Hive debris

[Jonnyl]

One thing i did notice today being a newbee. When i took the foam from the entrance to replace the mouseguard. Some started coming out, nothing odd there, but jings the size of some of the bees! They looked like drones, really fat. I suppose thats good but i was taken aback a little.

 

[Millet]

One thing i did notice today being a newbee. When i took the foam from the entrance to replace the mouseguard. Some started coming out, nothing odd there, but jings the size of some of the bees! They looked like drones, really fat. I suppose thats good but i was taken aback a little.

They don't want to be looking like drones.. winter bees are no different to summer bees visually ..

 

[Jonnyl]

Millet. I don't doubt what you say and i demur to established experience but i swear, two or three of those bees were goliaths. There were a dozen or more to compare against, not that i needed to because they were without doubt bigger and more robust in every sense. I actually baulked for a moment. I am inexperienced and i am new but i know what i saw. They were bigger, noticeably bigger. Any other thoughts from anyone? Thanks for all your input btw. Very much appreciated

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any other thoughts from anyone?

Wait for someone experienced and knowledgble to comment

 

[Millet]

Wait for someone experienced and knowledgble to comment

Well go on then crank answer it..but then again don't bother the lala juice is obviously flowing..

 

[Jonnyl]

Hey! Listen fellas the last think i wanted to promote was an argument. Well not in that sense anyway. I think perhaps we should end this thread. Thank you to all of you for your help. Invaluable.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Madge]

... Some started coming out, nothing odd there, but jings the size of some of the bees! They looked like drones, really fat. I suppose thats good but i was taken aback a little.

In a healthy queen-right colony most - or all - drones are chased out of the hive in autumn.

Seeing drones now - at best - can mean the workers tolerated a few to overwinter. But it might mean the queen has become a drone-layer, or that they’re queenless.

You’ll have to wait for spring to find the answer.

 

[Millet]

Hey! Listen fellas the last think i wanted to promote was an argument. Well not in that sense anyway. I think perhaps we should end this thread. Thank you to all of you for your help. Invaluable.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

The thread does not need ending Jonny through the usual suspect poking and trying to belittle people..

All the books say that the winter bees live longer in winter which they obviously do...they also say the bees fatten up which they will but the difference is minute and hard to see with my eye balls..i am into my fourth winter with the bees and i have never noticed any difference..i do however notice a difference with one hive this winter..it is fairly light in weight and has had a varroa problem for a while even after many treatments..i am also seeing more drones than i would like to see around one drone per 10/20 workers which says to me the 2018 bought in Queen has not been mated properly and will likely fail this winter..nothing can be done with the colony now so it is in the hands of the gods till the weather warms up..

Regarding the feeding fondant comment previously you have done no harm they are better of looking at stores than looking at nothing..any added feed can be removed come spring if they do not use it and likewise brood frames full of stores can also be removed and replaced with empty drawn comb..you are better with a hive with too much stores than too little..

 

[For want of a better word]

One thing i did notice today being a newbee. When i took the foam from the entrance to replace the mouseguard. Some started coming out, nothing odd there, but jings the size of some of the bees! They looked like drones, really fat. I suppose thats good but i was taken aback a little.

As bees do nothing invariably.. them fat ones could have been drones... did you pick one up and see if it had a sting?

Bees do vary in size, generally from colony to colony... sub species to sub species... I have not seen size variation within a colony, even in mongrels.... colour yes... size.... will look more closely!

Nadelik Lowen

 

[Karsal]

Gave all my colonies 1KG of homemade bee candy in November. Some colonies chucked it all out the front entrance and through the OMF floor in less than a week.
Using fondant now and it seems to be OK.

If it's not what they want or need they just throw it out.

They know best

 

[Buzzlodge]

Millet. I don't doubt what you say and i demur to established experience but i swear, two or three of those bees were goliaths. There were a dozen or more to compare against, not that i needed to because they were without doubt bigger and more robust in every sense. I actually baulked for a moment. I am inexperienced and i am new but i know what i saw. They were bigger, noticeably bigger. Any other thoughts from anyone? Thanks for all your input btw. Very much appreciated

I had a hive like that last winter, plenty of fat drones right through until february. It worried me as everybody I asked suggested that I had queen problems.
Actually it turned out to be the opposite, a very strong colony. Because of the long winter, I didn't get to open them until the third week of April, but then I had eight frames of brood!

 

[Murox]

Whatever it means there is nothing to be done right now. Write down and record your observations, be patient and make an assessment in spring when you can look properly without causing too much disruption or harm.

and have a Happy new Year.

 

[Karsal]

Whatever it means there is nothing to be done right now. Write down and record your observations, be patient and make an assessment in spring when you can look properly without causing too much disruption or harm.

and have a Happy new Year.