Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: tbrinck on February 17, 2013, 08:46:07 pm
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The closest place to me to order bees from is hudsonvalleybeesupply. The bees come from georgia and are 1st avaible in late april. Now from what i have read is that bees with northern raised queens stand a better chance of surviving through the winter in NY. So my question is should i order a new queen for the same day the package arrives and just switch the boxes or wait till they are ready for 1st super than replace the queen? Thanks for the help
Tyler
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I am planning on starting with one hive so I want to give the bees the best chance of surving the winter.
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Generally they recommend 2 but thats up to you. Check into a local bee club, you may find bees and a queen from your area. Good luck
Joe
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www.nsqba.com (http://www.nsqba.com)
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I found a local bee keeper thats selling nucs of Minnesota hygienic Italian and new world carnolians. I am leaning towards the Minnesota hygienic Italians. Ive been considering letting them re-queen themselves when the time comes in an attempt to keep their traits, unless I end up not liking them. Would this be a good or bad idea?
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I think you'll have a hard time finding northern bred queens that early, so you would be better getting nothern nucs or just requeen when northern queens become available. I'm not a fan of emergency queens if that is what you are referring to -> http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/can-you-afford-emergency-queens/ (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/can-you-afford-emergency-queens/)
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http://whiteoakapiary.com/ (http://whiteoakapiary.com/)
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Ok so now i have a choice of getting the nuc with either an overwintered queen or a queen from this year with the latter opton avaible a month later. i am looking for the pros and cons of each. Thanks
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The "con" to nucs are really just if the nuc is not on the frame size, or cell size, or comb size you want. In other words, if you can buy a nuc that is the size and comb type you want a nuc is probably the best. But if you want mediums, you have to find a medium depth nuc. If you want small cell, you'd need to find a small cell nuc. If you want a top bar hive, you need either combs that fit your top bar hive. If you can't get these, then a package is the best. The bees will build on the size frame you give them and you'll have bees in the right equipment.
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Are there any disadvantages to getting a nuc with an overwintered queen vs a newer queen?
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Not that I can think of. Most overwintered nucs do very well.
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Thanks for your help :-D
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IMHO, an overwintered queen born in the fall is an advantage. You can see her laying pattern and what her offspring are like, if she over wintered in the nuc, or was pulled with frames from her hive to make the nuc. I would prefer to have a proven queen than a newly mated, unproven one.
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Thats what i was thinking as well, was not sure if the overwintered queen would have a higher chance of swarming in the first year. I am planning on giving the hive a decent amount of space starting with just one deep 8 frame. Once they have most of that filled (I figure pretty quickly) Ill add the second deep 8 frame. Than once that was mostly full I was planning on adding a med super with a queen separator between the super and the top brood box. I am hoping that I can hold their swarming tendencies off till next year, since im planning on starting with one hive. I have been considering getting or making a wooden nuc box or a top bar hive just in case they swarm early. I am planning on getting an additional 8 frame hive next year.
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Do NOT add a queen excluder under foundation. Add the super, let them start drawing and storing, then add the excluder.
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The honey bee evolved into separate sub species during the glacial and inter glacial periods to cope with differing climates. The most northerly sub species (AMM) went as far north as the limit of deciduos trees. I would suggest given the climate of NY upstate (with its decidous forests but cold winters) that you went for either a captured feral swarm, one with a significant amount of AMM or from a supplier who overwinters his breeding stock in a state with a similar climate.
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>Are there any disadvantages to getting a nuc with an overwintered queen vs a newer queen?
Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey, always said a queen does her best work in her second year. I would consider an overwintered queen an advantage in many ways, not the least of which is that she has proven she and her bees can survive the winter...
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new question i can get all supplies needed for 2 deep, 2 medium 8 frame setup, and nuc box for around $280. (including wired frames, embeding board and spur embeder) from a local supplier
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same as above but with pierco frames, and nuc box a little cheaper $277
for a beginner bee keeper which would be better?
I am going to only have one hive to start with till next year, unless they decide they must split before end of year in which case i was going to put them into a nuc box till next spring.
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now its looking like a good possibility that i might be able to do two hives, all 8 frame one with local nuc treatment free, the other with package bees. Planning on requeening the package with a treatment free queen as soon as i can. Figured for protection i was going to be a breeze jacket with veil combo. Was originally going to get the full suit but figured a jacket and veil would be fine, what would i wear for pants to protect from bee stings? Canvas overalls? Still trying to decide between plastic or wired frames.
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Plastic needs experienced beek.
Blue Jeans are sufficient if you protect the ankles.
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ultra breeze jacket/veil combo just ordered :-D
And shall be going the crimp wire foundation
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Good choices.
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Would there be any problem housing a treatment free hive next to a package hive? Was planning on non chemical treatments on package hive untill its requeened with treatment free queen.
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Mites should be no problem on any package the first year. It's the second, and especially the third year you need to worry.
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I wear scrub pants.
Bailey
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Do i need to register anything or get any permits in NY to keep bees in orange/sullivan county?