thoughts?

[rcannon]

Weather is certainly a contributor. We had a early spring. I saw honey coming in January. That's a first for me. The hives are growing so fast, I've split some of them twice already. This looks like it may be a very good year.

[neillsayers]

CBT , do feed pollen in the spring? The reason I ask is because when I asked about it to some of the local beeks I was told not to feed pollen in the spring because the shb liked the so much. What's your thoughts?

I find that as soon as the weather gets fairly warm,(nights in the high 50s, low 60s) the SHB show up. They will move in to the pollen patties and lay eggs. The slime, smell and maggots will repel the bees and they are done with it. I feed them to my bees late February early March to get brood going until I see bees bringing in pollen. At that point the bees won't much want it anyway and any leftovers I give to the chickens. They love it.

[CBT]

Yes I've had a rooster grab it right off the hive and run with it.  Because I try to go in the hives weather permitting about every 10 days feeding a quarter of a patty allowes the bees to consume it all without hive beetle getting into it. It's time to take shims off here as they are building comb in it. Also I have powered pollen sub for them but have been told recently that small hive Beatles will find it and also it gets stale to the bees and they will leave it alone. So I keep it in the freezer and put a 1/2 gallon in the tool box and as I'm checking for pollen if found lacking the plan is to sprinkle it on the top bars to see if a benefit is found. Every day without pollen coming in the colony suffers. The foragers are on the last chow line for pollen and when they get less of it it's a signal the hive needs more of it.