Author Topic: Brand new hive and keeper--winter returns (Read 2872 times)

Ryan820 · « **on:** April 26, 2014, 02:35:40 pm »

Hey guys, I write this as my bees sit in their box on my deck in the shade waiting to get in to their new home. Today is nice and sunny at 70-75 degrees with occasionally strong gusty wind but not bad by Colorado standards, which always seems to have wind. Tonight weather moves in and the snow line will drop below our elevation in to the valley below. And yes I am certain it'll be windy and out of the north. The hive is in the garden which is protected move than other areas but it'll get pretty nasty tonight and the next few nights.

What would you do for a hive that is new and has no brood or stores saved up but has syrup and pollen paddies?

Can they stay outside? Night temps may be as low as 25 and windy with snow. I have a wire fence behind them that would take a tarp easily enough to block wind. Is it worth doing that or should the hive stay in my garage? I don't like the garage plan but am willing for the new crew.

Bad weather will last for a few days which is not typical for us! It just happens to be nicely timed with my bees arrival....nice!

Looking for advice and input thank you all so much!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ggileau · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2014, 07:14:49 pm »

Whew! I don't envy you. I assume your hive a newly installed package? I installed four packages on 4/5 and ten days later I woke up to two inches of ice and very windy. Mine were on drawn comb which I'm sure helped but they seem to be doing fine! If you decide to leave them out just make sure that the entrance is as small as possible. If you have some Styrofoam insulation you could wrap them and use it again next winter to help them through that Colorado winter. Maybe someone with more experience will chime in.

Vance G · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2014, 09:20:08 pm »

Moving them is a losing game! Frames clunk together and bees get smashed. Bees get disoriented and don't find their way home and the upset caused is just not worth it. If you want to protect them from the wind, that is a good idea. A non flapping quilt or tarp would work nicely for the person with one colony. If you have one of those screened religious icons for a bottom in your hive, covering them would be a very helpful to your young colony struggling to maintain a brood nest at 93 degrees.

Ryan820 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2014, 10:31:21 pm »

Quote from: Vance G on April 26, 2014, 09:20:08 pm

Moving them is a losing game! Frames clunk together and bees get smashed. Bees get disoriented and don't find their way home and the upset caused is just not worth it. If you want to protect them from the wind, that is a good idea. A non flapping quilt or tarp would work nicely for the person with one colony. If you have one of those screened religious icons for a bottom in your hive, covering them would be a very helpful to your young colony struggling to maintain a brood nest at 93 degrees.

Vance what in the world is a screened religious icon? I have a solid bottom board and an entrance reducer in place.

I set up the hive today and will leave them out. I put a large tarp on the prevailing wind side of them and have a heavy moving blanket that I will put over them and tie down. The rest is up to them! They are all inside the hive now, humming along and last I saw they have the quail feeder covered,assuming their eating well.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

10framer · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2014, 11:07:14 pm »

i think vance is talking about a screened bottom board. you'll see "sbb" a lot on here and that's what it means.

Ryan820 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2014, 11:17:26 pm »

Quote from: 10framer on April 26, 2014, 11:07:14 pm

i think vance is talking about a screened bottom board. you'll see "sbb" a lot on here and that's what it means.

Oh ok. It was such an odd reference I wasn't sure.

Ok I wrapped the top and three sides of the hive in a folded tarp and tied it tight so it won't become a sail. The front is open with the entrance and I folded it so it won't give mice a ladder. The entrance reducer is in place. I heard them buzzing inside so I'm assuming they're all busy doing whatever it is bees do at night. The weather has moved in yet but the upslope has started. The humidity is up and the winds are beginning to shift.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steel Tiger · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2014, 11:53:29 pm »

Hopefully it'll warm back up for you soon.

I just hived a package last Saturday. They had a few days to get out but now the temps dropped and we're expecting rain for the next week and 1/2. I was hoping to check for brood this week but now it's going to be on hold. They have a frame feeder, a pollen patty and several frames of honey. Hopefully that will hold them until the weather clears.

Ryan820 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2014, 12:21:25 am »

Ok so that's another question....was told to check out the crew after two days and see if I can find the queen but now we are expecting fits and starts type of rain and snow but fierce wind--40-60 mph winds for the next five days. What a load of cra..... I swear, it's weeks like this I am ready to leave Colorado.

I have a gallon quail feeder holding the syrup for them and a large pollen paddy. The question is, should I still check on them in two days if the wind is as bad as they say and the weather cold (guessing 40-50f)? Or do I wait until the end of next week? My hive has no honey--it's brand new. I'm guessing I'll have to check on them sooner than later in case they need the food.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steel Tiger · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2014, 05:39:22 am »

It probably won't harm them if you're just checking to see if the queen was released. If the queen is already released and you just want to find her, I would avoid doing so.

10framer · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2014, 10:53:11 am »

i'd wait out the weather before i went in if i were you.

Ryan820 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2014, 01:06:10 pm »

Well the weather folks were off... Guess the storm had the best of them and decided to shift by a few miles and now we have had heavy wet snow and rain all morning. I'm not complaining, I live in a highland desert so water is a good thing. Thankfully the wind has not been an issue yet and the hive has been wrapped in a tarp from the beginning on the top and three sides, leaving the front open. It's not on tight so air movement should still be plenty. Thankfully, I built a top box that is pretty large and open where I have put the syrup in a poultry feeder. I haven't been out to even inspect the outside of the hive but there is no way I'll open it with the weather like this today! I should check them tomorrow some time but I will wait to see what the weather is like. With the top board in place I feel comfortable to quickly take out the feeder and refill it if it needs it but maybe the queen inspection will wait for warmer weather.

Even by Colorado standards this has been an odd spring and winter.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ryan820 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 28, 2014, 08:00:06 pm »

So I slid my iPhone in video mode into the hive. You could hear their buzzing but didn't really see bees in the brooder...I have an empty box on the top that contains the syrup with a pollen patty between the upper box and the brooder below. You can hear buzzing in both boxes but more so on the top. Maybe since that is where most of the food is that's where they're staying? Also I have a gallon poultry waterer in there that was about 75% full....and a pollen paddy that was roughly the size of DVD but as thick as a hamburger...how long will it take for them to go through that so that I have to open the hive? It's so stinking cold right now I don't dare open it. It will stay in the 40s and 50s through to the weekend. Can they last a week without re supply for the week?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #12 on:** April 28, 2014, 08:30:02 pm »

I'm pretty new to beekeeping, too, but my understanding is they use the pollen to feed brood and sugar syrup (if there's no honey) for energy to keep warm. If they're balled up to stay warm, there may not be much brood. Someone with more experience could say if the queen is even laying under your conditions. I'd worry about the syrup, but i'd also be concerned that you have too much space there for them to keep warm, so they could starve to death without being able to get to the syrup because that box is too cold. Anyboday want to correct me on that or add to it?

Gary

Ryan820 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2014, 08:47:28 pm »

Thanks Gary, the thing is they do have access to the syrup. Before closing the hive when installing they were already making good on the feeder. I think they're actually in the box that has the food. It got to 28 here last night. Too cold for me but I still hear a strong hum in the hive.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

buzzbee · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2014, 09:48:52 pm »

We have installed packages and fed with quail feeders when overnight temps were in the twenties and daytime highs only in the thirties(Early March). Since there is not much brood early on and the foragers are in house,they seem to gather the syrup and do what they need. Thirties outside leaves it warm enough for bees to move around inside the hive. We checked on syrup once a week.

Ryan820 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 28, 2014, 09:58:50 pm »

Quote from: buzzbee on April 28, 2014, 09:48:52 pm

We have installed packages and fed with quail feeders when overnight temps were in the twenties and daytime highs only in the thirties(Early March). Since there is not much brood early on and the foragers are in house,they seem to gather the syrup and do what they need. Thirties outside leaves it warm enough for bees to move around inside the hive. We checked on syrup once a week.

Wow just once a week... That's good news though because it just isn't nice out and I know exposing them to the cool temps and wind won't be good for them. So you think I should be ok to make it to the weekend, then? Maybe Thursday or Friday it'll be in the sixties safely so I think I'd be ok looking inside then.

I do have a tarp wrapped around the whole hive minus the front which has an entrance reducer. We got wicked rain and snow and wind on Sunday and today... Figured I should buffet the wind carrying all that moisture. The tarp seems to work great... Wind is much less by the hive. As soon as you stand up though you get blasted in the face by a stiff north wind!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

buzzbee · « **Reply #16 on:** April 28, 2014, 10:02:42 pm »

Bees are frugal when they need to be. The feeders we used probably held three to four quarts I.m guessing.They actually were able to build wax on foundation and the queen was able to lay at that.
It wont hurt to pop the top long enough to pull the feeder and refill if your concerned. Just get in and get right out if it's nasty.

buzzbee · « **Reply #17 on:** April 28, 2014, 10:04:28 pm »

I bet they are out foraging by Thursday.

Ryan820 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 28, 2014, 10:04:52 pm »

Quote from: buzzbee on April 28, 2014, 10:02:42 pm

Bees are frugal when they need to be. The feeders we used probably held three to four quarts I.m guessing.They actually were able to build wax on foundation and the queen was able to lay at that.
It wont hurt to pop the top long enough to pull the feeder and refill if your concerned. Just get in and get right out if it's nasty.

I know they're tougher than I'm crediting them. So maybe I'll make a batch tomorrow and quickly refill them. Thank you!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Dallasbeek · « **Reply #19 on:** April 28, 2014, 11:46:02 pm »

Those critters have survived 250 million years without us, so what can they do if we're trying to help them?

Gary