LONG HIVE is ALIVE!

[T Beek]

Went into winter w/ 3 colonies (2 in Lang's and 1 in a LONG HIVE) and worried all winter due to the weird weather which caused an over-consumption of stores due to over active bees who should have been in cluster. 

The LONG HIVE had seemed lifeless since December (couldn't pick up a single buzz w/ my stethoscope) so when I fed the Lang's w/ dry sugar in mid-January I ignored the LONG.

Well, yesterday we got above 60F and all three hives were happily buzzing around, removing dead and sampling the pollen sub I put out.  Of the three, the LONG is 'booming' already and the one Lang that was suffering with dysentery a month ago has pretty much recovered. 

I noticed no drones at any of the hives as yet  8-)

The ten day forcast for Northern Wisconsin is calling for more 'above' average temps so we may get the early Spring my bees need to get a leg up after this strange winter, but it appears I've had a 100% success rate with these 3 colonies of bees, a FIRST for me :). 

In observing my bees yesterday they all appeared to be heading toward an 80-100 acre bog across the road, likely seeking out the 'prized' SKUNK CABBAGE about now, which I've found 'blooming in snow' in February during past years.  Our Maples, Poplars (popples) and willows are just starting and even the apples are showing signs (that could be a bad thing if temps drop into the teens, not uncommon right now) of budding out. 

Everything seems to be about 5-6 weeks early and still could spell disaster if the weather turns (we can get snow into May). 

C'mon dandelions!

t

[FRAMEshift]

That's wonderful news Thomas!  I'm especially happy to hear about your long hive.  Did you have the screened bottom open or closed this winter?

[Michael Bush]

Apparently they forgot to tell you that horizontal hives can't survive in your climate... too bad... ;)

[T Beek]

FRAMEshift;  I haven't used a SBB for my LONG HIVE as of yet, just an adjustable upper and 1/2" lower hole entrance on one end.  I've had them survive 2 (severe) winters before in a LONG, up until last years Spring visit from a big OLD black bear. 

The only modifications made for this past winter to my LONG HIVE was 2" rigid insulation on top and bottom. 

My Lang's have SBB, closed up tight all winter. 

Things are looking very well for my desire to expand this year.  With 2 packages and 2 NUCS still to come in April, to be added with three of my own winter survivors. 

I'm in beek heaven right now, having just inspected my bear fence  ;)

Can you all tell how thrilled I am?????????  8-) 8-)

t

[BlueBee]

Well, yesterday we got above 60F and all three hives were happily buzzing around, removing dead and sampling the pollen sub I put out.  Of the three, the LONG is 'booming' already and the one Lang that was suffering with dysentery a month ago has pretty much recovered. 

 X:X X:X X:X Cool!  I've been pondering a LONG here in Michigan but haven't built one yet.

Maples around here just started to bloom this week.  The girls are now bringing in tons of pollen.   I haven’t seen any drones yet either.  I haven’t pulled any frames yet to see how the brooding is coming along.  We’re supposed to be WAY above normal temps this week, so I’ll probably pull some frames and see how they’re doing.

[luvin honey]

That's so exciting!

My 3 long hives also survived winter, are loaded with honey (??), seem to be bringing in nectar (or is it only my syrup?) and pounding in the pollen.

I share your excitement and am happy for you!

Rather than start another thread, may I ask when other beeks think topbar/long hive splits should be made to prevent swarming in this early and warm spring? Or is it WAY too early, assuming we could have a long cold spring yet?

[FRAMEshift]

may I ask when other beeks think topbar/long hive splits should be made to prevent swarming

I don't think long hives are so different from Langs, but since I only have long hives now, I guess I shouldn't try to make comparisons.  :-D 

What you could be doing now is adding frames to the broodnest to keep it open.  That will prevent the "crowding" type swarm.  But eventually the bees will probably do a "reproductive" swarm so just adding frames to the broodnest may not be enough.  We usually get swarms when there are about 15-20 deep frames of brood.  So if you want to do a cutdown split to prevent swarming, that might be a good time.  Some hives in North Carolina might reach that stage by early April and others might not get there until late May.  And some hives won't swarm even if you never split.

[luvin honey]

Thanks for the answer!

DH is remembering the swarms every year and advocating for feeding bars into the broodnest already. I only got to the broodnest on 1 hive and it's only 4-5 bars. I think it's way too early to add bars into it. Spring could still be cold and long... I did add a couple into the honey storage area.

[FRAMEshift]

DH is remembering the swarms every year and advocating for feeding bars into the broodnest already. I only got to the broodnest on 1 hive and it's only 4-5 bars. I think it's way too early to add bars into it. Spring could still be cold and long... I did add a couple into the honey storage area.

Yes, sounds like it's too early to be adding bars.  We usually do a BBEBBE pattern starting when there are seven or eight frames of brood.  (where B is brood and E is an empty frame).  Once you get up to 10 to twelve frames of brood you can do a BEBEBE pattern if the weather is warm enough.  That gets you up to twenty frames total.  Before those are full it will be time to split.

It's good to add drawn comb if you have it in the first round of opening because it may be too early for them to draw comb.  If you add drawn comb in the second round keep a close eye on the hive because they can fill up that comb quickly.

I think you already know that opening has to be done carefully so that you don't get chill brood.  And I'm not sure opening the honey section (checker boarding) helps in a long hive.  I think that only works if the honey section is directly above the brood nest.

[luvin honey]

That all makes sense. And, yes, I chilled my brood once by doing BEBEBE and learned that lesson quite well.  :roll:

My only question is where the bees will put their brood. It appears the first 4-6 bars have brood, then everything else is nearly packed with honey. It seems impossible after winter, but that's what I'm seeing. So, will they eat out the honey to make room for brood? I imagine there's normally a lot of empty space in spring...

[bee-nuts]

I just stopped by a yard long enough to see if they found pollen and did they ever.  I love it when they look like they are carrying little bombs lol.  It must be skunk cabbage.  74 degrees here with 70s in the forcast for the next 7 days!  They will raise a ton of brood now.  I just hope we dont get a cold spell, that could spell disaster.  But with a week of 70s it will be almost april and by then I think we will be almost out of the woods so hopefully this will be a year for the record books for honey production.  I am in great shape this season and will have to watch for swarms by mid april and thats not a joke.  Year before last when this happened I had swarms first couple days into May after I had already made splits from the swarming colonies a few weeks before.

I hope there is not a queen shortage this spring, that would suck big time.

[FRAMEshift]

It seems impossible after winter, but that's what I'm seeing. So, will they eat out the honey to make room for brood? I imagine there's normally a lot of empty space in spring...

Brood rearing takes lots of honey.  Most of the honey they have as they go into winter will not be used for survival but for raising spring brood.  

[BlueBee]

I‘m surprised (and a little worried) about how strong some of my hives are too.  I decided to add a super to this Jumbo brood box today to give all these dang bees a place to roost at night.  This hive is Carniolan and is a little hotter than my Italians; possibly because there are so many bees.  Very dark bees.  I have another Carniolan that is very gentle, but this jumbo hive is more aggressive; hence my black rubber gloves and full jacket  :-D

[T Beek]

Cool responses  8-) and cool pics BlueBee, it appears you are at least a month ahead of me as we have 'no green' at all yet.

I love my LONG HIVE (its soooo easy to work) and also plan on building some more w/ my Grandson this year. 

Last years bear visits really set me back but this will be a good year for my bees, I can smell it. 

With a LONG HIVE you can use the frames from other hives if using the same size frames, including Lang Hives.  I use all mediums so they are interchangeable, ala Michael Bush  8-).

Swarming may very well become an issue for my LONG HIVE, because it only has 36 frames (put it to winter bed with only 10/12 brood frames plus 10 w/ honey/pollen) so 'if' this weather keeps up I estimate that I'll be making a split of that colony by the first week of April (the only way I know of to keep them from swarming, since I don't add supers to my LONG HIVE).

t