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Any of you keep bees in a cold climate? We're below freezing pretty much November to March, and snow depth builds to around 4-5'
I'm concerned about hive placement, does the bottom of the box just need to be above snow depth?
How much will one hive consume over a cold winter?
I really want to do this, I'm just being cautious due to our climate.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Any of you keep bees in a cold climate? We're below freezing pretty much November to March, and snow depth builds to around 4-5'
I'm concerned about hive placement, does the bottom of the box just need to be above snow depth?
How much will one hive consume over a cold winter?
I really want to do this, I'm just being cautious due to our climate.
Click to expand...
Find a local bee keeping group. If you're on the book of faces there are groups out there that share experiences from all over. In the winter people feed their bees 5:1 sugar to water, basically fondant. I'm feeding mine 1:1 right now because it's decent out and we have or had a nectar flow.
 
I was thinking the slower hive had a second box also. It is best to wait until they are about full, before adding any more room. I had a nuc like that last year. I made a split with a brand new queen. They accepted her, but she was just slow.
When I did my first hive inspection this year, she was in overdrive. Are you manipulating the frames any, meaning move the undrawn frames around so they will draw them out.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Any of you keep bees in a cold climate? We're below freezing pretty much November to March, and snow depth builds to around 4-5'
I'm concerned about hive placement, does the bottom of the box just need to be above snow depth?
How much will one hive consume over a cold winter?
I really want to do this, I'm just being cautious due to our
Click to expand...
I have seen plenty of hives in Buffalo and up around red lodge. They had 4 hives together in a space, that appeared to be the size of a normal pallet.
 
No, I centered them in the hive at the first inspection and then haven't moved them. They have IIRC 4 frames filled out front and back and half of two more. Maybe they're just type B personality and aren't motivated to kick ass?
 
Try moving them around. I've learned bees like going up, instead of out.. Unless they have brood in them, move them around. That may get them drawing more out.
 
Roktoy829 said:
I was thinking the slower hive had a second box also. It is best to wait until they are about full, before adding any more room. I had a nuc like that last year. I made a split with a brand new queen. They accepted her, but she was just slow.
When I did my first hive inspection this year, she was in overdrive. Are you manipulating the frames any, meaning move the undrawn frames around so they will draw them out.
Click to expand...
That works well, they will generally start in the center and work out, so you move the center ones to the outside.

Aaron Z
 
Welp, were gonna be bee keepers.
Just bought a starter kit at Bomgars and ordered 3lb (10,000) Russian honey bees from an apiary in Cheyenne Wyoming. The Russians winter well, we need that due to our very long winters.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Welp, were gonna be bee keepers.
Just bought a starter kit at Bomgars and ordered 3lb (10,000) Russian honey bees from an apiary in Cheyenne Wyoming. The Russians winter well, we need that due to our very long winters.
Click to expand...
Do these Russians have a green card, not illegal aliens.:flipoff2:
Congratulations.
 
PXL_20210530_011435666.jpg
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Welp, were gonna be bee keepers.
Just bought a starter kit at Bomgars and ordered 3lb (10,000) Russian honey bees from an apiary in Cheyenne Wyoming. The Russians winter well, we need that due to our very long winters.
Click to expand...
i assume you will be getting a queen too.
so you are starting with a empty hive.
they will need lots of food. since you will have none.
 
jeeptj19992001 said:
hope you are not planning to sit the hive on saw horses
place hive enter south south east.
block the northern side from the winter winds.

i seen whole hive die of starvation with plenty of food in the hive.
Click to expand...
Nope, just painting it.
Yes, getting 3lb of bees with a queen. Got a good spot picked out with shelter from wind (though we don't get much here).
I'm considering putting the hive in the greenhouse with an exit against the house wall but I can't find any info on people doing it that way.
 
What? Wyoming, no wind? Maybe you're just used to it and any breeze under 30 mph you don't notice anymore.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Nope, just painting it.
Yes, getting 3lb of bees with a queen. Got a good spot picked out with shelter from wind (though we don't get much here).
I'm considering putting the hive in the greenhouse with an exit against the house wall but I can't find any info on people doing it that way.
Click to expand...
can over heat the hive if it gets too hot in there.
 
If you are just starting with bees, get a minimum of 2 hives, preferably 3. That way you can pull resources from a stronger hive to give to a weaker one.

Helped a guy out today transfer a swarm from a catch box to a hive box. He left this catch box for over a month, which is way too long and the bees were booming. Don't be like this guy! LOL

PXL_20210529_160509543.jpg
 
Wife picked a brood box, medium honey super, queen excluder, screened bottom with mite counter, gloves, and log book. I just got the boxes painted. The main hive box is set and waiting for our NUC to show up.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Any of you keep bees in a cold climate? We're below freezing pretty much November to March, and snow depth builds to around 4-5'
I'm concerned about hive placement, does the bottom of the box just need to be above snow depth?
How much will one hive consume over a cold winter?
I really want to do this, I'm just being cautious due to our climate.
Click to expand...
There is a guy in the UP where we ride that has hundreds of them. He drives them all over the East Coast pollenating. He had a Jeep way hung up. We pulled him out and he gave us a bunch of honey and a quick tour.
 
That is awesome. Just remember, you start to smell bananas. They are pissed off.
 
Added supers today. These were NUCS not too long ago. We’re probably going to have to harvest in July... likely will have a swarm as well.

garden is going gangbusters. Some of the fruit trees are producing for the first time. And a bunch of crimson clover went to seed.
Related? Possibly.
 

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The neighbor needs to hook into city sewer to sell her house and she's coming through my yard to do it .... right through where I need to set up my hives. It occasionally floods and the sewer is right by the highest part of the yard where I feel safe putting them. Given how late in the year it is I've postponed starting this summer. Just going to mentor some locals this summer :frown:
 
My mentor and I caught a swarm of bees today. They were on a mailbox, right on the side of a major four lane. We split them in them into 2 nucs. I have the queen, luckily i have a drawn comb, bee bread and honey to give.
This late, they may not make it. Also have 3 new queens, i will need to make a few splits this weekend. Going go place them on some cotton and corn.
I hope to have some honey to rob also. The rain here in north Alabama has knocked a dent in the harvest. I got lucky and got five and half cases of honey from the 3 supers.
 
I requeened my one hive earlier this week. I stole one frame of brood and honey from the other hive. I hope it works.
 
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