reserve bees for the spring, do it now!!

[TJ]

I just attended the Fingerlakes Bee Club meeting in Ithaca New York. We talked about many things, but the big and sad message was "A LOT OF BEEKEEPERS ARE LOSING A LOT OF BEES" this winter. Lots of conjecture as to why this year has been so difficult to overwinter bees. Everybody in attendance (20) save one reported dead hives already. One of our members has heard of widespread loss all over the US. One beekeeper in N Dakota found 14 live hives out of 3200 recently. I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but you will all hear it soon enough. If you plan to buy nucs or packages for this spring, I suggest you act now. There will be lots of beekeepers looking for bees this spring. I would like to know if members of this forum are experiencing any losses yet. Go check your hives soon. As for me, I was the one with no losses. Opps, hurt my arm patting my own back:)

[Jerrymac]

I got two more than I had going into winter.

[Beth Kirkley]

My hives did really well. I'm really pleased with it. I don't plan to buy any hives. I have two right now, and plan to do splits.

Beth

[Butterchurn]

Beth,

I like to do splits myself.  Get's expensive to keep ordering packages.  I decide to let my bees create the increase for me.  

Actually, here in Minnesota the U of Minnesota recommends, beginning with a package and letting it build up the first season.  Then in the second season, split it.  Use the parent colony with the old queen as a honey producer.  Take everything from it and kill it at the end of the season.  The split with a new queen you let build up and over winter.  Split it again in spring etc. You always overwinter fewer hives and still get a good honey crop.  Of course if you want to increase the number of hives you have, don't kill the bees in the fall.  This system will also cut down on tracheal mite loads.

Ron

[Robo]

This system will also cut down on tracheal mite loads.

Please elaborate

[Butterchurn]

Robo,

The theory is that when you make the split and put the new hive on a new stand the old workers with the heavier tracheal mite load will return to the parent hive leaving younger bees with a lower mite load in the split.  Tracheal mites infest bees after they emerge as new adults, so the idea is to get most of the mites into the old hive that is being managed for honey and will be eliminated in the fall.

Anyhow, that's the notion.  This is what Basil Frugala and now Marla Spivak and Gary Reuter are advocating at the U of Minn.

Ron

[Robo]

Thanks for the explination