Been burned too many times putting space on top. Always underneath, surprising how quickly she will push down in the bottom when the top gets filled out with pollen. She can’t lay in comb space she doesn’t have.
Agreed. Dandelions have bloomed and put a super on and they have slowed down. Maybe a mistake this year, but we didn’t want them to swarm. Two box hive. Thoughts?
I keep Asian bees in Thailand. First bees populate one box and I give them one box below and when they build combs in the bottom one I rotate the boxes. So the bottom box goes up. Or even I put one empty box between them to stimulate a qween to move up while giving more space to bees to hang inside. Then after awhile I remove the bottom box for harvesting. I do not use frames as Asian bees make very messy comb structure and connect frames with passages. And if to disturb bees by removing frames for inspection they abscond the hive. Even with such nonintrusive method they are prone to swarm. Swarming and absconding are the problems. Also as Asian bees have more fragile combs they cannot be transported. I use metal rods crisscrossed inside the box to support combs. Yet, only a stationary apiary works for them. European bees are better but they cannot protect themselves against giant hornets and warroa mites. Thanks for your insight. Your technique to add a box below and after awhile to move it up is close to what I am doing. It is a relief to hear that it is all right to do.
I cant tell you how valuable your knowledge has been for me. Your understanding of honey bees in these videos has really helped me understand them. I've implemented some of your techniques with good success since finding your blog. Where do i send the check for your Mentor fees? Your help has been priceless. Thanks again.
Same boat here but colder yet our nights have been below freezing and they are calling for below freezing the next 4 nights yet at this point. My issue is my brooding is about two weeks ahead. I gotta put space on within the next couple days. No choice! Gotta go underneath. possible bright side though. Satellite is showing that the southern advance of this cold front has stopped it`s southward progression. In most cases that means the warm southern fronts are gonna start pushing north. Chances are going to be pretty good that things start to turn around fairly soon. I agree 100% though. This wind could most certainly piss off. I don`t mind wind to an extent but this is damn near 3 weeks straight of cold biting wind.
We're just now seeing blackberry/raspberry blooms starting. Weather has been cold and rainy more than warm, forests are near full leafed except black walnut which are just starting to show some green. Going to be another strange year where the bees fight the shitty weather right into the dearth.
Where are you moving the hives? Also, in my area we use the equivalent of two deeps to overwinter colonies (or three mediums). When the maple bloom either one or two honey supers (mediums) are placed over the colony to collect nectar or they get congested and will swarm at the dandelion (fruit) bloom. I do truly like your single colony system and might try it this winter with a couple of colonies. See if it works.
So true with the temps..n shock n stress, disease..i would use my pliable inner cover over the top of the brood, excluderto keep the brood in the bottom..then add a 2nd box jus to house the excess population...sort of like brood rearing mats
As we can see, you're running single deeps (plus supers). I wonder, if similar stressing factors could occur, while using Dadant/Br.Adam brood chambers. Where I live (W Europe), it's still quite popular solution (or using 2 deeps), despite significant weight added. Btw, you're not the only one with cold weather. We're sitting under rainy, windy, low side of 10°C since a week (one or few similar prognoses ahead).
Thanks so much! I haven’t been keeping track of counts, if you have been telling us, but last summer I think you had 1,500 hives + 200 nucs. But after seeing the merging then this discussion about adding a box then taking a split I got to wondering, how many hives do you gain in a year?
Just wondering why you didn't move the hives to their Spring/Summer site initially when you moved them out of Winter storage? Seems like a lot of work to move them again so soon.
yes I like how you move the hives around yes it is cold here in Alberta does not know if it wants to snow or rain if it does not to that the wind is very cold the farms we have are now in a swarm mod geting very thing ready for planting season lucky the king bee my dad is doing better fall month ago and is much slower then he was the queen bee, my mom, she has great spirits and she is going to help with the last dinner of the planting season I do understand last year we had 1/4 of the corps started to talk off 3/4 was standing my brothers said it was not that bad to harvest it straight combined them will get nothing for the seeds they thinking my wheat did better yes it will be used for cattle feed have a stand I made to sit the bee on outside the beekeeper said he picked them up and they still here first time the bee is in a box too and outside too they were in my walls in one of the buildings I think I pissed him off when the deal was he had no space hives to use and had a hard time finding any at this time I built them for the bees from the bottom board to the top board all of it when it melded he found the boxes sorry you said no boxes to spare I had to wrap the hive up with roll foam insulation I got at a big box store have a thermometer to spy on them that is how I found the hives in the walls
Ian, other than being a pain in the ass with that many colonies, do you think the hive is/would be similarly stressed if you added supers to the bottom, rather than on top?
but understand what stage these hives are in, and the dynamics that are currently going on inside the hive. A packed hive does not instantly mean swarm. Swarm has to do with timing of the year.
Has 1000+ colonies and have never seen a swarm. Canadian bees are superior to any other country's bees due to the vigilance of Canadian beekeepers editing software. You'll never see a Canadian swarm. Mississippi is different.
And genetics, we like to grsft ftom hives that woñl build nest of 6-8 frames of brood in singles before even thinling about raising a swarm cell. By selecting for this trait we can make more and stronger splits to overcome these stresses Ian is referring to. It os amazing how fast a colony can build and progress if you csn just remove those stresses. Thats had to do on a volume that, we operate however. Tim
Been burned too many times putting space on top. Always underneath, surprising how quickly she will push down in the bottom when the top gets filled out with pollen. She can’t lay in comb space she doesn’t have.
That hoist is amazing
Hi, I'll put a sheet of newspaper between the 2 boxes, with a rip between the frames (hive tool) - so they can expand themselves when they are ready.
Agreed. Dandelions have bloomed and put a super on and they have slowed down. Maybe a mistake this year, but we didn’t want them to swarm. Two box hive. Thoughts?
Makes so much sense Ian!!!
I love that easy loader!! I only have fifteen hives but I still want one!! Haa Haa! Nice!!
Having the same issues with the weather here in Ontario, temperature just not doing it yet. Thanks for the great ideas.
I keep Asian bees in Thailand. First bees populate one box and I give them one box below and when they build combs in the bottom one I rotate the boxes. So the bottom box goes up. Or even I put one empty box between them to stimulate a qween to move up while giving more space to bees to hang inside. Then after awhile I remove the bottom box for harvesting. I do not use frames as Asian bees make very messy comb structure and connect frames with passages. And if to disturb bees by removing frames for inspection they abscond the hive. Even with such nonintrusive method they are prone to swarm. Swarming and absconding are the problems. Also as Asian bees have more fragile combs they cannot be transported. I use metal rods crisscrossed inside the box to support combs. Yet, only a stationary apiary works for them. European bees are better but they cannot protect themselves against giant hornets and warroa mites. Thanks for your insight. Your technique to add a box below and after awhile to move it up is close to what I am doing. It is a relief to hear that it is all right to do.
I cant tell you how valuable your knowledge has been for me. Your understanding of honey bees in these videos has really helped me understand them. I've implemented some of your techniques with good success since finding your blog. Where do i send the check for your Mentor fees? Your help has been priceless. Thanks again.
PA Bkeeper
😂 I’m not looking for competition 👍
Just pass the good will forward
Same down here in Ashland WI. Ian. Feeding system back on until they can bring in nectar at a steady rate.
Same boat here but colder yet our nights have been below freezing and they are calling for below freezing the next 4 nights yet at this point. My issue is my brooding is about two weeks ahead. I gotta put space on within the next couple days. No choice! Gotta go underneath.
possible bright side though. Satellite is showing that the southern advance of this cold front has stopped it`s southward progression. In most cases that means the warm southern fronts are gonna start pushing north. Chances are going to be pretty good that things start to turn around fairly soon. I agree 100% though. This wind could most certainly piss off. I don`t mind wind to an extent but this is damn near 3 weeks straight of cold biting wind.
We're just now seeing blackberry/raspberry blooms starting. Weather has been cold and rainy more than warm, forests are near full leafed except black walnut which are just starting to show some green. Going to be another strange year where the bees fight the shitty weather right into the dearth.
I'm glad I live in Florida! :-)
Excellent insight.. Thank you!
Where are you moving the hives? Also, in my area we use the equivalent of two deeps to overwinter colonies (or three mediums). When the maple bloom either one or two honey supers (mediums) are placed over the colony to collect nectar or they get congested and will swarm at the dandelion (fruit) bloom.
I do truly like your single colony system and might try it this winter with a couple of colonies. See if it works.
Warmth and time..trust the process..
So true with the temps..n shock n stress, disease..i would use my pliable inner cover over the top of the brood, excluderto keep the brood in the bottom..then add a 2nd box jus to house the excess population...sort of like brood rearing mats
That so cool 🐝🍯❤
Please give us a date for your videos. Some overlap or seem to not be in order.
As we can see, you're running single deeps (plus supers). I wonder, if similar stressing factors could occur, while using Dadant/Br.Adam brood chambers.
Where I live (W Europe), it's still quite popular solution (or using 2 deeps), despite significant weight added.
Btw, you're not the only one with cold weather. We're sitting under rainy, windy, low side of 10°C since a week (one or few similar prognoses ahead).
What did you do at the end? put sugar water, boards, and straw in a tote for food?
I need that truck!! 😂
What type of wood do you make your bottom board pallets from. Oh hay, won't stop raining here and water is standing all around my hives.... mud
Thanks so much!
I haven’t been keeping track of counts, if you have been telling us, but last summer I think you had 1,500 hives + 200 nucs. But after seeing the merging then this discussion about adding a box then taking a split I got to wondering, how many hives do you gain in a year?
Gordon Hogg the split will take 1/3
I call it the gynodyne. Like in mushroom it’s the mycodine factor.
Could your flexible inner cover be kept between the two boxes & removed later? More work for sure.
being kept between the 2 but with the triangle hole in the center so they can get there when really needed?
Muito bom meu amigo
IS the truck driver movingthat crane or is it smart ROBOTICS A.I.?
Just wondering why you didn't move the hives to their Spring/Summer site initially when you moved them out of Winter storage? Seems like a lot of work to move them again so soon.
Larry Mangan
Larry Mangan
Good question. Snow banks and mud 🙂
It’s also nice to drop a lot in 5 yards as compared to hitting 40
Ian, do you cut your syrup with water or feed it straight. I have heard all different ways to feed syrup. Thank you for your thoughts.
Rustbucket
You gotta watch fermentation when cutting syrup
yes I like how you move the hives around yes it is cold here in Alberta does not know if it wants to snow or rain if it does not to that the wind is very cold the farms we have are now in a swarm mod geting very thing ready for planting season lucky the king bee my dad is doing better fall month ago and is much slower then he was the queen bee, my mom, she has great spirits and she is going to help with the last dinner of the planting season
I do understand last year we had 1/4 of the corps started to talk off 3/4 was standing my brothers said it was not that bad to harvest it straight combined them will get nothing for the seeds they thinking my wheat did better yes it will be used for cattle feed
have a stand I made to sit the bee on outside the beekeeper said he picked them up and they still here first time the bee is in a box too and outside too they were in my walls in one of the buildings I think I pissed him off when the deal was he had no space hives to use and had a hard time finding any at this time I built them for the bees from the bottom board to the top board all of it when it melded he found the boxes sorry you said no boxes to spare
I had to wrap the hive up with roll foam insulation I got at a big box store have a thermometer to spy on them that is how I found the hives in the walls
Ian, other than being a pain in the ass with that many colonies, do you think the hive is/would be similarly stressed if you added supers to the bottom, rather than on top?
Lucas Fletcher
Nope, not at the least ,
But they don’t do what I want when put under
Super
I thought you said spring feeding is a waste of money?
maiden ladee
Nope
If my hives (in Pennsylvania) were packed like your stronger ones are, they would be getting ready to swarm.
but understand what stage these hives are in, and the dynamics that are currently going on inside the hive. A packed hive does not instantly mean swarm. Swarm has to do with timing of the year.
Has 1000+ colonies and have never seen a swarm. Canadian bees are superior to any other country's bees due to the vigilance of Canadian beekeepers editing software. You'll never see a Canadian swarm. Mississippi is different.
And genetics, we like to grsft ftom hives that woñl build nest of 6-8 frames of brood in singles before even thinling about raising a swarm cell. By selecting for this trait we can make more and stronger splits to overcome these stresses Ian is referring to. It os amazing how fast a colony can build and progress if you csn just remove those stresses. Thats had to do on a volume that, we operate however. Tim
Mike I do edit, but I think I’ve shown pretty fair representation of what’s going on here
@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog sorry. Got out of line. Bees buzz.
They swarm too I think.
what about dadant ?
two box and will fast ,strong hive
Build carpenter bee nests and save the planet 🙏🐼👀
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Not rambling! Critical information to be mindful of the brood nest and real estate inside.
When you say "cold", how cold it is??
0-4 celcius in Spring
Sub zero at night, cold windy 5’s during day
Shitty weather.
Need warmth at night to expand
Hindi dubd langues
Эх жаль, что не на русском, надо учить английский!
Nji vso po ruskij na Miri, i nji vso Mir ruskij. Uchis anglishij!