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Author Topic: March 9th video  (Read 10377 times)

Offline fshrgy99

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March 9th video
« on: March 10, 2013, 08:49:53 pm »
Just uploaded this film taken yesterday. It's been cold and a series of snowfalls has got everyone impatient for spring. The girls discolored the snow earlier with cleansing flights but I wasn't there to see it. Seeing dead bees in the snow I placed a piece of ply down so the girls wouldn't get so chilled if they touched down. The video was taken in the afternoon when the sun had warmed up the hive. Temperature was about 6 degrees above freezing. Having just one hive (all my eggs in one basket) had made me concerned for their survival. I find it Amazing that I have developed a relational bond with insects!

bees survive winter

Today it was about 8 degrees above freezing and they were VERY active. They seemed to be ecstatic as they hovered in a cloud around the hive.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2013, 10:08:34 pm by fshrgy99 »

Offline Georgia Boy

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2013, 09:31:46 pm »
Very nice and looking good. :)

And COLD!!!!!!

Thanks for the video.

David
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"Never give up. Never surrender."

Offline Nyleve

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2013, 09:53:38 pm »
I'm also in Ontario and had a look at my bees today. I have 2 brood boxes, topped with an empty super stuffed with insulation in pillowcases. I opened the top to remove the insulation and put a couple of frames of honey in for them that I had left from last fall. WELL. They were WIDE AWAKE and one of them didn't like me bothering them AT ALL. I was stupid and wasn't wearing my hood so I got nailed right on my face. I had to dive down into the snow to get her off my cheek! Anyway, I put my hood on (too late), slipped in the honey frames and put the roof back on. Jeepers. Tomorrow if it's warm I may go back and do a proper job of removing the insulation from the hive. I think it's time.

Offline fshrgy99

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2013, 10:07:53 pm »
Ouch! :bee:

Offline bud1

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2013, 09:32:44 am »
just kinda puts a shiver in my liver loking at that video
to bee or not to bee

Offline T Beek

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2013, 09:56:12 am »
Did you notice if they were bringing any pollen in?  If not perhaps some pollen sub placed nearby would be appropriate right now.  With just one hive you might also get away with open feeding nearby as well.  They looked very healthy, maybe a bit hungry though  :-D

This well illustrates a past topic concerning 'regional' differences in weather.  Ontario is getting temps above freezing and N/W Wisconsin, quite a ways south, hasn't seen 40 since our weird warm up in Jan/Feb, followed by deep freeze.  Might reach 33F today.

Someone said they were running sugar maple taps, hows that going in your part of the World?  Are Maples sprouting by you yet?  Ours are still 'tight' waiting for warmer temps, although sap may have been running this past Saturday with sunshine abundant.  We are having yet another crazy syrup season due to wild weather.
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Offline fshrgy99

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2013, 10:26:51 am »
Hey T,
As I 'speak' we're at 7 degrees above freezing and steady drizzle all morning. Snow is shrinking fast but there will still be mounds left by days end. Checked the girls and they're stayin inside but as the snow shrinks I see the mortality around the hive. I know it's a combination of new deaths in the snow and clean out of deaths over the winter but it's still gets my attention.

The forecast is ideal for maple syrup harvesters. Nights this week as low as 10 below freezing and highs around plus 2 or 3. There is no pollen of any kind unless it's in a greenhouse somewhere.

I have a couple of juvenile maple trees in my yard and I will be watching them closely. They usually 'leak' sap in the spring and it'll be interesting to see if the girls indulge.

I had overwintered them with a candy board as a top cover and they have indulged 'real well'. In fact, I was actually surprised at how much they took. I think I cooked up about 5 pounds  of sugar in the fall and it's mostly gone ... maybe 1 pound left.
Did I mention that I also left 3/4 of a medium honey super on top of the 2 brood chambers in the fall? ...so they've been eating.

In the fall I made up some pollen patties from a recipe I found in 'Honeybee' by C. Marina Marchese. I found some in the freezer yesterday, thawed it out and placed between frames in the honey super.

I'm feeding them for now but plan on doing a split  soon after I see pollen. Not sure but I think that'll be coming from tree buds.

The firstlink was from the 9th. Here's one I took yesterday  (March 10th) at plus 8 and sunny.

Bees March 10 2013

Offline T Beek

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2013, 10:57:20 am »
Skunk Cabbage blooms first around here (I've seen it 'melt' the snow where patches sprout), followed by Maples and Willows. 

Then once the Dandelions come, all is good  :) in my beeyard.
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Offline Nyleve

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2013, 11:08:21 am »
No pollen whatsoever in central Ontario. I made up some sugar patties yesterday and will bring them a snack if the sun comes out - I don't like dealing with them when it's gloomy out. Seems to make them cranky. Maples are running well now and, as was mentioned, the weather seems ideal for sap. But as soon as the buds break at all the run will be over so, no, there is no maple pollen yet.

My cheek still hurts.

Offline fshrgy99

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2013, 11:22:05 am »
Hey Nyleve,

If you were stung in the face and localized pain and swelling is the only penalty you're doing well! My buddy had swollen eyes and lips after a forehead sting. Was tested and has been taking tolerance treatment all winter .... so you're doing well!

Guess they didn't like your appearance but you may grow on them!  :-D

Offline Nyleve

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2013, 04:19:27 pm »
I can't blame my bees for the sting. After a long winter of quiet solitude, I'm sure they were shocked to see me open their roof. And I realize that I wasn't being nearly as "zen" as I need to be when working with them. Also I should have had my veil on - so I take all the blame. And yeah, I am lucky that when I get stung it really is only localized pain because I know how much worse it can be. I was just surprised that I got hit on my first visit of the year!

Offline Nature Coast Beek

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2013, 10:58:05 pm »
+1 bud1

Offline jayj200

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Re: March 9th video
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2014, 11:34:26 am »
Can I play in the snow?