How To Save A Hive That Is Failing In October / Beekeeping 101

I am still awe-struck by these pollination hives. They are BOOMING and so ready for winter here in Michigan! 1 out of the 8 hives are collapsing. The cluster of bees is very small, they have TONS of resources but doesn't have much brood. So....is it savable? Should we save it? Here are the thoughts that are swirling around in my head. :)
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[@sharonparsons8997]

I think it’s Mike Barry who said that. I really enjoyed your video and conversations about your different styles coming together. I hope your little hive makes it. I have one, I’m debating putting above a strong hive over a double screen. I have them a tight six med over six with insulated sides a roof…still small I’m thinking. I did overwinter one medium last year (capped with honey). I’m PNW cool rainforest.

[@adriaofcourse]

They make pink suits for kids! I got one for my 5 year old daughter for her birthday. 🤗

[@CharlesCromer]

Increasing the R value of the top does not wick away the moisture, instead it controls where the moisture condenses. With the top better insulated, the coldest part of the hive will be then the side walls, where the moisture will condense on the cold side of the hives toward the bottom of the hive. Please research "Condensing Hive" and people such as palmer, etiene, and kamon reynolds. Bees NEED moisture in the hive to process winter honey/pollen etc, they just don't need it condensing on the inner cover and dripping onto them....

[@Paulewog71]

Like the natural way also. My father in law has bees for over 10 years now and doesn’t treat them. He says he leaves them enough honey for winter and the strong survive.

[@aanadyia4582]

I like you and Kasey’s rambles, it’s real and shows you’re trying to learn and grow together. ❤

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

Thank you super happy you appreciate them!!

[@TerryWheelyabarrabackApiary]

Only problem about Styrofoam is the bees chew on it. I use foil coated foam. Almost lasts forever and no mould.

[@paulschaefer5241]

Randy Oliver claims that it is addictive. He claimes to have sting withdrawal in the winter. Not experienced it myself but I see no reason why it cannot be true at least for some people.

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

It's gotta be real I crave it

[@dogblackprincehoney]

@@theterriblebeekeeper7435 🤣😂🤣

[@johnmarshall6572]

The World Famous Mike Barry!

[@amlightwarrior22]

Forty four stings this year helps my Rheumatoid arthritis. My super strong hive still has a few drones. I'm in Kentucky

[@chrisbrown369]

Beekeeping is addictive for me, I would love a good sting in the winter. I keep bees on a small island on Georgian Bay so this is not often possible for me. I love watching your beekeeping journey and have even adopted some of your own personal beekeeping lingo. During a tour of my apiary, I always point out any Lid-bees I can and then I tell them all about the phenomenon as I have come to understand it.

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

For real your comment inspired me, thank you for that, I love hearing that people get what this yard is about

[@jamesbarron1202]

I build lids that are wider than yours and they have tall outer edges that hang down the outside of the hive. Under them I have tight fitting foam board insulation that stays on year round to prevent heat from the sun beating down on them in our Texas summers. It keeps water out better also. It’s still in the 90s here.

[@sonofone1-263Bees]

I don't know if drones stay all winter but I have seen them still in my hives. In retrospect I am in southeast Alabama.

[@geraltofrivia8529]

Just had a mated queen back in october, so drones are somewhere still

[@carolannjacques268]

I appreciate different ways to do bees. That's why I'm here!

[@heavymechanic2]

BEE VENOM THERAPY is what I told the doctor, sounds midevil.. I use 1/2 insulation under the top cover before I made a feeder box on top. I cut a fiberglass mat to fit over the feeder in the extra space. I got an ANEL hive, it pairs up with wood very well. I put the insulated hive body on a solid wood bottom and my R-13 top, at 40 degrees the feeder was like 80 degrees, freaking amazing!!

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

You have any great pics I'd like to visualize what you're describing

[@heavymechanic2]

@@theterriblebeekeeper7435 Its a combination of a shallow box and an inner cover built together. A round top feeder (yellow) holds about a quart. The R-13 fiberglass insulation cut 20 inches fits over the feeder. The box is made with dog-ear fence boards ripped down to 4-1/2 to have a true edge top & bottom. I do have some pics or can make more but dunno where to post them.. The ANEL boxes you have to find a dealer such as central bee supply (AL), Magnolia (TX), I got mine in Woodstock VA.

[@dogblackprincehoney]

Bee venom therapy and apitherapy are the future, as anitibiotics are failing, and not medieval, but as some say fashion repeats itself.

[@CrazyIvan865]

​@dogblackprincehoney the more I research about microbiology and GIT microbiology the more I'm convinced that Hippocrates was right. All disease begins in the gut. One often demonized and fear-mongered bacteria acts as an oxalobacter and breaks down oxalates which unbroken can cause arthritis, Gout, arterial plaque and heart disease, bone spurs, osteoporosis, arthritis (yes, both the major forms), kidney stones, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, anemia, etc etc. It also synthesizes insulin, invertase, and amylase (helps prevent the beetus) lactase (helps reduce lactose intolerance), produce 5-HTP which has been proven to help stave off neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson, MS, fibromyalgia, alzheimers etc etc, synthesizes dopamine, serotonin and a few other compounds which helps prevent bipolar, depression, anxiety, etc... this one bacteria has more than 1300 identified unique strains, only a handful of which have been identified as inherently harmful and yet every time you hear of it, it's fear mongering in the news media... E.Coli. yep. Possibly one of the most important microorganisms you've got in your body and everybody is brainwashed into being terrified of it. We're taught that things that are pristine and packed full of poisons and preservatives are good... it's embalming chemicals. The "Preservatives" prevent microbiological breakdown or activity.... we're taught never to eat anything "spoiled" "rotten", "rancid" etc... our bodies act like soil. Just like that pumpkins out in the yard, it breaks down into liquid nutrients and free atoms of all these nutrients that the plant collected; and if we dont ear it, a skunk or raccoon or deer doesn't eat it, then it turns into a liquid using microbiological activity and enriches the soil for the seeds. And the reason it produces a fruit is so that some abulatory being will eat it, eat some seeds, shit the seeds out somewhere else, and the next generation spreads out a little more. But without these microbes in our gut, we can't break it down and digest it or metabolize it. We can't get nutrients or vitamins or minerals out of what we eat. So... I feel the antibiotics and disinfectants and chlorine in the tap water is to keep us sick so we have more health problems and are lifetime subscribers to the professional drug dealers. A treat is something your give a person or animal to encourage a desired behavior to be performed on command. And they don't sell cures. They ban them. But boy do they peddle a lot of "treatments". so what's the desired behavior? For you to keep coming back without question or independent thought. Because every time you do, there's a new problem, a new treatment and a new product to be sold. Now if only I could remember if I was alluding to doctors, drug companies, or agricultural chemical companies?

[@CrazyIvan865]

"This isnt as thick as I usually like it. This is only a half inch, and I usually like at least an inch; if not more..." I need to grow the fuck up. 😂😂😂😂

[@DaveOlmer]

on weak hive could you remove outside frame/frames and put in styrofoam filler strips to reduce space without moving the bees also would gain some insulation value on one/two sides

[@twodawgs-c2u]

Zoom In

[@reneallen6405]

Barry's bees.

[@allsmilz7234]

*Thx4share good fun beekeeping*

[@kellycarpenter9350]

Im in california We have the JS Harbison honey bee .The black German honey cross with italians .The back German genetics if often hot .But they.can make 250 lb to 300 lbs per hive .So we think agressive bees make more honey .Keep the suit .!Kel

[@cutfitrichannel]

Nice sharing Vidio

[@beeman927]

Hive needs ventilation or you will have condensation which is not good for trying to winter bees.

[@CrazyIvan865]

If the top is insulated more than the sides, the condensation happens on the side walls and bottom board. Moisture does not "kill bees" look at broodminder readouts on any insulated hive without ventilation; there a common trend of the bees keeping the interior almost perfectly 73% humidity. Nectar, brood, and bees all happen to be between 55-65% water by mass. Which is an interesting coincidence. The honey is only around 17-19% water by mass. The bees will need the moisture in late winter when they're building up brood for spring. The only time I've seen an insulated and non ventilated hive fall below 73% humidity is in winter when the moisture condenses. It isn't a matter of moisture, it's a matter of WHERE said moisture condensates. If the top is poorly insulated, as most hives are, then it will condense on top and that's where you get issues with "moisture killing bees". There's an article titled "the problem to the solution of winter moisture" give it a read. There are entomologist who also support and assert this as well. The issue isn't the need for ventilation. If anything it caused a thermal vent of heat escaping out the top and sucking cold air in the entrance, which just freezes the bees more and more. This age old ignorance needs to disappear before the bees do. I'm sorry if I seem rude. But... everybody always says if you ask a room full of 20 beekeepers a question you'll get 25 different answers. The article I mentioned starts with "when you ask 10 beekeepers the same question and get only one answer; there's a problem". And for me, that... was a wakeup call. Everybeekeeper says exactly the same thing, exactly the same way... having been in the Marines... I recognize what it means when everybody says the same thing exactly the same way. Especially when it's like a trigger. I'm not trying to be mean of belittle you. Just... trying to get people to wake up. We've got it all wrong. And when you're fighting against nature you'll have constant problems. When you're being a good steward of it, and working along side it with the same common entrance... things work out.

[@mariannemonagle3310]

You dont use an inner lid cover?

[@bayouhomestead]

Mike Berry says that saying a lot.

[@bayouhomestead]

Mike Barry, sorry it's that dang auto correct lol

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

So that's his name!

[@thomashouser5877]

Says what?

[@bayouhomestead]

@@thomashouser5877 He says "this is not a how to video, it's a how I do video".

[@anrenes3459]

I have foam hives and those seemed to keep drones the longest…but they do eventually quite laying eggs for them. I’ve never seen them live through the winter either. Strong hives do make them super early in the spring though so maybe they are fooling us on early checks

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

Nice, that actually makes a lot of sense, those tricky bees 😂

[@tedjackson5272]

I like Kasey's camera work!

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

Working on the art of it 😂😂

[@CrazyIvan865]

​@@theterriblebeekeeper7435😂😂😂

[@reneallen6405]

OMG girl, your suit.

[@hillkid4mountains]

Good video. I never, but would like to try, used the 3/4" inch Styrofoam insulation boards that you show. Bummer had a lot of that scrap material thrown away on some of the construction projects I worked on. I like the baby blue color. When my wife and I started to have children I was an apprentice and painted up some 1/4" x 1/2" x 7" carpenter pencils and handed them out to the guys on the job after my two children were born. According to whether they were a girl like my first or a boy like my second. Not wanting to know the sex, even after having a first picture sonogram of them in the womb I had to do both. Funny, it would be a kick to show a picture of a frame of honeybees next year at our club to the newbies with 3 bees on that frame amongst the others marked with a 2024 "green" queen, red "pink" female worker, and a blue male drone. Three 3 of the five colors you mark new queens in particular season at a 5 year rotation. It would be neat to see their initial reaction just like in our beginning beekeeping class offered in spring. Like the look when you first hand them a frames of honeybees as if it was going to explode in their face and hands. LW. And a brief chuckle under our breath to the more experienced beekeepers in our club. So like to see you both working together and would like to see and give some advice as to a little smoke at the entrance, 3 gentle puffs left, middle, and then right, and 1 - 2 puffs under the lids before taking it off especially if you're going into it for a hive inspection for the beginning beekeepers that are new and watching your videos. Thanks a lot to the both of you. 🐝

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

Thank you I loved this comment honestly was super awesome

[@davidpotts3844]

Started with 1 hive to see how it would do. Should have did 2 hives. Started with 5 frame Nuc Now a double brood box hive. Hive was strong but limited on resources. Had 5 good frames of brood. Did a mite treatment Formicpro. After treatment all was well. all 5 frames of brood emerged a couple weeks later. Now there is no brood Queen has taken a break from laying as I am not seeing any new eggs or larvae. I was told to nature take it's course and not to feed them. Question is, is this Hive in trouble with no new brood at this time for next cycle of brood? Will Queen take a couple weeks and start to lay a new brood pattern? The Queen was doing well and she is this yr Queen

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

Ok can I say that this is a process, like getting a new genetic line you can't shock them they need to be kept how they the line has been raised you need to make splits compare them pick traits do tests breed more and make a genetic line that is use to what you want it to be use to. Treatment free is a process not an option I always say

[@CrazyIvan865]

This time of year, if they have a mated queen, they're likely just done laying for a while. They don't lay much brood during winter until the end. Because it takes a lot of energy and food to tend to brood, and requires a fair bit of running back and forth. Kinda tough to do when 8 of 10 bees are in a deep state of torpor and the other 2 are providing heat. I wouldn't worry about brood. As for food, that's a different story. You may have to find a means of feeding. Some people use a plastic ziploc of 2:1 syrup with a couple pin holes in it, in a tray above them. Some use the sugar "mountain camp" method, some make candy boards or fondant... I generally disagree with feeding and feel it makes weak and sickly bees. They make honey specifically how they do, when they do and store it in the cells the way they do; for reasons that most of us can't really understand or comprehend. So I'm in the "whenever possible, avoid feeding at all" side of things. But if it must be done, it must be done. Now if the colony is in it's second year and just absolutely derpy and not fulfilling their own basic survival needs.... that's when I'd be a bit more ruthless and say cull it. Not just the queen, the whole colony. If you squash the queen they'll still send out drones (unless you put an excluder under the brood area so the drones can't get out) and you definitely don't want those genetics. Do what you can to make it through. But I've noticed that on breeder mill packages and nucs. They seem that between being fed and split constantly, fed through winter, over treated with everything... they generally seem to have no other survival instinct. As they've been bred for brood/queen production and production only... in that conditioning, they don't have to forage or put up food stores. And it seems they forget how altogether. So if you have to feed them to get them through this year... that's what's got to be done. But if they don't put up enough honey for themselves next winter... rip.

[@theterriblebeekeeper7435]

@@CrazyIvan865 Amazing comment, I loved reading it and seeing where you are coming from, top knotch!

[@davidpotts3844]

@@theterriblebeekeeper7435 I appreciate your positive view point. The Hive is strong in population and the bees have the body build of winter bees as they are a bit fatter looking. I assumed that winter bees would cycle one more time and emerge in November and not the last cycle. I am not comfortable with the amount of resources but I did start up at the end of the spring flow and was able to build them up in population to 40,000 and had 5 full frames of winter bees emerge so going into winter with about 30,000 in population. I will just have to see what they do. A local beekeeper said the bees are doing exactly what the bees do here for wintering down.

[@CrazyIvan865]

​@@theterriblebeekeeper7435thank you. It's encouraging. I know my stance on just letting the bees feed themselves... honey is valuable, sure. But how much more valuable are the bees? Like... people say it doesn't make any difference. But they bees have been doing it a long time. I'm sure they have their reasons that we don't understand.

[@ohio1970]

Please clean out you`re car.Other than that ,great video.

[@joannperry4571]

Would felted wool work for insulation?

[@frankgailey164]

You can overwinter a small nuke over Stong hive with a double screen board.

[@kerontomlin6520]

Yey guys venom is good for arthritis.

[@Draintheswamp2024]

is your Facebook up and running I tried joining but it's still pending, I want to share some ideas that might be groundbreaking, and you would be the first to know shoot might even make tons of money.