Tucked in for Winter

I did a quick trip out to the Island today to wrap the hives and install mouse guards at the entrances for the winter. Sunny with temperature about 45 F so a few bees came out to express their annoyance at my intrusion. This will be my last check until March or April when I do my first Spring check and start feeding if necessary.

Going into winter I have seven hives - two survivors from last year, two nucs from this spring (by far the strongest) and three of the many swarms that I captured and combined over the summer).

Fall Honey Extraction

Even more honey from two of the hives. Got about 28 pounds from one of the older hives plus one of the new ones. Not quite as dark as the August honey but still quite dark. I had eight more supers that were not capped so left them for the hives to rob out for winter - if I had been able to wait a few weeks I would have gotten up to 50 pounds more.

Thanks to Lucy Weaver and her friend for helping uncap the frames and spin the extractor.

Summer Honey Extraction

Finally getting some honey this summer. I pulled six frames from one hive (one of the two new ones from nucs this spring) and extracted in our kitchen - bottled about 18 pounds of very dark honey - I assume from goldenrod. Thanks to the Meacham twins for helping spin the extractor.

Swarm at Tysons

I received a call from Anne Tyson about a swarm that was buzzing through the Tyson yard on its way somewhere. My brother and I searched the front side of the island down to the dock and finally found it - in a tree next to Tyson's of course. I put out a few swarm traps and they settled into one after a day or so.

Hived it in the bee yard and they seem to have settled in so far.

Third Swarm

After two days of heavy rain, the third swarm totally ignored the nuc under which they were resting, and took off. After checking the likely spots (Murray shed, Meserves roof and Donnelly's shower) I checked my remaining swarm trap at the top of Farm Hill and sure enough they have moved in! I will give them a week or two to get going building comb and queen laying, and then will move back into the bee yard. So will be up to seven hives (two survivors from last year, two new from this spring's nucs, and three swarms).

Most supers are empty, but one hive has filled out one of its supers, which weighs about 30 pounds, so will be organizing an Island extraction party in a few weeks.

Fourth of July - Swarm Season

After over two straight weeks of rain, on the first sunny day one hive cast of a number of swarms and bees disappeared like shrimp at the Fidelity Christmas party. One swarm conveniently settled into a nuc in the bee yard and I moved into a spare hive. Second swarm is in a swarm trap - I will let them settle in and then move to another (my last) spare deep. Third swarm has not decided where to go but now is under a third nuc across Farm Hill road with no intention of moving in. Heavy rain in the forecast so will wait until it clears up to figure out what to do next.

Pulled three frames from the super from one hive, and had an extraction party (first!) at our house. Got six pounds of honey, bottled and labelled with my brother's label design, primarily for adding to a special Cushings Island beer that my neice's fiance (professional brewer) is making for a fundraiser. This super has lots more so I will schedule and Island extraction party in a few weeks.

Bee Yard Update

I have been checking the four hives in the bee yard and all four are thriving. The two new hives from this spring are growing quickly. Found some swarm cells in one, which I removed but will likely not be able to dissuade this hive from swarming. I have four swarm traps scattered around the edge of the yard, hopefully giving them a closer choice than the Murray shed.

Moved the hives onto platforms that with two per section - easier to work and finally level.

May finally get some surplus honey in one of the new hives, which has already filled out two deeps.

Two New Nucs

Today I picked up two new nucs from Overland Apiaries to replace two colonies that were moused out over the winter. I had the timing perfect - pick-up, parking, water taxi, truck waiting at the dock on the Island. The one flaw in my plan - the water taxi captain was very allergic to bees and was pretty concerned. Managed to sort it out - he stayed closed up in the cabin and I kept watch on the nucs.

Got the two nucs in place just as the rain started, so will install them tomorrow.

March Inspection

Another off-season visit to the Island to check on the candy board success and feeding. Relatively warm in the 50s, sunny and finally no snow on the ground!

It looks like two of the hives have made it so far - one fairly busy in the mid April warm-up and the other showing some signs of life. I had cleaned out both empty hives in preparation for new nucs to arrive in May, and mice moved into both and made nests. I shooed them away and put in entrance reducers to keep them from returning.

I put out one more empty hive in preparation for any spring swarms so all five hives are in place - two currently occupied and three empty.

Preparing for Spring

Only one of the hives seems showing signs of life, so I ordered two nucs from Overland Apiaries - Russian/Carniolan with a bit of Italian in the mix. Also two replacement queens due in June to replace the Carniolans introduced two years ago. If I lose three hives I will make a split from the one hive still going.

Made up candy boards and will feed once the weather warms - currently only up to the mid thirties this time of year.

Winter Inspection

I did a quick trip to the beeyard to check the hives, with mixed results. One hive had a number of dead bees in front in the fresh snow, up to about 15 feet out - a mix of mortuary duty and I think a number caught in the cold on cleansing flights - the good news is the hive is still going. The other established hive had a snowdrift covering the entrance, which I cleared, and the new hives from this past spring I do not think ever got strong enough to make it through. I will be feeding fondant as soon as the weather gets a bit warmer.