Home free?

[ultreen1]

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind me asking but:
Is there a turning point in winter when you could consider the bees home free? Or are there just to many variables to account for so you could never count your chickens...

 

[the beehive lodge]

i think you are home free when the bees decide to swarm they must know that the health of there colony is strong enough to be ok

 

[peteinwilts]

survival through winter, starvation in spring, the june gap, varroa, nosema etc etc... is there really a time when they are considered home free.

after winter, we get more comfortable (hopefully) after the first inspection

 

[peteinwilts]

i think you are home free when the bees decide to swarm they must know that the health of there colony is strong enough to be ok

I trust you have not known a swarm that takes the majority of bees with them?

 

[the beehive lodge]

I trust you have not known a swarm that takes the majority of bees with them?

prevention must be better than a lost swarm

for bees to swarm they must be at there prime

 

[ultreen1]

First inspection and find they've already swarmed! I'm sure that could happen ( depending on weather)

 

[the beehive lodge]

 

[REDWOOD]

In the spring when ever that will be this year, colony expanding and queen laying well usually

 

[BKF Admin]

I use Valentines day as the start of my year,in Hants the snow and worst frost are usually over.

 

[Swarm]

Wow, that's a lot of cards.

 

[dpearce4]

I use Valentines day as the start of my year,in Hants the snow and worst frost are usually over.

Wow, that's a lot of cards.

 

[Skyhook]

Not yet, in spite of it feeling like spring! I would say February is the worst month, when the bees are trying to gear up is when any problems will show. They're starting to raise more brood, so their food use goes up and that's when they're most likely to starve: and if they haven't got a viable queen, they will start to die of old age with no replacements.

I'm always happy to see them thriving at the end of Feb, or the start of spring, whichever is later.

 

[beeno]

Not yet, in spite of it feeling like spring! I would say February is the worst month, when the bees are trying to gear up is when any problems will show. They're starting to raise more brood, so their food use goes up and that's when they're most likely to starve: and if they haven't got a viable queen, they will start to die of old age with no replacements.

I'm always happy to see them thriving at the end of Feb, or the start of spring, whichever is later.

Hi Skyhook,
That is just the senario which I worry about as it will be my first year of overwintering. Also, one of my hives felt a lot heavier when hefting. Is this because they are bringing in water. If so, this would give one a false idea of their stores, wouldn't it? Am I to expect a slow build-up presently or is it explosive?

 

[Skyhook]

Hi Skyhook,
That is just the senario which I worry about as it will be my first year of overwintering. Also, one of my hives felt a lot heavier when hefting. Is this because they are bringing in water. If so, this would give one a false idea of their stores, wouldn't it? Am I to expect a slow build-up presently or is it explosive?

They don't store water, they only bring in enough to dilute stores as they use them. It's therefore very unlikely that hive has put on weight, more likely the other 3 have lost weight faster. Not a bad idea to use scales for hefting- you can get digital luggage scales cheaply, and put a couple of hook in each floor so you can weigh each side. I have 2 cedar hives, one poly, one ply and 1 WBC, so I find it quite difficult to get a feel for what they should weigh.

The build-up won't be explosive, but you certainly want to heft regularly, and you can do the odd inspection if you get a warm enough day- as I did today. I now know their stores are OK, and in the 2 where I was able to easily lift frames, I know there is no brood. I didn't fully inspect the more propolised ones, as I wanted to be in and out quickly.

There is a downside to overfeeding, but it's minor compared with starvation- so if in any doubt at all, feed fondant. If they're a bit short of space later in the season, deal with that then.

.

 

[rockdoc]

My two losses came in March last year just when I thought I was in the clear, so just be ever vigilant.

 

[ultreen1]

Just a waiting game till April I guess! At least I have frames to build and new polly hives to paint!