What temp is too cold to open the hive

[polymath]

Here's the method JBM mentions. Demaree

It needs a slight adjustment in my opinion in that if you are looking to expand and get the queen mated in the top box please put the entrance the other way i.e. back of the hive for the top box. Further you can then once you have two mated queens drop the two brood boxes together with a QE between, move entrance back to front and run as two queen hive. Also rather than destroying the QCells in the top box i harvest them put them in mating nucs and do my expansion that way.

 

[Amari]

I also found that a pair of pliers was useful when removing reluctant strips when they have been stuck with wax. I just couldn't get a good grip on one or two of mine with my fingers alone. That was despite me removing the strips after five weeks, scraping them and replacing them closer to the centre of the brood nest.
James

 

[Beesnaturally]

No, but nice try!

A quick fix to manage swarming will not serve you well, and preventing swarming in that way is stressful for bees.

Get ready and revise how to work an AS: read up on it, get spare kit ready, practise before the event.

Reading the moves can make it seem more complicated than it is, but doing it dry will embed the routine in your mind.

Takes only a few minutes in real life, so long as the queen is found; for that, mark her in spring when the colony is small.

I've seen pictures and read accounts of nets being used - and not I think by amateurs, but as an ongoing strategy. As I recall the hives are watch closely for early signs on promising days - presumably those known to contain swarm cells - and nets fitted perhaps just as things get underway.

I'm not sure I go with all this 'stressing' stuff. A branch can break and a colony can fall 30 feet and they just start clearing up the mess and getting back on track.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It needs a slight adjustment in my opinion in that if you are looking to expand and get the queen mated in the top box please put the entrance the other way i.e. back of the hive for the top box.

Absolutely unnecessary manipulation - I do it often and never have entrances facing in opposite directions.

 

[ericbeaumont]

not sure I go with all this 'stressing' stuff

Probably more stressful for the beekeeper!

 

[Xander]

Well, I went in and removed the strips. The pliers suggestion was excellent as they were well stuck between the frames.
Only took about 10 seconds to lift the crown board and pull the strip.
I lost only one bee from the main hive and about 10 from the nuc as the frames started lifting as I was pulling the strip out.
All in all a success.
I took a photo of the cluster before I lifted the board.
Next question, when is a good time to do a vape? I'm thinking mid Feb to give them time to get over the apivar?

 

[Xander]

With regards to catching the swarm before they beggar off I think that's a different thread.
I did see this though and thought it might be useful if I'm really busy with work (I work 70+ hours a week, more if there's a weather event bringing down trees) and don't manage to catch them leaving.
https://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees/adapta-stand/adapta-hive-stand-swarm-trap.htmlI've read about the demarree as suggested and it seems pretty straight forward, the only thing I lack is a supply of drawn comb as this is my first foray into beekeeping and I only have 1 hive + a nuc at present.

 

[pargyle]

More probs trying to get the bees of the cb when it’s cold than them flying at you feeding fondant to 39 colony’s today , still day but cold , rolled out 4/5 kgs inbetween parchment paper direct on the frames under a reversible cb

Mine are pretty much nailed down after a good end to the season and a very good flow from the Ivy - a few litres of invertbee topped them up but not much. What do you think was the reason for yours to require fondant this early into winter ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Next question, when is a good time to do a vape? I'm thinking mid Feb to give them time to get over the apivar?

ASAP when it warms up a little so the bees aren’t in tight cluster.
By February they will have brood so you will have to vape three or four times and you would have missed the broodless window

 

[ericbeaumont]

when is a good time to do a vape? I'm thinking mid Feb

Least likely point at which brood will be present, which is roughly the bottom of the year at the 21 December solstice. Colonies have probably been brooding until recently so end of December and early New Year is a good time to vape, as queens will likely shut down in this freezing spell.

By mid-Feb the colony may be booming with BIAS and vaping won't kill varroa in sealed cells.

 

[Xander]

Mine are pretty much nailed down after a good end to the season and a very good flow from the Ivy - a few litres of invertbee topped them up but not much. What do you think was the reason for yours to require fondant this early into winter ?

I gave them syrup before the ivy flow then after the ivy I put fondant in as I had 3 frames of foundation that needed finishing from when I banked the queen into a nuc in September (as a backup to a requeening due to supersedure)
Just making sure they have plenty of food. They have been taking the fondant, there's a distinct empty patch inside so I guess they must have wanted it.
Edit, oops the question wasn't aimed at me. I'm easily confused

 

[ericbeaumont]

when it warms up a little so the bees aren’t in tight cluster

Good point. On the other hand, if we don't get a few mild days until May, it'll be too late to be effective, so you may reckon that doing it when cold and clustered is still of some benefit.

 

[Xander]

So early New Year it is. In the meantime I'll crack on with building extra supers and a demarree board.
I just have to find a good source of cedar boards.
Thank you all for your advice.

 

[Ian123]

Next question, when is a good time to do a vape? I'm thinking mid Feb to give them time to get over the apivar?

Mid feb is to late, end of December beginning of Jan. Its a good job for the Xmas holidays.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Probably more stressful for the beekeeper!

But think of that nice glass of wine you sip while watching your new colony get itself oriented, and starts bringing in pollen before you've finished!

 

[madasafish]

I usually vape third week December before Xmas,
Never had any varroa issues using that date.
I try to choose a warmish day when some bees are flying - just to ensure bees are not clustered - as this makes vaping less effective (I believe?)

 

[user 819]

Looking at the weather trend down here around 19th - 23rd looks like one might see 6- 8c for vaping, otherwise until then it is looking like Brrrrr weather. No opening for vaping here , all done under the UFE mesh.

 

[Erichalfbee]

On the other hand, if we don't get a few mild days until May,

An eternal optimist, eh?

 

[polymath]

Absolutely unnecessary manipulation - I do it often and never have entrances facing in opposite directions.

But do you look to get the top box mated if yes then it reduces queen loss on mating flights.

 

[drex]

Put varroa boards in and monitor weekly for brood cappings. When there are none that is the time to vvape. Better than beekeeping by the calendar. Done mine here already. Most hives had no cappings, a few had minimal