Oh, it's cold, but those bee's are still buzzin!

[rubeehaven2]

I just got my computer back, so can finally look at the bee posts again! 

It's been pretty darn cold out there, and I've been seeing quite a few dead bees at the entrance area of both the new hives.  So, I went out and placed my ear up to the hives and felt some relief when I heard the deep buzzing inside.  This is my first winter with bee's, so I keep wondering if I should have done anything else, but so far so good.  I feed them quite a bit in the late fall, right up to mid November or so.  And, haven't done anything since.  They have two full deeps, so should have enough food stored, but if I were to supplement, how would I do it?  It's too cold to open the hive even for a short time!

Anyhow, I am also preparing a top bar hive for the spring, so would like to buy a local nuc come early April as well.  If there are any Hudson Valley, NY bee keepers out there that can help me just let me know!

It's good to be back!

Thanks, Rich

[Joe D]

Rich down here I can feed sugar syrup any time.  I know you can't and this doesn't help but it will put you back to the top of the pile.  Blue bee and some others mix up a sugar ball I think and give theirs.  maybe some one from your region will give you an answer.  good luck    I think we all sometimes wonder if we have done enough or the right thing for our bees especially when we can inspect them.



Joe

[Parksguyy]

Rich,
I have one weak hive I've been feeding plain old sugar ... its called the Mountain Camp method ... just pour a bunch of plain sugar onto the top of the inner cover.  You can also make up some fondant and make cakes and place them on top of the frames under the inner cover.  But you will need some mild weather for that ... tomorrow its suppose to go up to 10 celius around here (mid way between Ottawa and Kingston) ... I plan on adding some cakes then.
Good luck
Kerry   

[rubeehaven2]

I just found out a new bee supply store opened up just a couple of miles away. I was actually planning on opening one, since the nearest was almost 2 hours away!  Well, there goes my planning, but the close shop will save me a lot in gas money!  (They will be selling packages too.)

Thanks for the advice.

Rich

[MTWIBadger]

Did you insulate your hives? I find screwing 2 inch foam insulation to the outside of the hive relatively easy to do. 

[rubeehaven2]

One of the hives is a 10 frame bee-max hive, and the other is 8 frame traditional wood.  I did strap 1.5 inch foam insulation around the wood hive, and put foam on top of them both with bricks holding it down.  I put some sugar water on the front feeders yesterday.  It was in the mid 40's yesterday and got close to 60 out there today, but the bees haven't touched the food at all.  I believe tomorrow will be around 50, and then back to the 20's and 30's over the weekend.  I didn't get a chance today to check on them.  Just too busy! 

Looking forward to spring!

Rich

[Jim 134]

Bees go up for food in the winter time NOT down.



     BEE HAPPY Jim 134

[Jim 134]

This may help you


CATSKILL MOUNTAIN BKPRS CLUB
 Carol Clement
 Heather Ridge Farms
 989 Broome Center Rd
 Preston Hollow, NY 12469
 Phone: 518-239-8319
 Email: HeatherRidgeFarm@aol.com
 http://www.catskillbees.org/
 
CENTRAL NY BKPRS GUILD
 Hannibal, NY
 15479 SR 104
 Martville, NY 13111
 Jill Rice
 Phone: 315-564-3093
 Email: jillr0@hotmail.com

 CHAUTAUGUA BKPRS ASSOC
 Samuel Radicella
 9251 Mina Cemetery
 Sherman, NY 14838
 Phone: 716-761-6394
 Email: radicell@cecomet.net
 
EMPIRE STATE HONEY PRODUCERS ASSOC INC
 46527 County Route 1
 Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
 Hans Junga
 Phone: 315-482-6438
 Email: hans@castletv.com
 http://eshpa.org

 FINGER LAKES BKPRS ASSOC
 Mike Griggs
 179 Benjamin Hill Rd
 Newfield, NY 14867
 Phone: 607-564-0656
 Email: mhg3@cornell.edu
 
GOTHAM CITY HONEY CO-OP
 Address: www.gothamcitybees.com/learn.html
 Email: Gotham.Beekeepers@gmail.com
 www.gothamcitybees.com
 
LONG ISLAND BKPRS ASSOC
 Joanne Thomas
 Email: president@longislandbeekeepers.org
 www.longislandbeekeepers.org/
 Schedule: www.longislandbeekeepers.org/schedule/schedule.php

 ONTARIO-FINGER LAKES BKPRS ASSOC
 Sam Hall
 169 East Gibson
 Canandaigua, NY 14424
 Phone: 585-394-7279
 Email: samhall@Rochester.rr.com

 SOUTHERN ADIRONDACK BKPRS ASSOC
 David Wood, Pres.
 2785 Baptist Rd.
 Middle Grove NY 12850
 Phone: 518-882-9759
 woodmarr@nycap.rr.com
www.adirondackbees.org
 
SOUTHERN TIER BKPRS ASSOC
 Broome County
294 Ostrum Rd
 Kirkwood, NY 13795
 Sue Garing, President
 Phone: 607-775-5041
 info @southerntierbeekeepers.org
 http://www.southerntierbeekeepers.org
 
WESTERN NEW YORK HONEY PRODUCERS ASSOC
 P O Box 873
 East Aurora, NY 14052
 www.wnyhpa.org

 
        BEE HAPPY Jim 134