5 dead bees

[Hivemaker.]

There is another on the IBRA site,between 10k...20k....
I have noticed that the carniolans often winter with quite a small cluster, compared to say the buckfasts.

 

[Hombre]

. . . Brood rearing starts soon after the winter solstice – initiated by increasing day length..."

Whew: thought I was having early onset memory loss.

We'll all help you look for it if you haven't found it yet

Levity aside - In a hive with a solid floor and a small entrance, who or how is this increasing day length communicated? by the ability of bees to fly and return with pollen etc. given that it's effectively pitch dark in the hive?

 

[Skyhook]

Just been out to my hives today given the weather window reached a balmy 3 deg c.

I removed the mouse gaurds on each hive and raked out the dead! (max 50 per hive)

There can be quite a build-up which could block the entrance.

Also gave a few of the hive a bit of my home made fondant, dont think I will make it again though. Have some pre made stuff coming next week.

Same here: except that when I started raking, some bees came down to investigate and I was worried about damaging them, so I only swept half. That only yielded about a dozen, so I was quite happy with that. Also, weight has only gone down about 200g in a fortnight.

 

[Vergilius]

Also, weight has only gone down about 200g in a fortnight.

Skyhook,

Is this seriously accurate hefting or use of some sort of scales?

Ben P

 

[Poly Hive]

The bees are aware of day light length and it is the bees who persuade the queen to lay.

PH

 

[Skyhook]

Skyhook,

Is this seriously accurate hefting or use of some sort of scales?

Ben P

I wish I was that good! I bought a set of digital luggage scales (about £12 I think they were), and I've got a strap made into a loop laid under the hive. Pick up the ends of the strap, hook onto scales, lift until it just comes off the stand.

 

[kazmcc]

I think I better go and check the girls then. I've pretty much left them to it since I put the fondant in, except to lean a board up against the entrance last week. I didn't notice any dead bees behind the mouse guard though. It was a very sad sight to see no activity whatsoever. My first winter with the girls, it just seemed abandoned. We are treating in Jan so I'll just have to hold out until then to be reassured, you all know I worry lol

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I didn't notice any dead bees behind the mouse guard though. It was a very sad sight to see no activity whatsoever.

Thinking about it, you are correct that, yes a few dead bees but it reasuring things are OK.

Also noticed yesterday a lot more uncappings on the ground that had fallen through the OMF.

 

[kazmcc]

Thinking about it, you are correct that, yes a few dead bees but it reasuring things are OK.

Also noticed yesterday a lot more uncappings on the ground that had fallen through the OMF.

Our floor under the hive is like a sandy grit so it makes it difficult to see what lands underneath. I must put something under it to make it clearer to see thinking about it.

 

[Jimmy]

"Most mature colonies will enter the winter with 30 – 50, 000 bees. The population will dwindle to 10 – 15,000 bees by early spring (beginning of March).

PH

Working out a daily death rate (I know it won't be so simple) based on a minimum reduction of 15,000 over 6 months it's about 83 a day.
Quite pleased now that when I looked at my hives this morning* there was only one hive out of 6 where I had to unblock the entrance.

* b**tard woodpeckers had got between the chicken wire and hive so I spent a chilly half hour pinning thick black plastic sacks to the crown board as a secondary deterrent.

 

[Vergilius]

I think I better go and check the girls then. I've pretty much left them to it since I put the fondant in, except to lean a board up against the entrance last week. I didn't notice any dead bees behind the mouse guard though. It was a very sad sight to see no activity whatsoever. My first winter with the girls, it just seemed abandoned. We are treating in Jan so I'll just have to hold out until then to be reassured, you all know I worry lol

Put your ear to the hive. The sound of the bees reassures me after a cold snap in winter.


Ben P

 

[Dishmop]

I found that when I poked around and dug out a few dead bees, the others woke up, "wha's happinin man?" came out to have a look, landed in the snow and died.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I found that when I poked around and dug out a few dead bees, the others woke up, "wha's happinin man?" came out to have a look, landed in the snow and died.

They can now be included in this online Memorial service, along with the original five dead bee's,dear departed.

 

[nonstandard]

I found that when I poked around and dug out a few dead bees, the others woke up, "wha's happinin man?" came out to have a look, landed in the snow and died.

And the moral of the story is........

 

[Dishmop]

And the moral of the story is........

Thou shalt not poketh

 

[Silly Bee]

And the moral of the story is........

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[nonstandard]

Thou shalt not poketh

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

It took me years to figure this one out and I still have to sit on my hands sometimes

I'm really struggling at this in my first year as a beek, but I am distracting myself with some hive construction and refurbishment projects.

 

[Dishmop]

It took me years to figure this one out and I still have to sit on my hands sometimes

Wear boxing gloves... Stops you fiddling with things.

Stay away from temptation.

 

[kazmcc]

Thou shalt not poketh

Yes lol, I would love nothing better than a quick peek in there, but when doing things like putting the fondant on I get really protective and hurry, I don't want them chilled. I just want them boxed and left alone. Bees know what's best and we haven't taken anything, they are good bees and did their stuff well I think imho, well, from what I know about this stuff

 

[Skyhook]

It took me years to figure this one out and I still have to sit on my hands sometimes

I'm really struggling at this in my first year as a beek, but I am distracting myself with some hive construction and refurbishment projects.

I was really pleased that I had some things to do with the bees this weekend- check fondant, check weight of hive, clear dead bees.

Took about a minute and a half, bored again now.