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Author Topic: Would this be normal entrance traffic?  (Read 1770 times)

Offline combover

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Would this be normal entrance traffic?
« on: May 20, 2009, 03:21:07 pm »
In my Hive visit yesterday, after changing the reducer to the bigger setting the day before.  Hive 1 was crazy with activity.  Really not sure if robbing was taking place?  I didn't see any "fighting"  on the deck.  And it seemed to die back after a few minutes and looked similar to hive 2, my hive next to it.  Is this normal bee numbers going in and out?

Is it time to just remove the reducer altogether??  Or should I just wait and see how the inspection goes come Monday?





« Last Edit: May 20, 2009, 03:39:01 pm by Robo »

Offline dgc1961

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Re: Would this be normal entrance traffic?
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2009, 03:54:31 pm »
Looks normal to me.  What time of day was this?  Usually around 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. the new bees have there orientation flight.  This can be a mad house for a little while, then everything calms down after that.

I worry if I don't see much activity.
David C.

Offline BeeHopper

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Re: Would this be normal entrance traffic?
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2009, 04:10:56 pm »
If this is an overwintered hive and you're in the midst of a good nectar and pollen flow, remove the entrance reducer.

Offline combover

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Re: Would this be normal entrance traffic?
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2009, 04:55:55 pm »
Yeah it was around 3 pm.  SO that is what I was probably witnessing. 

And these are both newly installed packages on april 19th.   They did stop hitting the feed hard and I took it away Saturday.  They have capped honey on frames in the bottom hive body.  That enough to tell one the flow is strong?    With the numbers seen there, are they ready to have the reducer removed?

I did mess up their routine too.  the hive reducer is a bit short and there was a gap on the left side they were using for an entrance.  well when I turned the bigger gap I moved it over enough they couldn't go in that way.  caused a bee jam immediately.   even the next day they would fly to that corner and then walk right and go in the new entrance.   I could not believe the amount of bees that got in that jam just seconds after making the change.

This is all new so seems about every encounter with the hive I have more questions.  HAHA run right in and look at my lessons in beekeeping books but it sometimes doesn't have the answer.

« Last Edit: May 20, 2009, 06:13:40 pm by combover »

 

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