Author Topic: Alaska Bee Keeping (Read 108735 times)

yukonjeff · « **Reply #240 on:** July 01, 2018, 01:31:47 pm »

Thanks Lee. But they turned all their spring honey into bees . lol

Well I got my mated mail order queen shipped in from New York from Chautauqua Apiary, Barry is three, for three getting me live queens shipped to Alaska, and all were lively good laying queens.

I used four frames of capped brood and made a Nuc. Its doing great after two weeks I added a second deep.

The overwintered hive is doing great, laying like a champ.

They are working the Cow Parsnips we have a lot blooming now.

Also have the Blue Iris blooming all over the hills, they get white pollen from them.

We are now about a week away from our Fireweed flow, they will bring home the honey then I hope.

Well hope all your bees are doing great.

Lburou · « **Reply #241 on:** July 02, 2018, 11:51:56 am »

Thanks for the update Jeff, I was wondering what you were doing. Always impressed with your grasp on what is blooming and and what is blooming soon. Are you feeding your NUC?

yukonjeff · « **Reply #242 on:** July 02, 2018, 01:52:47 pm »

Thanks Lee. Since I have no local beekeepers here, I have to figure the foliage out by watching what they are working and when,and I don't have a real job, so have the luxury and time to being able to follow bees around all day. lol

Yes I have been feeding the Nuc. They got all drawn comb so don't have much to do now but collect nectar and pollen.I found that giving them four frames sure speeds up the Nuc process, and looks like they will be a full size hive by fall.

Also I am wondering about my second year queen, how long can they lay and be productive ? I want to make a new queen as soon as I can . I am waiting for the Nuc to put out some drones so the hive wont interbreed, still not a lot of drones yet, just started seeing some in fact.

This queen has been awesome, she lays full frames, and use very little stores,I stole four frames of brood last year, they had seven extra frames of honey this spring after a long Alaskan winter. and survived a new beekeepers bad judgment calls.
I would say she is a keeper and want a daughter of her whenever they can make one.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #243 on:** July 02, 2018, 02:23:52 pm »

I just discovered this little Gem on another thread. Thanks Apisbees, I have to try this.

quote author=apisbees link=topic=7888.msg96547#msg96547 date=1529122310]
Put a frame of brood in a super above a queen excluder with an top entrance to the rear and the bees will draw out a queen She will mate and be back in the hive laying up top then combine and the young queen generally takes over the hive.
[/quote]

Will they swarm ?

riverbee · « **Reply #244 on:** July 03, 2018, 12:41:24 am »

"Also I am wondering about my second year queen, how long can they lay and be productive ?"

jeff, it depends on many variables.....for me......... as long as they are productive with no problems i keep them and do not requeen as recommended.

in the past, i have had queens that layed well for 4 years and hives very productive. i do not requeen unless i see a problem or a failing queen.
you will know when you have a queen problem.

ps. keith is a wealth of information!

yukonjeff · « **Reply #245 on:** July 03, 2018, 01:40:48 am »

Thanks Riverbee, four years, Its is good to know they can lay that long.

I am not planning on re-queening this year, I just want to save her genetics in another hive in case she don't make it through winter, or I kill her somehow.

efmesch · « **Reply #246 on:** July 03, 2018, 04:28:43 am »

Quote from: yukonjeff on July 03, 2018, 01:40:48 am

I am not planning on re-queening this year, I just want to save her genetics in another hive in case she don't make it through winter, or I kill her somehow.

Your plans seem to be solid! Expecting two years of good laying is very reasonable. The third year can start to be "iffy" and being ready with another, younger queen to replace her in case she starts to fail is wise. Though 4 years can be attained, like Riverbee says, it can also be risky and without reserve queens for replacement at the first indication of failure, can leave you in trouble.

riverbee · « **Reply #247 on:** July 04, 2018, 12:28:55 am »

jeff, what efmesch said is well stated. ef is a very experienced beek and is also a great wealth of information and knowledge.

like you i also like to capitalize on the genetics of an existing queen. you are not exactly able to get queens when you need them.

4 years is not real common. those queens for me were born and bred in wisconsin........

yukonjeff · « **Reply #248 on:** July 22, 2018, 01:21:28 pm »

Thanks RB
My next goal is to make a queen or two someday.

Well the Fireweed flow is on here. mostly wet weather so far, but fingers crossed they make enough honey to last the winter, and a little extra for me would be nice.

The Fireweed has blue pollen.

gibb · « **Reply #249 on:** September 09, 2018, 05:12:24 pm »

Jeff any updates?
Jim

yukonjeff · « **Reply #250 on:** September 10, 2018, 01:22:58 am »

Sorry been busy commercial fishing all summer and just finishing up.

Well my Nuc is strong and in three deeps, so I am back to two full hives going into winter, no honey this year we had wet weather during the flow and they hardly were able to put away more than they needed for brood. so I broke even anyway.

I treated with MAQs in June and will do a OAV here later next month I think.

Few pics from the summer.its fall here now.

Local bees on Hemlock. The amount of Bumbles here is amazing. Many colors too, black,red,white,yellow.

Fall pollen source, these are a local medicine plant. I don't know the English name.

Not sure what these are but they put out a little nectar.

I am open feeding now. the other beekeepers don't mind

Will do another last inspection soon and see if I need to feed more, and get them wrapped for winter next month.

Hope you all had a great beekeeping summer.

gibb · « **Reply #251 on:** September 10, 2018, 08:27:57 am »

Thanks Jeff, you have a knack for pictures and stories, was missing your updates.
I was in 1 of my hives yesterday and found the marked queen so was very happy.
Started the 2 to 1 feeding to get them ready for winter.
The golden rod here is almost finished, we had are first major frost.
Jim

yukonjeff · « **Reply #252 on:** September 10, 2018, 01:43:26 pm »

Thanks,
I am trying to pack these two with all they will take for the long winter while its still warm. We just had our first frost two days ago too.
And I am putting pollen patties on them since they have none coming in now, not much brood either,they both pretty much slowed down laying .

I am hoping they both make it through winter, or I will have to fly in and pick up bees next spring, expensive bees then.

Good luck with yours

yukonjeff · « **Reply #253 on:** September 21, 2018, 01:47:19 am »

Well I robbed two frames I had my eye on all summer, since it looks like they will have enough to overwinter now.

The queen laid right up through them though, all hatched out now.

Pretty much Looks, and taste the same as last years.

I put the wet frames back on the same afternoon and fed.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #254 on:** September 21, 2018, 05:26:38 am »

That's beautiful honey. Great color. Thanks for posting pictures.

Lburou · « **Reply #255 on:** September 21, 2018, 09:49:44 am »

Nice looking bounty you have there! Are you more confident than last year going into winter?

yukonjeff · « **Reply #256 on:** September 22, 2018, 03:20:16 am »

Thanks BD it has a very unique aroma and flavor, I get a lot of positive comments from those that tried it.

Lee
I feel confident going into winter now, but of course any one of 100 different problems can crop up. I feel my overwinter set up will work again just fine, I totally believe I would of had both big hives make it, had I been watching of the sugar brick consumption closer.

I think I could use a medium,or shallow for a shim and fill the space with bricks and never worry about it all winter. These two hives are in better shape than last year, as far as stores.

As always I learned a few things this year. One was to make my splits big enough so I don't have to dink around with struggling small Nucs and can go right into winter having a full size hive in there deeps.

The bottom deep is pretty much empty and not really needed in most places, I think its advantage for keeping the hive off the ground in winter, I don't think it matters if there is drawn frames or undrawn in it.

I will pull it off in the spring again when not needed anymore.

I am considering trying the single deep for the honey flow ,so I can hopefully rob more someday when we have a good summer, and good spring flow.

Lburou · « **Reply #257 on:** September 22, 2018, 10:32:26 am »

Good news on your bee status Jeff. Have you checked for mites?

If you would allow me, let me build on your thought of using a medium super for feeding over winter. If you place the empty medium on top of the honey super, then place a newspaper on top of the frames, you can pour granulated sugar directly on the paper. If you design it right, it could be Job done for the winter. It is possible to add sugar during winter using this technique as well. HERE is a video showing one way to do it. Your design can vary according to your mood. Your results may vary. HTH

yukonjeff · « **Reply #258 on:** September 22, 2018, 11:34:54 pm »

Lee , I have been treating blindly, I need to do a sugar roll yet. I treated with MAQs in late June,and the plan was to do another treatment, but getting cool out,see if it warms up again and might do one more.

Also considering to hit them with the oxy sometime, but hate to get it in my supers. They are now pretty much broodless now.

I think I got the sugar brick feeding down and I feel its a step up from mountain camp feeding. I can add bricks easy enough, and take the extra out in the spring without a mess, no sugar sifting down through the frames, and no newspaper pieces all over.

I find broken sugar brick pieces piled up is better than a big brick,as they can work up through the cracks, rather than just from the edges.

Lburou · « **Reply #259 on:** September 24, 2018, 11:32:37 am »

Jeff, I haven't done many mite counts lately either. But, I do use oxalic acid vaporization. there is a new device out called the EASY VAP, developed in somebody's garage. It looks promising, see it HERE.