Beekeeping it’s the bee’s knees

I started feeding our colonies a little pollen two days ago - warmer than normal weather has the hives active but nothing is blooming yet. The bees were raiding my bird feeders so I decided to try to get some pollen instead. I've only been putting out about cups a day and that seems to keep them away from the bird seed. Once we get some blossoming, I'll stop the pollen.

 

First year beekeeper, just getting thru winter with 2 colonies. Have 1 deadout so I cleaned it out today. 3 frames of dark capped honey. Did the scrape method. Found pollen in the sealed capping. Is that normal ?

 

Yes some time the pack it full of pollen the honey on top, some times it’s pollen they don’t like and cover it up. Could have saved some frames and made a couple nucs from them to cover your loses

 

I love pollen, it is giving them a building block early to prime the engine, just remember they will brood up better and may try to swarm earlier then normal.

 

Swarm trap caught one today, watched them hang in the tree 40ft up for 5 days. Finally came down

 

Thx I did save a bunch of frames to use later. I'm gonna set some swarm traps around town

 

Try the double nuc and put 5 frames in the top. If you have swarm commander use it it works . My brother just called me the one I leave at his house just caught a swarm. #4 for the year

 

Thx for the suggestion, unfortunately I didn't keep my nuc boxes and I don't have extra equipment. Hopefully the pot traps work

 

If you have some bees wax put in in the top so the smell of the old hive is in there. I melt my wax in a thrift store crock pot and buy a thrift store hole spoon or a fish fry spoon add comb and water melt it pull out trash and let harden do again to clean. I also do it in the garage after the kitchen incident wax every where wife mad,

 

Well how’s everyone’s spring going

 

Not good. 1st year beekeeping, getting thru winter, both colonies looked like they were ok in March. Since then, 1 deadout, 1 very weak. Checked yesterday, queen and maybe 100 bees. I don't think it's gonna make it. I don't have access to any donor hives.
Gonna be setting swarm traps later in May

 

Been bee keeping 3 years now, Seems hit or miss with the poor summer blooms, 1 die off , 2 swarmed and gone. This last hive is doing pretty good,

 

swarm time is coming, did you feed over winter?

well you can split to make some more or just let the one build up.

 

Yes they were fed all fall, with fondant on frames overwinter. There was lots of stores in both hives. Cold didn't break all winter and early spring was a shit show here. Also treated for mites during last Sept. I think it was so cold they starved as they could never break cluster to move. Do u think the queen with 50-100 bees will survive

 

I have tried Italians, Russians and carolinas, the carolinas did well and did a split, one half did well the other bailed. The Russians made it through winter with much honey but the queen didn't spool up so most of the bees bailed. 200 bees left with no queen on 18 lbs of honey.. kinda weird.

 

Eh that’s a tough one, if you put them in a nuc they may make it,

 

I find that bee in smaller hives do better , but keeping bees in south way different then up north, any time I have had a abscon it’s because the bees have to much room and not enough bees

 

Here is a guy in Canada that keeps everything in a 10 frame . Great videos
https://youtu.be/YjyNcyVvbEI

 

Hung 3 swarm traps around town at friends placed with lots of beekeepers around. Losses are bad around here.
First time trying this. I'll keep ya's posted

 

That’s awesome I got 3 swarms this year