🔵Inspecting & Feeding MASSIVE March Hive!!!

[@oskypowers6372]

Hi Kamon and Laurel. So glad y'all are all right. That is truly cool how honey bees build little "snack bars" or "food courts" of honey around the top cells of the frames. Thanks for the videos.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks Osky!

[@jdesmond4101]

Good video Kamon. Many new keeps do not realize that hives' consumption of stores greatly increases in the spring when they are more active and brooding up. Most hives starve at this time of year, not in the dead of winter. Like you pointed out, a mild winter means more consumption.

[@BlanchardsBees]

I'm a new Iowa 🐝keeper this year. Love watching and learning from your videos. Very informative and detialed! Thank you and keep em coming!

[@hockinghillshoneyfarm9273]

Thanks that was a really good video a lot of great info there i'm glad you all are safe and hope all your hives made it through the storms as well.

[@DStewart2022]

I've noticed the same pattern on a few of mine this year. Some colonies seem to just methodically crawl through their winter stores and I think some throw a keg party every weekend. Good demonstration of how we HAVE to keep an eye on all the hives this time of year. Glad you were able to dodge the tornadoes that your "neighbors" so sadly, were not.

[@ohiorenegades7999]

Great video 👍. Great info as usual. Keep up the great work. I check everyday to see if you posted anything new. That's a massive box of bees!!!

[@trichard5106]

Thanks !!

[@maximdemchenko1657]

You're the best.👊👊👊👊 Love from Utah

[@Warren76317]

If those buckets are anything like large buckets, if you dont pull the strip around the tabs that lock around the bucket, you need to use a mallet to lock the lid down on the bucket. I had that problem with larger buckets. It takes a lot of force to lock the lid down against the seal. Thanks for sharing

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

Sad but true.. Good stuff.👍👍 Hello from Kentucky mountains

[@mark-wn5ek]

Kamon, I added the same buckets to my hives last Monday. What I do to measure uptake/intake... I take a sharpie and draw a line at the syrup level and date it. Every time I check, I make a new line until I establish an average use rate....each hive will be different, like one person said, some are frugal, others throw a keg party! But it allows me to have an idea of consumption. When I add the bucket, I like the inner cover turned down close against the frames....I don't need any space above the frames as the patty is between the brood boxes as you did. If I have a single box, then I turn the inner cover to allow room for the patty. I don't like to feed bees. It's expensive and if they've got plenty of honey, I let them eat their own grub! But I do think the syrup acts a nectar flow and they get busy. Your countryside looks like here in eastern Ky.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks for sharing Mark!

[@yasminnilima2366]

As allways, great video! I really like to learn more about what the bees bring in. What the different colours on pollen say about what type of bloom they fetch from. I find this one of the most interesting things. Learning about what my girls like the most so I can multiply the plants and trees. We went from spring to winter.... the bees got some patties to munch on before the weather change. Now I hope they are safe while I'm skiing downhill.

[@fusfea]

I use pail feeders all the time ....they do well. If you feed that way in the fall they will propolis the holes up ... if you have the buckets with the screen on it... and it's all propolized up rubbing alcohol and elbow grease will clean those screens off.

[@massachusettsprepper]

It is a big hive and is a good thing that you have assessed it and are getting the feed on it that they need. I just purchased 50 bucket feeders myself as I want to try them this year. I think they will be more beneficial to the individual colonies and probably not induce robbing like entrance feeders do. Thanks for sharing my friend.

[@thesouthernindianabeekeepe2508]

With the buckets, as they get older, the seals quit working and the leak really bad at times. Sometimes they flood the hive and start robbing from the sugar syrup leaking out the bottom of the hive.

[@randallcarter-carterhillho2277]

Which feeder type do you like best overall and why? Bucket, frame, hive top, or community feeder? I have least experience with a frame feeder which appears you have the most experience with. Thanks

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Randall, While they work I don't like hive top feeders due to having to pull them off all the time and the increased expense. Community feeding can be helpful but typically there are always colonies who get the lions share off of it due to greater foraging populations. Bucket feeders are nice but sometimes raccoons can knock them off and try to drink syrup. However, this is one of my favorite feeders as a 2 gallon can put on a lot of weight and you don't have to lose a frame or 2 like you do with a frame feeder. I use the frame feeders because the type I have are cheap and fast. Unhealthy bees can drown in them though or if you pour thick cold syrup on top of a bunch of bees. Laurel and I can burn thru a yard of 50 colonies in 20 minutes or so using them. If I had it to do again I would go with the 1.5 or 2 gallon mother lode frame feeder instead of my 1 gallon dadants which do the job but the additional space would be welcome. If I were you Randall I would buy a bucket feeder or 2 and a frame feeder try them both out and see which you prefer. Nothing worse than going all in on a feeder that you end up hating.

[@stephenmurphy8538]

Good job

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks

[@dustinwiggins3686]

Laurel's good at list : making patties, videography, equipment repairs, research, wardrobe, bottling honey, design, etc etc etc... Kamons good at list :... Talking..... Y'all make a great team! Keep up the good work!

[@niceed00]

Talking and Pick'n. Kamon, we need more Honeyflow kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmmQh3-ffJKIjMk

[@heidiedelman6840]

I wish i could remain as calm as you if a bee crawls up my shirt sleeve :) this video is very timely for me as I have a 3 deep box ready for splitting. I have observed the same thing with the emptiness of the comb around the brood. I also left the top box packed with honey back in fall and let me tell you they are plowing through it right now. I live in Monterey county California. Pretty dry with not a lot of rain so far.

[@kamonreynolds]

Big Bees eat like a teenager!

[@heidiedelman6840]

Kamon Reynolds - Tennessee's Bees I have had a couple of those too!! They sure can!

[@badassbees3680]

I learned bees can't collect Dandelion Pollen which is Yellow, Until they mix nectar with it to make it sticky enough.. and in turn, it turns the yellow Pollen Orange and they bring orange Dandelion Pollen in..

[@beemanit9305]

Thanks for the video. I quickly checked my hive and they're beginning to get low on honey as well. Started feeding again.

[@thesouthernindianabeekeepe2508]

Hey, I know you like the DB feeders. Here in Southern Indiana, we put 2 heaping handfuls of wood chips from a wood chipper (not mulch) in before we fill them up. They float and keep the bees from drowning. Give it a try.

[@MrMANSTOPPER]

Glad to hear you and your's are alright . was a bad storm ..

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks man! It was something I will never forget!

[@MrMANSTOPPER]

I know how it feels, families here in Macon county went through it in 2008 I think,

[@donbearden1953]

Great video! I’ve realized the same thing is going on with mine. I’ve been feeding a 1 lb pollen patty about every 10 to 14 day and started sugar syrup 3 days ago. Mine are double deep and just like yours, bursting at the seams with bees.

[@meirchanan7587]

hi Kamon, keeping 9 frames in 10 frame box is really good idea. i started dong so some time ago and found that pulling out the first frame makes bees less angry since i have more space to slide it before pulling out.

[@kamonreynolds]

Very true!

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Bucket feeder would work alot better if you use screen .. those holes will work just will take them twice as long .. probably take them a week way you have it now .. which is probably fine not like your looking to bulk them up for winter . Better bee has the screened lids ones I use ..

[@437AlBig]

Last year I tried the rapid feeders and they work great. I don't have to get into the hive to refill them. Just pop the lid off, refill, and put the top back on. My temps are still too cold for syrup right now.

[@jpthedelawarebeeman6239]

I had some hives go into winter with over 100lbs of honey only to have to feed them sugar bricks the past 1 to 2 months. They have been so active I may switch to hivetop feeders within 2 weeks.

[@5onit875]

Follow up on this hive in 3 or 4 weeks please and thanks would love to see how they did.

[@nannygranny9534]

Was watching an older video on storing your hives and frames in winter. Peppermint essential keeps mice away but just learned that bars of Irish Spring bars of soap, original scent, keeps them away as well. Easier to use and less expensive. Don’t know if it works against moths.

[@tnbeelady7255]

I ended up stepping on my pollen patties yesterday to get them to fit, lol.

[@arendey4446]

You may wanna keep an eye on the speed at which they drain that bucket, if you feel its too slow, you probably should drill another circle or two of feeding holes so that they can access more syrup.

[@ronallard1409]

First I want to thank you for the caramel recipe. I've made three or four batches and ate them all. I'd also like to know the name of the particle board you use for making bee boxes. I really enjoy your videos. Please keep them coming. Say hi to your wife, she's a good photographer. Ron

[@kamonreynolds]

YES those honey caramels are the best! The Boards for our lids are Advantec or CDX is the other. They both work well if given a good paint or dip job. I am using CDX more now due to cost and weight

[@reapersridge7992]

I've started feeding protein patties and dry Ultra Bee..I'm thinking this will help my queen start laying and have some new bees around end of March..should I start feeding sugar syrup around that time?

[@kamonreynolds]

If the bees need it absolutely

[@joer5627]

I’m seeing the same here in Atlanta. Pouring the syrup & small amounts pollen patties to them. Appreciate the reminders. Nicer weather come in for a few days. Time to check & add feed before the next round of rain comes a roaring.

[@jeremygattis]

Got my first 2 nucs today. Opened the little door, they had me running to the Jeep. I was attempting to Kamon Reynolds the hive without a suit.

[@kamonreynolds]

Kamon has to run sometimes too! Depends on the bees and the day!

[@jeremygattis]

So he is human! An outtakes video would be awesome

[@bees3847]

Great content as usual! I finaly started buying overwintered queens from VT. Guess which two hives survived so far this winter, yep the ones with mutt over wintered queens from Vermont. Big farm bee packages are junk and do not survive well here in New England.

[@kamonreynolds]

YUP

[@basspro120]

I have tried many types of "in the hive" feeders and for me, they take feed from the bucket the quickest.

[@kamonreynolds]

It seems to have a lot of advantages for cold weather feeding also.

[@mattburleson1976]

I like the fact it is not very invasive.

[@sherlockholmes6632]

Hello from the UK.

[@JBEESHoneyJoelBrutcher]

Starting to think about putting syrup on up in Indiana. Want to see some steady weather first. I believe my girls are doing the same thing, thanks for sharing!

[@lenoretalon9958]

We have nothing yet. Feeding the heck out of them. What is your temperature? I so want into my hive. 50 f for two days here. Drones now? Wow

[@kamonreynolds]

50-60s F. Been mild this winter!

[@krissaann333]

💜💜💜🙏🙏🙏

[@jbeebuchanan2136]

Another great video thanks Kamen and glad to see the tornado's missed you. Im going into my second year of beekeeping. I have 2 hives they both look very similar to the one in the video 2 deep boxes full of bees and Drones. They do each have about 4 deep frames of honey. Im in Albuquerque Nm and we're at about the same stage as you are in Tennessee pollen from elms coming in no nectar for probably another month. Two questions for you or anyone else that would care to chime in. Are 4 deep frames enough honey for another month. Will feeding them sugar water prompt them to swarm. I plan on splitting them but the queens that I ordered wont be here until June. Sorry for the novel thanks for any help

[@kamonreynolds]

Feeding bees can encourage swarming sure. It also can encourage a big healthier hive. If you feel the need to give the a slight bit of feed. Not enough to store really but enough that it keep them from digging into their reserves. Perhaps a QT a week? Up to you

[@jbeebuchanan2136]

Thanks Kamon

[@salpta]

I've seen other (mainly traveling polinators) using buckets like this. Very interested in how it works for you, and how quickly it goes bad/gets used.

[@BradGrassforest]

I probably have as much bees as the are in one of those frames and they still survived the majority of the winter. March still to go

[@kevinjackson1840]

i feed from bucket this yr also worked well. bees in California are bringing in lots of pollen and nectar.

[@royschrader8003]

Mr. K, I just opened on of my hives. Plenty of food and pollen. I'm not finding brood. When can I expect eggs? March 9, 2020 Northwest Ohio Thank you

[@gregwaskom552]

The buckets with the screens work better. More bees can feed from them faster. If you have maples and deadknettle. They are getting some nectar to.

[@markkarstad2899]

Saw a queen cup on that first frame you shook.

[@scottdc2105]

Hey Kamon, if you want to speed up production of pollen patties and make them flatter try a tortilla press, its an idea, though I haven't tried it.

[@konradrueb1567]

Good video👍.you can drill a hole in center of your lid and put a tint plug in .make 2 small holes eaither side of the plug when you need to refill you dont need to pull you lid off. Just pull tint plug makes bucket feeding quick .only pullthe lid off to clean.🐝safe and keep your smoker lit!!! Konrad P.s got my state inspection yesterday and my scalders coming today.

[@larrytornetta9764]

Put sugar on top. Put the pollen patties on top. No squashing bees or queen.

[@sentimentalbloke7586]

Hoping that you weren't effected by those twisters bud, you missed a few days and we were concerned for you.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks for thinking of us they missed us by 20 miles but we have debris all in our yard. Never seen anything like it.

[@gruntM35]

I lost five nucs due to rain water being blown under a similar top feeder setup here in NC last mouth. Of course it was an unusual weather event, but be careful. TN ain't far from NC. I should have made sure water couldn't get in, my bad.

[@paulawaldrep3760]

Jimmy must have been helping you measure out the patties! Lol! :)

[@kamonreynolds]

LOL

[@ripleymike]

Where did you buy your veil? Thanks. Enjoy your videos very much. Great teaching tools.

[@kamonreynolds]

Walter T Kelley in Clarkson KY. If you call them tell them I said hey.

[@mikeries8549]

Fall honey. I've got ppl that want specifically fall honey. No preference but I've developed a market for it. How? First I Got Them Fancy MUTH Jar Gift Sets . The ones with two one pound jars. We bottle spring and fall in the same box so ppl can compare. We sell a lot of them at around thanksgiving. There are "holiday craft sales" and we fit right in. We have sold 100+ honey bears and more in a day at that type of event. Plan for it if you're a hobby beekeeper.

[@mikeries8549]

Kamen I could use a source of early mated queens for splits. We all can wish. Right? I'd pay to get them delivered around May 1-15. I'm way north of you and am considering buying a southern bee yard in arkansas specifically for wintering bees and raising queens to use up north in Illinoiz. I have a youtube channel. You can mssg me there to get an email or something if you're interested. I'm thinking in the 10 range. Small timer.

[@williamschulz6302]

Wow lucky, here in manitoba are bees are still in for winter 🥶🥶🐝🐝

[@kamonreynolds]

Sorry!

[@williamschulz6302]

😅😅

[@johnn1a2]

🇨🇦 Excellent I used pails first time last fall, Do you feed 1-1 in the spring?

[@kamonreynolds]

I am feeding pro sweet syrup

[@EgilWar]

We still have snow on the ground and its below freezing.

[@wayneshoneybees5439]

Hopefully, we don't get all that rain.

[@taddrienstra7247]

How do you keep the bees from drowning in the frame feeders? I have tried a few sticks, some foam strips and still, they die by the thousands. I don't have/use the top cover and screen tubes.

[@damonlinthwaite4671]

With the temperature fluctuations wont the bucket feeder loose some vacuum causing the syrup to leak on the bees ?

[@kamonreynolds]

It might lose a small bit but it won't hurt a hive like this. They would love it faster likely

[@monajohnson3544]

I'm new to this beekeeping, I have a good many roach bugs in my hives. Is this a concern and if so what should I do about them?

[@benfoster8898]

Have you ever found the vacuum didn't hold and found dead drowned or frozen from running down on frames

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Ben this is my first time using one but I am sure it will be fine as long as there is no leaks in the seal

[@bryceharrex8407]

Probably a good time to rotate your boxes, the bottom one would be empty.

[@T0tenkampf]

Was that a swarm cell on the first frame that you shook in the upper box? Circular mass close to mid way on frame?

[@kamonreynolds]

Hi Apex that was a queen cup and a healthy hive will always have a few of these empty cups hanging around for swarm season and queen supersedures.

[@T0tenkampf]

@@kamonreynolds Ah okay, thanks. I had understood that queen cups are normally along the bottom edge of the frames.

[@clifftonwhitaker8]

Guess that’s what a Patty Cake is?

[@kat2641]

How do u decide the flow rate? Like how do you decide how many holes an how big in the lids with out drowning the bees?

[@kamonreynolds]

I just use tiny ten penny nail holes and once the suction is set we are good to go. A little might leak but the hive is strong and we are getting in the 50's now

[@kat2641]

@@kamonreynolds lol well? I would probably take the gas framing nailer and go crazy. But thanks 😁

[@researcherAmateur]

Yes thet is a hungre hive. When you see brood like thet.. Is the spring erly over ther ? It is here, wery erly. Just did 2 qwens for eksperiment. And it workt, but i think they will not be wery good. It's to erly. Rozmare is the honey they colect now here

[@kamonreynolds]

We are also early here Vinko by a couple weeks

[@researcherAmateur]

@@kamonreynolds yes early...Now we oll shud hope for a long spring and shorter sumer .🤞🤞🤞

[@tomcrynock37]

What is your choice of treatment in the spring for verrora?

[@mikeries8549]

I like the oav. It burns the mites feet. They can't hold on.

[@kamonreynolds]

Multiple OAV shots works or if you want to, APIVAR also works. just make sure they are pulled as labeled in the directions before honey supers are used

[@suzanneguiho4882]

Do you anything special to your bee hives when expecting high winds and/or tornadoes? When I heard about them going your way, I got worried about the bee hives and wondered if the tops didn’t just fly off having for most, just a little brick to hold them down. I suppose the propolized lids must help. Thank you for your videos. I really enjoy them. I particularly like your sense of humor. I think it’s healthy not to take ourselves too seriously.

[@kamonreynolds]

I agree it is healthy to not take ourselves too seriously. Cheap medicine. I didn't do a thing to keep my lids on. heavy bricks work but straps are better in high winds!

[@suzanneguiho4882]

Kamon Reynolds - Tennessee's Bees right..straps! But when you have four or five stacked, can high wind just topple them? Sorry to waste your time on this. I once saw a yard where the tornado that passed through was not the wind but a bear...what a Mess! I said to myself at the time « that it was as if aTornado had passed through ». When I heard that a tornado was passing through your area, I had this image is « stuckomaud » in my mind. Talk about a swarm that would make? I am understanding that this stuff does not seem to preoccupy you. But someone, must somewhere think about it, especially in areas susceptible to very high winds or tornadoes. Maybe they strap their hives in the ground like a tent?? Thanks anyways for your response, I was just wondering about because it had never crossed my mind before.

[@doctortcbkk2027]

I cannot get the tops on and off the buckets! Very tough to reuse

[@sourwoodbranchbeefarm6515]

Get plugs from deaks take plugs on and off not tops

[@kamonreynolds]

I might have to look into plugs also!

[@doctortcbkk2027]

Sourwood Branch Bee Farm huh? Can you explain?

[@Thatfishguy05]

When do you split a hive like that?

[@kamonreynolds]

Right now if I wanted to. Made some this time a year ago with mated queen from my buddy in Hawaii

[@StickyDankFingers]

Kamon sounds like you got your new mic. What did you decide to go with ... it sounds really good and clear. Also are you recording on a phone or camera ? Thank you. Brett

[@sourwoodbranchbeefarm6515]

Kamon would you use a queen like this for a breeder queen?

[@kamonreynolds]

Maybe. I had some others in this yard that were just as big and the patterns were better. Also this queen is young and hasn't had a full season to prove herself. If she gets that laying pattern up and makes some big honey then maybe down the road!

[@billcoley8520]

Why can’t you freeze nectar frames and honey frames. Then thaw them out.

[@jeffegg2]

Won’t that lid hold water if it rains?

[@oneshoo]

Hi Kamon Was your part of Tennessee effected by those tornadoes the other night??

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey One shoo! Unfortunately, it was right down the road we have all kinds of debris in my yard even though we are 20 miles away. Pretty Much Nashville to Cookville TN

[@235112347]

In MD and temps have been 50’s to low 60’s. I still have multiple frames of capped honey. Maybe 4’ish. Is that too much?

[@lenoretalon9958]

R Filley I don’t think so. Feed the heck out of them. Still early. Imho

[@waynetollison3952]

Did you treat this hive for verrora this year.

[@kamonreynolds]

December, June, and late August

[@Prober61]

4:31 Did you just put the queen on the ground?!?!?!

[@bwakel310]

Do you have a pollen patty recipe in a previous video?

[@kamonreynolds]

All the recipes we have used are in the pollen patty playlist on our channel home page

[@billcoley8520]

Where about do you live? I’m in Hendersonville TN. I’m sitting here eating bacon and tomato sandwiches watching this video

[@downunderfulla6001]

🍺🍺

[@richardpraeger6357]

What is your experience and thoughts on open feeding?

[@kamonreynolds]

Not much experience and I have too many beekeepers around me to do that IMO. I don't like the thought of feeding other people's bees.Plus the biggest hives hog the feed. I like individual hive feeding myself but that is just my opinion.

[@richardpraeger6357]

@@kamonreynolds Thanks Kamon. Roll Tide

[@EverydayKindaGuy]

New mic? Need to ease the gain down just a touch.

[@kellypalmer1077]

Why are still talking get this repaired