Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: How old is your oldest colony?  (Read 2737 times)

Offline danno

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2283
  • Gender: Male
How old is your oldest colony?
« on: September 18, 2012, 12:54:26 pm »
I have one that is going on its 6th winter.    It is the last one of 5 packages from Georgia.  It has swarmed a few times that I know of

Offline mikecva

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 983
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2012, 01:17:00 pm »
I am rotating the brood frames every 4-5 years. My oldest box was about 20 years old until it got a funky smell one year in mid summer so I moved the frames to new boxes (after a good inspection) and destroyed the boxes.  -Mike
.
Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results.
.
Please remember to read labels.

Offline danno

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2283
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2012, 03:34:25 pm »
I dont mean how old is your equipment.   I mean colony.   I'm happy with this 6 year old and as always they look good with a low mite load and good stores going into winter .

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2012, 04:32:59 pm »
I sold a hive 11 years ago. 9 years ago the guy divorced and gave it to his son.
6 years ago his son divorced and sold it to a friend of mine.
2 years ago I bought it back.
It is a Wayne's bees queen and has never been treated for mites.
It weighs about 150 lb. now and is ready for winter.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline dfizer

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 289
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2012, 10:42:18 pm »
My oldest one, well actually three, is almost 7 months old but I'm hoping it makes it through the winter and I have bees in the spring!!!
 :)
David

Offline AllenF

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8192
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2012, 11:10:43 pm »
I am thinking I have a few in the 4 to 5 year range, but I just can not think which to where.   No where near that wayne's bee hive of Iddee's.   That hive may be the cause a lot of divorces btw.

Offline schawee

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 977
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2012, 11:31:46 pm »
i still have my first hive i statred with ,it in it's ninth year.
BEEKEEPER OF THE SWAMP

Offline Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2012, 10:09:40 am »
Back in the golden age of beekeeping (mid 70s to the mid 80s) I had a couple that lasted ten years.  But then, when they swarm is the old location still the same colony or is the new location the same colony?  I can't say about the new location as I don't think I caught ALL the swarms...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline mikecva

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 983
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2012, 02:05:36 pm »
Sorry about the equipment answer, I guess I was thinking of the age of the workers (3 months) and the age of the queen (2-3 years) making a colony 3 years at most.  :buttkick:

I have had hives on a single stand last 3 years to about 17 years. Some have swarmed and several were re-queened by my choice some by theirs. I hope this is what you were looking for.  -Mike
.
Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results.
.
Please remember to read labels.

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2012, 09:44:51 pm »
MB, I have always heard the expression, "A colony casts off a swarm". So I would consider the colony stayed at the old location and the swarm went and formed a new colony.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Finski

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Gender: Male
Re: How old is your oldest colony?
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2012, 02:59:47 am »
.
I renew queens every year and couple of queens live 2 years. (clipped wings in spring).
I join part of hives and  mix them. I bet that 2 years is maximum to me.
.
Language barrier NOT included

 

anything