8 replies to this topic

[Mexas Joe]

Today marks out first day into the 70's here in the south. I'm already noticing things budding out and weed/flowers beginning to show up.Time to bust off the hives and check on the bees. I will open them up for a quick inspection, add another super for the spring nectar, and feed/medicate if needed. Any of you other guys with bees getting ready for spring?

[ScottS]

Insane. I think we'll break 50 here today for the first time this year. We can expect at least one more blizzard.I should go out and check how many hives survived. I probably won't feed them for another 3-4 weeks.

[Spoon]

I'd like to do a hive. I have seen honey bees last weekend hitting the dandiloins in my yard. All the trees here are busting loose and pine pollen is in the air. We noted it last night as the picnic table @ the curch we have Scout meetings @ were yellow.I tried to buy a hood off of craigslist but got no answers.

[Mexas Joe]

I got off my lazy hind end today and did a visual check on my hives. I noticed activity outside 2 hives, and none on my other. I went ahead and opened it up and it looks to me like this was a weak hive that starved during the winter. I thought I left them with a 3/4 full super of honey to feed them throughout the short winter. It looks like they were pretty weak to begin with and starved.Scott, do you see any sign of disease? Why is the brood chamber comb so black? I found zero food of any kind for these girls. Why the dead workers inside the comb, I wonder?Queen, it looks like.

[Mexas Joe]

I ordered some replacement bees. I got 3 lbs of "package" bees for 100 bucks plus shipping. I will get them in May. Do you think I'll be ok just cleaning out the dead bees/trash and putting the new bees on top of the old comb? To have a new hive draw out fresh comb really saps their production and strength.

[ScottS]

The comb just turns that color through age. I don't know if the wax itself discolors, or it just gets dirty from the bees walking on it. Regardless, it's normal.I find dead workers in the comb to be pretty normal too. I don't know why they do it.That comb looks pretty clean to me - no signs of wax moths or other problems. If it smells normal, I'd definitely reuse it.

[fatbloke]

The comb just turns that color through age. I don't know if the wax itself discolors, or it just gets dirty from the bees walking on it. Regardless, it's normal.I find dead workers in the comb to be pretty normal too. I don't know why they do it.That comb looks pretty clean to me - no signs of wax moths or other problems. If it smells normal, I'd definitely reuse it.

Well as there's not signs of why the colony died out, then surely, for safety and protection of the new bee's, it'd be better not to re-use the wax......Plus, the technique of just leaving a certain amount of honey for the bee's is frowned on by a lot of bee keepers here. They'll feed them with a sugar solution, which if nothing else, gives the colony something to exist on.....Just my couple of cents worth.......regardsfatbloke

[ScottS]

Two of my three hives survived the winter. We had a week of 60 degree temps way earlier than usual, and all of the trees went into bloom. So it looks like I don't have to feed them like I usually do. Nice, saves me some money and time.

[BeesNBrews]

Been very busy of late.Came through winter with 5 out of 7 hives still going. I am pretty happy with that. I had put on pollen replacement and syrup in mid March; I am looking to do one or two April splits. If you haven't done so yet, let the new bees pull the dead ones out of the comb. If you damage the comb by trying to rake out the dead bees, then they may repair it as drone comb. Just remove the loose bees, the new girls will take care of the remainder.