Author Topic: Alaska Bee Keeping (Read 108757 times)

riverbee · « **Reply #180 on:** February 28, 2018, 11:56:48 am »

wow jeff! from your description, it does sound like starvation.

just keep shoving sugar in the others, don't let them run out! sorry you lost that colony, that's a hard loss!

Lburou · « **Reply #181 on:** February 28, 2018, 12:39:16 pm »

Quote from: yukonjeff on February 28, 2018, 12:02:28 am

...Sorry guys, we can't blame Mites on this one...

You are right about that Jeff, I was just thinking out loud and wondering what your mite load was as a matter of curiosity. It would be feedback on effectiveness of your mite treatments. Not blaming your loss on mites. Next year, you will have a better handle on how much honey/sugar blocks they might need to make it through your long winter.

P.S. THIS video might give you some ideas on (emergency) feeding mid winter.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #182 on:** March 05, 2018, 12:55:26 pm »

Thanks Lee. I was considering doing a alcohol wash (I have never done one) but I saw a dead drone on top of the hive once and there was a dead mite laying next to it so I figure they drop off after the host dies. I could be wrong.

Well added another brick yesterday.

Outside

Inside

This little guy has been hanging around.

Barbarian · « **Reply #183 on:** March 05, 2018, 03:22:38 pm »

Varroa started in the UK in the South and over the years it gradually moved North.

When near to me, I started screening the winter floor debris.
The first step was to remove the dead bees and larger lumps of debris.
Some of the fine debris was placed in a glass jar half filled with cooking oil and given a good stir.
After 30 mins standing, more oil was added to fill the jar.
The heavy debris falls to the bottom. Using a child's paint brush, likely looking bits are lifted from the oil surface and placed on a paper towel.
The bits are checked with a magnifier. Varroa is easily seen.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #184 on:** March 06, 2018, 05:51:11 am »

Quote from: Lburou on February 25, 2018, 01:37:32 pm

For next year, you can make some feeder boards to hold and feed larger amounts of sugar

Lee has a good suggestion here. Feeder boards aka candy boards will provide more emergency food at one time. They will also absorb some of the condensation the bees create.
This winter I experienced some similar experiences. A strong colony also had a stream of water running out the bottom board when I checked it. I provided more ventilation by adding a popsicle stick on the top edge of the inner cover. I discovered mold on the underside of another telescoping lid. The bees had tried to propolis the hole in the inner cover to the telescoping lid. That created a lack of air flow.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #185 on:** March 11, 2018, 03:08:39 am »

Thank guys for the good info. I appreciate all the feedback.

Getting a little snow here.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #186 on:** March 11, 2018, 01:24:37 pm »

A video of a walk up to my bee yard.

riverbee · « **Reply #187 on:** March 11, 2018, 05:38:38 pm »

that's pretty cool jeff! thanks for the video!

lol.........pink floyd?..........

yukonjeff · « **Reply #188 on:** March 15, 2018, 12:27:09 am »

Thanks R.B.

Did snow removal today. I am sure we will get more yet but this might help melt to the ground sooner.

I have two more packages flying in April 28 if the weather is good.

Still a good amount of bees in the last big hive, can hear a pretty good roar, some coming out in the warmer afternoon, but still no main cleansing flight since early November.

I jar fed late in the season trying to get them to take as much syrup as I could, I wonder if this made a lot of bees instead.

Les · « **Reply #189 on:** March 16, 2018, 12:06:55 am »

If there is no pollen present, they can’t make bee bread to feed the brood and the queen is probably already nearing shut down if not already. The problem with feeding syrup too late in the season is if they store it, they cannot dry it down because they are going into cluster, that means more moisture in the hives, which is not good.

Lburou · « **Reply #190 on:** March 18, 2018, 10:44:06 pm »

Jeff, I ran into THIS PAPER focusing on winter beekeeping and analysing dead outs. Hope you find it interesting and useful.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #191 on:** March 25, 2018, 02:20:01 pm »

Thanks Guys...I believe they still had pollen in the fall the whole lower box had pollen in it. Not sure how fast they burned through it.

Good read Lee. pretty much confirms my dead out as starvation for sure, they were piled on top the bars like in the picture after they ate through the sugar brick. Lesson learned !

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #192 on:** March 25, 2018, 06:46:32 pm »

Quote from: yukonjeff on March 25, 2018, 02:20:01 pm

Thanks Guys...I believe they still had pollen in the fall the whole lower box had pollen in it. Not sure how fast they burned through

Honey bees have a preference for fresh pollen over stored pollen. Don't know why, but they do. They also do better with a variety of pollen sources. I guess a variety pollen sources ensures a better quality of protein. Not all pollen sources are created equal and honey bees are not as picky about the pollen as they are the nectar sources.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #193 on:** March 29, 2018, 11:40:28 pm »

Thanks BD. We should have a lot of willow and alder coming in this coming month.

Well we had a warmish afternoon and some came out and flew ! got in cleansing flight for a few anyway.Its the first time seeing some spotting on the snow and hive. Five months since they flew last.

As usual some didn't make it back back.

Looking like the one hive alive yet anyway. I gave them more sugar bricks and they are good to go till spring I think.

Didn't open the nucs yet.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #194 on:** April 01, 2018, 02:24:41 pm »

Well I moved more snow and spread some ashes from my woodstove to help spring along a bit. worked great !

It looks like it might warm up enough today for a cleansing flight (morning here in AK)....fingers crossed

Happy Easter All

yukonjeff · « **Reply #195 on:** April 01, 2018, 11:08:28 pm »

Well they flew today first major cleansing flight of the winter ,and with the bare ground in front of the hive most made it back.

I cleaned out the nucs and ready for new packages later this month.

The big hives robbed the nucs late in the fall and I tried to get some 1-1 on them but like was told is too late , they didn't have a chance. rethink for next year.

Lburou · « **Reply #196 on:** April 02, 2018, 05:16:02 pm »

I am overjoyed to see you have live bees Jeff!

Each year will teach you new things. And, every year is like a box of chocolates, you never know what to expect. Well done!

yukonjeff · « **Reply #197 on:** April 04, 2018, 02:44:36 am »

Thanks Lee, My apparent overwinter success was due to all the help I received from you and others on this forum

Still plenty of chances to screw up yet. lol

28 f with a 20 mph North wind and they flew, so my black painted boxes paid off as well.

Two more packages flying in on the 28th ,fingers crossed the weather is good that day.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #198 on:** April 05, 2018, 05:28:40 am »

That's great news yukonjeff! How many colonies does that mean you have at the present? Keep the pictures coming.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #199 on:** April 05, 2018, 02:39:44 pm »

Thanks BD, I have just the one left the other two nucs were robbed in the fall and didn't have resources to spare them, and they didn't make it.

My other big hive starved out when I didn't check the sugar brick for two weeks. Will stay on top of that next year.