Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Moots on February 14, 2014, 12:19:01 am
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We've had more than our fair share of COLD weather here in the Deep South this winter, including the last couple of days.
However, the next nine days are looking pretty encouraging! :-D :-D :-D
I'm thinking my bees will be just as excited as I am....
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s664/jeffrobert41183/image_zpsf53a7244.jpg)
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Moots,
It looks like it will be warming up but it also looks awful cloudy. My bees have had a few nice sunny days and were out in full force. My regular hives were actually putting on weight but my observation hive is eating more than they bring in due to the high number of cloudy and rainy days. Some days I see them filling the cells with nectar but over all they are using more than they are bringing in. I am hoping it reverses soon. The top 2 honey frames are now empty and the ones above the brood are 2/3 empty. They are in full development mode with the 2 deep brood frames full of brood. They are bringing in more pollen than they use. If it Doesn't change soon, I will have to add 2 frames of honey.
Jim
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Jim,
I hear what you're saying...I know the forecast may not be perfect, but compared to what we've been geeting, I'm excited. :)
Maybe I'm just an eternal optimist, but I'm not seeing the "awfully cloudy" you reference in this forecast. :laugh:
One Full Sunny day, 5 "PARTLY" cloudy days, which by definition, I prefer to think of as "PARTLY SUNNY" days. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:...and 3 days with no more than a 30% chance of rain.
We'll have to see, but I think the girls will be flying a lot over this period...If so, hopefully they'll be able to find something to bring in to keep pace with their increased needs of stores.
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http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/brainerd-mn/56401/february-weather/333828 (http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/brainerd-mn/56401/february-weather/333828)
Ya you are right. Things are looking up around here too! We are going to get some days above freezing!
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Hey Jim, what are your girls bringing in right now???
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your highs look like ours but your lows are a good bit warmer. still, mid 70's is good. before this last cold snap mine were bringing in a lot of pollen. i think we're maybe 2 to 3 weeks from the population explosion here. i'd be happier if i had seen some drone brood a week or so ago but it may be there now. hopefully i'll have mating nucs started by march 15th.
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At this point I will take your lows for a high. :-D
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WOW...70's ish...........tee shirt and shorts weather........ it looks like our first day above 30 in the last 45 days is coming on Wednesday....
I envy you southern folks
being able to watch the girls/grill with out frost on your nose/ dig your toes into a white sand beach................yep i'v been cooped up to long......
Ok my northern rant is over lol
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Hey Jim, what are your girls bringing in right now???
Chux,
They were bringing in maple nectar and a lot of yellow pollen. If. This were summer, I would say he yellow pollen was Bahia. Not sure what it is. My wife called me yesterday to tell me I need to come home and look at my strongest hive in my neighbor's yard because it looked like it was about to swarm. I checked it and bees were all over the entire front of it and the air was full of bees. This is the hive that I took a super of bees from 2 weeks ago to help another hive. I weighed it and was shocked at how light it was. They used a lot of honey. When I took the super, they had a lot of new nectar. They have been flying like it is the middle of a flow. I lifted several other hives and 3 out of 5 were lighter than they were the last time that I checked them. If the weather is good, I will check them on Sunday.
Jim
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They do use up a lot of resources while raising brood.
I just wish I was having that problem too!
Life in a snow bank is no fun.
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Well, tefer, you can do like my neighbor and move on down. He is from Kalamazoo also. For the next week we are supposed to be in 70's in day and mid 50's at night. Good luck to you with bad weather.
Before this last cold snap mine was bring in yellow, red and green pollen not sure what it was.
Joe
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all I can tell you any forecast in New England that forecast More then 3 to 5 days a head its nothin but Bologna or wishful thinking.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
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all I can tell you any forecast in New England that forecast More then 3 to 5 days a head its nothin but Bologna or wishful thinking.
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Down here, they can't predict what is going to happen today. You would not believe the number of times that I wake up check to forcast (rain) and we end up having a nice sunny day or vise versa. What they cannot predict is the speed these storms are moving. I think it is due to the gulf stream.
Jim
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We usually have a good line about the rain.
If someone asks, "Is it going to rain today?"
We say, "50/50"
50/50?
Yep, Maybe it will and
Maybe it won't.