Checking Weak Hives

[@gene-sloca]

You will get 2 semi's next year for sure. Love your videos. Appreciate you sharing.

[@rudolphdavis2387]

Hope you get everything together and you can get two loads to California we are closed together im just south Geneva in Florida i got eighteen hive right now it hard work .

[@Chris-AZbeeguy]

It's definitely sounding like you have a wayyyy to picky broker. Yes, there will be shortages this year. Horror stories everywhere with hives dying or flat disappearing. Question though. Why not move the cluster rite next to the feeders? Bees Definitely work better with it rite next to them. Another thing if you have time. Condense the singles and stack them over a bigger hive. I usually stack a couple queen excluders together on top of a big hive. Shake a litter baby powder on top to change a little pheromone. Almost always, the bees from the bigger hives will equalize into the smaller hive. Helps queens start laying with extra bees and heat. Plus makes a 6 framer turn into an 8 pretty damn fast. Just my humble 2 cents.

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@Chris-AZbeeguy That's a great tip thank you! I've never tried that before but I have plenty of these crappy singles to play with. I'll try it out!

[@sidelinerbeekeeper]

I have a question for ya, I rely on pollen sub even on a good pollen flow to help boost the bees to build up. Sub has 60% carbohydrates, and most of their carbohydrates are supplied by the sub unless the bees get really good flying weather and then burn through the stores. Only then do I feed 1:1 sucrose. Carbohydrates are energy for the workers, and so little is used to feed larvae. If you don't have stored pollen in the comb, and I mean a lot of it, they are living hand to mount without feeding sub. Surviving hand to mount no colonies will explode in growth. Without an abundance of proteins, queens will shut down like the one you pinched. So my question is, why do you think syrup alone builds bees, and why don't you use proteins?

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@sidelinerbeekeeper I don't think syrup alone builds bees they absolutely need surplus protein coming in. I just don't think the research for pollen subs is very strong when it comes to demonstrating increases to brood rearing. With the exception of course that there is no natural pollen coming in. In my area natural pollen is almost year round and there is typically stored pollen in the brood nests with the occasional exception. Hives here don't take pollen patties very well and most of it is wasted or your colonies will get devastated by hive bettles breeding in the patties. I think pollen patties have their place in specific no pollen situations or a cold climate but I don't find myself in the place very often. Plus the added expense, time, and labor make the return on pollen sub investment close to zero for me. I'm am 100% convinced that the dry pollen sub does absolutely nothing to increase brood rearing and the pollen patties are hit or miss depending on the brand. It's a personal choice and I know people who do use pollen sub regularly but myself personally have had no benefit from using it.

[@sidelinerbeekeeper]

@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog thanks for the reply.

[@lester3836]

When I run a hive and a half, I put the medium on the bottom.

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@lester3836 I'm running a few that way but my broker wanted the medium on top so I'm having to go back and rotate them back.

[@ricksutton2902]

I'm pulling out the second week of february. I'm sending two loads Out to california. I'm down here in frost Proof florida where it's not gonna be as cold. I feel your pain brother.

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@ricksutton2902 Lucky! Enjoy that warm weather!

[@jasonseaward8506]

I thought they were desperate for hives this year. Ive been hearing that they dont have enough hives to do the almonds this year so why are they being so picky?

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@jasonseaward8506 That's what I keep seeing online but I haven't heard anything specific from my broker and at the end of the day he's the one that holds the contract. My guess is they set the bar pretty high and as they struggle to fill the orchards they'll loosen up. I just hope it's not too late for those of us who still have decent hives just a bit small to send them.

[@jasonseaward8506]

@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog I hope it all works out for you and u can send both trailers. Since this deep freeze is going to last a cpl weeks, it's going to be tough to get out of it

[@sidelinerbeekeeper]

Do you have a place clean enough for the wife and I to stay in? She wants to go to Florida on vacation. She can sit in the sun, and I can help with the bees. It's 5 degrees Fahrenheit here, I could use a little warm weather myself.

[@gallowaylights]

Diddo😂

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@sidelinerbeekeeper Haha I guess I shouldn't complain about the temps here too much! That sounds brutal!

[@atlas4225]

You should accept workers with low expectations. ps: stop using corn syrup please

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@atlas4225 Sorry I'm a corn syrup guy all the way! We've had some seasonal help and I'm really happy with the people we found I just haven't been able to offer them a full-time position yet. I know employees can be pretty hit or miss but I think having a second pair of hands around the place would make a pretty good difference.

[@jimallen1176]

What is the reason for the medium box on top vs. on bottom with a one & a half story hives?

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@jimallen1176 Personally I don't see the point in putting the medium on the bottom. In my experience the bees do almost nothing with it and it defeats the purpose of a hive and a half. A hive and a half to me is beneficial because the medium is the one you're cracking open and lifting versus a heavy deep. I find it very hard to tilt a deep box up to look underneath it when there's a medium on the bottom. The only reason I even did it this year was because the hives were weak and the bees were not in the medium. I am going to rotate them back before sending them to California or when the spring flow starts.

[@blackberry5908]

Why would they do that ? It's almost like they don't want you guys to come. They will regret playing games down the line when nobody shows up.

[@WalkintheWoodsApiaryVlog]

@@blackberry5908 If there's a hive shortage over there they'll loosen up the rules a lot. On years where there is a hive surplus they get pretty strict. It's a roller coaster every year.