Combining Bee Hives & Making a Winter Configuration

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

Great point about not overwhelming a colony by giving them a beetle bomb! Great job on the video!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks Greg!!

[@CastleHives]

Can't believe the season is winding down. Next we'll have to look forward to just talking online each week.

[@MikeBarryBees]

I know, it flew by!

[@daisyshoney6021]

Mike, When you place the paper, lay one edge of the paper to the edge of the hive. This way you will have a referance point to lay the top hive. Great videos

[@MikeBarryBees]

Good tip! Thanks. I always struggle with box placement.

[@BugFarmerBees]

You have superman eyes Mike. I would have never seen that queen on the underside of the lid that quickly.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Just happenstance BF. I miss them plenty of times, I can promise you...

[@sherryortiz227]

I had some late little swarms arrive in my yard during hive inspections and some surprise swarm queen cells appear in a nuc, I was sweating the load as I was done queen rearing in August. Worried about getting them mated and built up enough for a wintering nuc. One swarm arrival must of been a mating flight from somewhere but that queen started laying. I didn't want to pull any bees to give her what she needed so today I decided to divide one of my biggest top bar colonies that i had pulled capped from back in July in half. 50/50 with that queen on one end leaving the other end queenless for tonight. Making a screen top bar comb protector to put the other queens brood comb into along with her 1 comb of bees from the nuc. Putting that screened comb into the queenless half of the top bar hive tomorrow. We have 50s at night now here on the east coast but getting 47 for couple nights. Already lost 2 mating nucs during the Nor'Easter we got last Monday after Ian passed us. Instead of combining I'm gonna run 2 queen top bar hives for 2 of the new queens. I haven't done this since my first year of beekeeping with my 1st top bar hive when someone had an extra queen ordered they didn't need.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Hope it all works out as the season begins to end. Sounds like you have a good handle on moving top bars from hive to hive. I always struggled with my one top bar when I wanted to split or manipulate with a lang. Let us know how it works out and thanks for sharing your experience. It's always good so that others might pick up something form what you share...Have a great fall!!

[@taylorboysoutdoors]

Dark queen. Sometimes I feel like a hopelessly queenless colony just gives up. Heartbroken. Had a few so gentle in that shape

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yea, some just don't seem to have the will to want to do well or survive. Genetics I suppose.

[@jimhughes6794]

Hey Mike, you are up early. Beautiful here in Georgia today too.

[@MikeBarryBees]

The mornings have been spectacular Jim!! Wonderful weather with the exception of no rain for a few weeks. Take care!!

[@ThatBeeMan]

13:44 OMG Crazy bees!!!

[@MikeBarryBees]

I have a bunch of them too!!

[@vandubay]

That was a good catch to see that queen on the top. I certainly would have missed it! She was a pretty one!

[@MikeBarryBees]

In the spring I start to get complacent with looking n the lids. You go so long without seeing them there, and then BOOM, I find one....

[@davidlewis4179]

Wow! And I thought I was the only one to use a small piece of wood on an angle for an entrance reducer! Love it. I've been enjoying your videos as of late. For several months now I've had the HillCo website book marked. Pulled the trigger on purchasing the 18 frame extractor two nights ago no thanks to your videos 😉.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks for the channel support and glad you enjoy the videos!! Yep, if I use whatever I need to to get the job done at times. I've used bricks and grass as well. You will really like that extractor. And the support form HillCo is superb!!

[@brucesbees]

Another really good video Mike!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks Bruce!

[@russellkoopman3004]

Thanks MIke for the good advice not to combine hives if there are problems. Glad you finally cooled off a bit. Have a good week.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks Russell and you're welcome!! I know you guys are cooling off quickly these days.

[@rehmangusandapiary9024]

Great video World Famous Mike Berry as Mr. Ed calls you. I've often wondered why he calls you that name. I think the fall flow ended due to our drought in Arkansas. Didn't take long yesterday for robbing to begin. I'm like you in preferring the use of newspaper. Thanks Mike and have a Blessed Day!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks so much and like you, I too wonder why he calls me that. He sure made it stick......LOL!!! We've been without rain for a month now as well.

[@southeasthomestead6093]

Bee keepers need a Crystal Ball. Several times this year I'm saying I should have done this or I wish I had not of done that. And Bees do not always go by the book. Bee keeping will never get boring.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yep, they keep you guessing even in the simplest of tasks!!

[@GEEZBEEZ]

Glad you look out for what you let the bees read. I have a combine to do tomorrow. It seems you always have a few stragglers at years end. I am using a strong 5 frame nuc for the combine. They had made a queen but she never made it back from mating flight. So I’ll give them a strong queen and feed them up. Thanks for the video and tips. Take care and God bless.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks for the support as always Garry!! I agree, there always seems to be those end of season stragglers. Hope all went well with your combine and best wishes in the fall!

[@sonofthunder.]

good combine ,i had a weak hive,didbt see a queen ,had alot if beetles, i was doing a mite wash,i ended up knocking the frames into my tub and was heavy w beetles, i ended up cleanibg out the hive,and after washibg 300,placed the tub near entrance and they marched back,ill be rechecking,and if i still dont see a queen ill combine, mites werent bad either,ill still hit em w OA, thanks good info about dumping a infestation into another colony,which i can totally understand,.glad i placed beetle towels,and new baited blasters to help

[@MikeBarryBees]

Another good comment where viewers share their experiences. We can all learn and very interesting way to rid the bees of pests and get them back into a box. Thanks for sharing!!

[@scrappinbig2239]

For a man saying that he is not going to do a thing with the bee hives today it sure looked like you were working your bee's . I'm sure that it wasn't your fault (the bee's twisted your arm!) LoL ! I enjoy watching your videos and I am amazed at how you have the energy to work a full time job , take care of your family and to take care of all those bee's ! Just taking care of the bee's is a full time job by itself . Looking forward to your next video . (Oh yeah , and film n edit and post on KZbin !)

[@MikeBarryBees]

Well, I say I'm not, then I get out there and they lure me in. Bees keep me, not me keeping them.......I am quite busy and some days I think about condensing back down again. Bu then I don't...LOL!! There was another time I was keeping about 40 to 50 and I took myself down to 10 to 20 for a couple years because it was too much. Had a busier job and a lot more going on in life, so when I went back up to the 30's and 40's this time around, I was a but better prepared and knew what to expect.

[@horizontalbees]

The sound the look and even the smell can tell you so much about your bees. We are looking forward to seeing you again at HLC.

[@MikeBarryBees]

I agree Rickey!! And look forward to seeing you guys as well.

[@fuzzynuggetsbees]

I’m glad you always make sure they have good reading material! 😂That makes me laugh everytime.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Busy bees are happy bees I figure and with them flying out later in the mornings, need to give them something to do when they wake up before they go out.....

[@kathyhathaway8823]

WoW what a fast season it was this year . It looks like you have all your girls about ready to to tucked in for the winter. Thanks for taking us all along on your season ups and downs you have dealt with as we all scratch our heads to figure out our season problems. You have done a great job with your girls an they are ready to rest till spring time. THANKS MIKE .!!!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks so much and yes, this season absolutely flew by!!

[@nancynolton6079]

Well what do you know I got a mention on the World Famous Mike Barry's youtube channel! Your right Mr. Barry combining weak or unhealthy hives with healthy is not the way to go. Good choice on giving the one hive a boost in population and food stores for winter will set them up nicely. Here in Pennsylvania we are having nasty, cold, rainy, windy days from Ian and could be having our first frost/freeze next weekend. If our hives in PA are not ready for winter by now they will probably require emergency winter feeding come late winter. This year I chose to lower my overwintering numbers so only have 21 8-frame full-sized medium hives and seven 5x5x5 medium nucs going into winter.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Well, the comment stuck with me because what you mentioned is the logical thing to do. But then I thought of all that feed I could keep from making for that colony, so I thought it worth explaining different and valid points, one of which you made. I guess I'm saying, I wanted to be sure folks understood that I don't discount comments. Thanks!! Best of wishes for your overwintering.

[@duanevonbargen7516]

Mike, thanks. I just got in from my apiary. It is three hives. I'm a first year keeper. I treated for mites in August gave them some time off and checked for mites again. For the most part, the girls were doing good, but I wanted to knock down some more mites. So I treated with FormicPro for two weeks. I pulled those patties last Tuesday and went in for a full inspection today. Two hive are doing great. Setting up for the fall just like i read and see, they are doing what they are supposed to. The third hive was a swarm catch from earlier in the year. The Queen was great and doing a good job. But, the hive was really cranky, not a good sign. I started doing a check and found supercedure cells and no queen, no new eggs, only capped brood. Now I'm at a quandary as to do something similar as you just did. One of the hives is booming the other is soso for resources and is queen right. ARRGGHHH....

[@MikeBarryBees]

When it’s this late, I normally combine. That’s for me in my temperature region though. It’s going to be a long time if they are even able to requeen, so I do the combines this late into the season. That’s just me, but it’s hard to get queens at this time and slim to none on them getting one made. Combining at least saves the bees and equipment for the spring. Hope you get it all sorted out and thanks for the comment!!

[@duanevonbargen7516]

@@MikeBarryBees That is exactly what I did Mike, a combine. I'm here in Idaho, no time to get a queen and have her start..

[@jpthedelawarebeeman6239]

Smash that thumbs up button everyone - Thank you for the video World Famous Mike Barry 😁

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks so much!! Not so sure about world famous though...LOL!

[@framcesmoore]

Ha Mike good video enjoyed it what are your winter temp and I like to see what u do for your hives do u wrap them do u use a foam board for insulate them thanks for the videos have a great day

[@MikeBarryBees]

No wrapping or moisture boards or anything for me. We can have freezing temps in the 20’s and teens, but not sustained temps like that. We will usually warm up in the daytime and rarely go more than a couple weeks at a time with highs less than 60. Thanks for the support and for the comment!!

[@donbearden1953]

Mike, great video with that textbook combine! I had a similar situation some time back but I had a failing Queen that was a Houdini at hiding. I finally shook all the bees through a Queen excluder to find her so she got pinched. Then I waited 2 days before doing the newspaper combine. It turned out good. I may have gotten by without waiting the 2 days because it could have taken 2 days for them to chew through the paper but I wanted to be sure! When you’re heading into fall it’s best not to take a chances. I know you like HillCo wooden ware but did you see the prices for HL available for preorder from Appalachian Hivery?

[@MikeBarryBees]

Hey there Don. I did see their advertisement. I am comparing everything. I have a bunch I need form John that others aren't providing discounts on, so I just need to go thru and begin putting lists together for each vendor. If some items have a very negligible difference, I'll combine some stuff over a buck or two, but others will get a separate order. Just haven't compared everything just yet. Miller is also doing some pricing discounts that are good as I understand, but we shall see.

[@filipvernica258]

I have a mean colony, is October now what is your recommendation? To split between the other colony or fest reduce the boxes (I have two dips…?

[@MikeBarryBees]

Honestly, I would leave them alone at this point and deal with them in spring. But that depends on where you are as well. But things are set for winter at this time, so unless you go ahead and pinch the queen and do a combine now, I’d leave them and requeen very early spring. Just my opinion. Thanks for the question!!

[@melissaaudler8975]

I have a deep under a medium hive. the queen has not moved up in the second box and they have filled the medium with 4 or so frames with honey so far and the rest they are drawing it out the comb. would you leave that second box on for stores this winter even if they draw and fill it all out? I am nervous about southern winter. as you know we don't get real winter here. first year beekeeper to go threw our southern winter with bees.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Unless the bottom deep is loaded with honey, I, personally, would leave it. If you removed it and the bottom doesn’t weight at least 50lbs., you’ll have to feed them a couple gallons or more of thick syrup. Thanks for the support and the question!!