New Years Day visit to all hives

[leominsterbeeman]

I brought down some sugar syrup to my most remote hive - at the inlaws.  We were heading down to see my niece and nephew off before they returned to Norway.    This was a weak hive that I had put together in august from a hive of weak workers, 3 frames from my other hives and a new queen.    I didn't hold out much hope for them but so far so good.  They were still alive and had a lot of activity.    Gave them plenty of syrup and closed them back up.  I didn't plull any frames, but did get a good loook inside with a flashlight between the frames.    

I'm hoping it stays a mild winter.

Other hives were doing good too - some activty on the outside, it was 53 degrees and there were a few ladies taking off.  

Observation hive is still holding on too,  this is a big experiment to see if they can over winter.  Since it was a little warmer, they broke from their tight cluster and did some hive clean-up.  A number of dead bees were in the tube to the outside and they were removed.   Saw the queen too,  I just want to see some eggs and larva soon.    

Come on Crocuses - we need your pollen!

[beemaster]

Everything sounds optimisitic so far, great!

I too was able to observe the hives, both in flight as the temps hung in the mid 60's which I cannot remember seeing before on New Years Day.

I'm hoping this is a sign that 2005 will be a kinder year to us all - 2004 was brutal in so many ways around the globe and it ended with such tragedy.

I tipped the hives and both feel very full and I'm hoping they will be fine into Spring.

___________________

On a very unrelated time-line:

I saw some satellite imagery of some of the tidal-wave devastated islands and main-land and they put into prospective the true destruction the earthquake caused. The death tollonly counts those found in a handful of days time, and does not count those dragged out to sea or buried in the rubble unless of course they have been reported missing, which I hope has been done accurately.

The scary part is when you think of entire families who were lost and they may not be accounted for - not to forget the sick, injured and many who cannot survive the disease in their areas.

God Bless this devastated part of our world and may 2005 and all years to follow be kinder to us all.

[Lesli]

I visited my hive, too, to wish them a happy new year. Of course, they're only 50 yards from the house, so it wasn't a long trip. :)

But we have had unusually nice weather here in Upstate NY, so, seeing as the weather is in the 40s and 50s, I added a quart of syrup for the girls. I noticed only a few dead, and while I watched, a couple of bodies were carried out.

The biggest problem was that the hive was listing a bit--I guess the ground sank under the cinder blocks. So I corrected that with another block. Generally, though, the nive seems strong.

I'm using a SBB, and only essential oils and drone brood removal for mite control.  With the new packages in spring, I'll be putting them on 4.9 foundation for additional mite control.  I'm really, really trying to stay as organic as possible.

[Finman]

This was a weak hive that I had put together in august from a hive of weak workers, 3 frames from my other hives and a new queen.   !

You can help it if you put into hive 6 W terrarium heater. I have just now 3 frame colony with heater and I am sure that they will manage over winter.  My hive is inside fire wood shed. At least you save the queen.  When you gave them old just hatching brood at spring from another hives, it will be soon normal hive. Heater helps that brood may hatch all.

Last winter I had 2 frame colony over winter and it worked  well.