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Author Topic: Warmer Weather Ahead  (Read 4310 times)

Offline tefer2

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Warmer Weather Ahead
« on: January 07, 2013, 05:42:44 pm »
for all you Michigan beekeepers. This weeks weather is going to be close to 50 degrees by Friday.
Should be a great time to check those honey balls, candy bricks, and mountain camp sugar.
I really thought that we were to have our normal winter this season. Sure seems like a repeat of last year, no ice fishing again. Darn it all.

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2013, 04:59:20 am »
Wow, I’m seeing mid 50s on Saturday.  The bees will be pooping up a storm it is gets that warm.

I'll finally get to peek in on my other mating nucs and see if they're still alive or not.

Offline danno

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2013, 09:17:46 am »
we have 3 -4 inches of ice up here Terry.  No driving on it but they are walking everywhere

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2013, 09:39:24 am »
We had a few inches here, 4 people fell through in just a few days. What a bunch of idiots. The ice will be long gone shortly. We can always jump in the truck and find ice somewhere up north.

Offline Joe D

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2013, 09:53:04 am »
Feel for you fellows, by this weekend our lows are to be in upper 50's, with high in the upper 70's.  It had been colder or rainy for a few days, yesterday was nice, girls were going every where.  Good luck to you and your bees.




Joe

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2013, 11:02:28 am »
It's easy to see who's alive and who's not when we have this warm of temps. A walk around the hives to mark the ones with no activity. Hope I don't find any!

Offline danno

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2013, 12:55:42 pm »
when I find mid winter deadouts I load them up right then and there.  Take them home and take them apart looking for problems.  99.9 % of the time I find a patch of bee's head down in cells.   I clean up the frames best I can and store them away for next spring.   All frames of honey are stored seperate so I can divide them up for spring splits

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2013, 09:17:40 pm »
 I load up the dead outs when I find them too. Sometimes there is no answer, a bunch of maybe's.
Should not be the weather this winter though. Eating themselves out of house and home more like it.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2013, 11:00:43 am »
Today will be the last day of this warm weather. Let's hear what you all found in your bee yards.

Offline AllenF

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2013, 11:20:02 am »
Should get to 73 today here.  (dang global warming)  I got some pics this morning of bees on some flowers feeding like mad.   

Offline asprince

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2013, 12:52:38 pm »
If we don't get some cold weather soon, there won't be a peach in the Peach State this summer.


Steve
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Offline bailey

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2013, 03:33:56 pm »
Transferred a nuc today. Every forager coming was loaded with pollen.  Loving this nice warmer weather.
Bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2013, 05:18:17 pm »
Been driving around from yard to yard today. It's warm enough for every hive to be flying. If there is no traffic today, they are dead for sure. All full size hives have not been into the candy yet. Still seems to be some weight to them. About 70% of the double decker nucs are picking at the candy bricks now. Only found 3 dead outs today, bringing my total so far to 6. The strange part is that we have only lost one nuc. I normally lose about 30% of them. Today was sure a teaser, hope mother nature will let us have some tree fruit this year.

Moots

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2013, 12:28:46 pm »
Bailey-
The girls in their new home.  The ride home with the two Nucs was uneventful, which is a good thing!  Got them in place around 10:00 Saturday night, I took this video of them yesterday morning.  As soon as the weather permits, I'll transfer them to a hive box like we discussed, but it's looking like that might be a while.

My first Bees!

It was a pleasure meeting and doing business with you, thanks again for the time you took to share your knowledge.

« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 12:45:43 pm by Robo »

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2013, 02:15:18 pm »
Moots, sounds like Bailey hooked you up. I like the 2x6 hive stand, that's the way I build them when they are at a fixed location.
 Were back to snow and cold weather here today. I just thank mother nature for the break in our winter weather.

Moots

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2013, 03:59:19 pm »
tefer2,

Thanks for the props on my hive stand, I was pleased with how it turned out.



I used a 10 foot length...My plans are to start with 3 hives.  I went with a modified Langstroth design on my medium 8 frame equipment, putting the hive entrance on the long side instead of the narrow side.  This will cost me a little more space on my stand, but I bought the argument that it puts you in a better, more comfortable position for working the hives.  That still allows me a little room for growth, I can fit four hives leaving 12 inches in between boxes, or five hives leaving 5 inches of space between each hive.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 04:33:07 pm by Robo »

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2013, 04:06:29 pm »
I keep 5 hives on my 8 footers side by side. Work them from the back with no problems. I cement 4x4s into the ground for supports. They can get heavy with 3 supers a piece on them.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #17 on: January 14, 2013, 06:06:22 pm »
Are those nuc boxes from Bailey? Someone did a nice job on those too. Everyone always says, the bees don't care what the hive looks like. But, the beekeeper sure does. Great job! :th_thumbsupup:

Moots

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #18 on: January 14, 2013, 06:23:51 pm »
tefer2,
No, I built those...Thanks!  :)

While doing research, I figured at some point I would need a Nuc box, so I built those two.  It worked out perfect for picking up my bees from Bailey when I found out he had a couple Nucs available a lot sooner than I expected.  Currently I'm mulling over the idea of doing an observation hive at some point, but figure I need to get my feet wet first and learn a few lessons dealing with the basics.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Warmer Weather Ahead
« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2013, 06:35:29 pm »
I hope you have some swarm traps built and ready to go. You folks have an early season down there. Does it really ever stop? Wish I was in some heat today. I'm freezing my tall off up here.

 

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