That Dearth I Was Talking About...

[@vinofarm]

Vinofarm, WHY DON'T YOU TRY YOUR FLOW HIVE??? Well, here's your answer...

[@adab1s1]

the colony is preparing to give the swarm. destroy quincell in balboa hive.Sorry for my english

[@julieenslow5915]

Eray Demir I understood you perfectly no apology needed.

[@t_g_gamerftw5075]

What your seeing with balboa, is common among beekeeping in areas with late summer dearths and cold winters, especially, if you were feeding your bees sugar water early in the spring, that allowed them to take off really quickly and reach massive hive populations by the time of the dearth (80,000 bees and up). When the nectar flow starts, beekeepers stop feeding the hive, because the bees can now feed themselves, meanwhile the bee population has been ramping up due to the sugar water you have been feeding them, now that the nectar flow is on, they really take off, collecting tons of nectar due to their already high populations, and the queen lays more and more as it comes in. By having a queen excluder, or a bunch of honey supers added too early, the honey does not end up getting stored where the queen is, making her honey bound, and thereby limiting the growth of the colony. While this might seem like a good thing at first, in your situation it's actually a bad thing to not let the queen get honey bound or have a population management here at the end of the honey flow. Bees tend to fill the brood last I find, so if a hive is doing really well, they fill up all available space with pollen and nectar by the time the nectar flow starts winding down. This causes the populations to drop, and as a result in the upcoming dearth, they basically go into economy mode, and don't eat as much food as they were during the flow. The dearth, as a result opens back up more comb, and the queen starts laying again, near its end, allowing an uptick in bee populations right when the next fall flow starts going on. Its at this point, that you would want to add additional supers for more room, so they don't get honey bound, have plenty of space to store for winter, and egg laying room for the upcoming winter bees. Another way of solving this, (I haven't tried this method, so you should probably do some more research on it) while still adding additional supers in the spring for more nectar intake, is to monitor the flow and dearths, and learn their cycles, and what the upcoming year should hold based on the upcoming weather and when flowers near you bloom. When a flow is half way through(4-6 weeks before the dearth) remove and freeze some of the new worker brood and eggs (most but not all) and do this every week or two, until the dearth is about 6 weeks from being over. At this point, stop killing worker brood, and start feeding the bees some nectar and pollen. This will cause your bee forager population to drop when the dearth is on. since it takes about 41 days from newly laid eggs till they become forager bees, which is basically 6 weeks. During the dearth the queen will lower egg laying until its over. Then by feeding the bees nectar and pollen 6 weeks before the dearth ends, the queen will start to ramp up egg production, which will have your bee forager population back up in time for the fall flow. Or optionally, just remove empty brood frames in the brood box, and replace with honey filled frames pre-dearth as well, to artificially honey bound them. If done correctly, you might even be able to get that flow super on, and get yourself some honey, if its also a good year. TL;DR: Basically, your bees are starving themselves in the dearths, due to maintaining high bee populations, which is due to high egg laying by the queen, 6 weeks or less before the dearth. So feed them during the dearth at the appropriate time, and/or manage their populations before and during the dearth, through making them honey bound, or culling worker brood. I personally like to make them honey bound, by removing brood frames, and dropping in some honey frames, as that saves more resources than culling worker brood, as the queen eats alot when laying eggs, and culling the eggs still wastes resources. However a draw back to this, is that it can make the hive swarm if your not careful, however usually (for me anyways) so long as they still have space for nectar above they don't tend to swarm, even if they have less room for egg laying, by dropping in some honey frames. And if the bees get really pushy about wanting more brood, they will usually move the honey out of the brood box. (I'm in Northern Connecticut, so not that much different from you, season wise)

[@julieenslow5915]

whatever 12421 ok that one will take some additional study and thought. fascinating. brilliant idea or suicide I am not sure which, but gut says brilliant.

[@vinofarm]

Wow. I need a videoexplainer for this one. This all makes sense, but my brain is a little fried tonight from reading comments. I need to come back and revisit this. Are there any videos you're aware of visually explaining this stuff? Or is it your own model? You should make a video.

[@chrrmin1979]

I love the name for that hive Franken-nuc drama hive, it's perfect lol

[@miyka]

I'm too emotionally invested in Balboa, I'm gonna breakdown if anything happens to her....

[@rtenpin]

Jim, until you see the bees back filling the brood area, I say go ahead and feed them.

[@carthius]

Holy dang it's already been 2 years... Seems like just yesterday you dropped that frame :P

[@vinofarm]

Ha ha.. Definitely.

[@Kopsu87]

I remember that so well. I havent missed an episode since.

[@andylossing7628]

Sorry it looked empty on further examination

[@andylossing7628]

I would feed them until the flow. Might help give them a boost

[@lancebockelman8756]

This is super interesting because we've had the opposite problem in California. The smoke seems to mess with the girls gathering pollen so I've been supplementing them with patties. Watching you makes me want to dive into my hives and make sure everything is alright.

[@timk571]

I dont think to many hives. But i think they had to work and eat so much because of al the many changes in the hives. Frame building, frames with brood taken out and build and clean the new frames. I think when you keep this number and next year don't change as much and look less often in to the hives they will be less stressed and do much better. My opinion is that that when a hive like laying worker, you had to shake them off. The rest of the bees will find a new hives and no other hives will be stressed. Don't make 1 hives problem another hives's problem. That's what I think. You doing great and luckily I still learn from your videos.

[@endling_king960]

I really hope the Balboa hive pulls through and nothing happens to that queen. that seems to be your powerhouse hive with amazing queens. I always come away from watching your videos with learning something new. thank you for sharing your adventure !

[@T289c]

Balboa. It's the end of the Dearth. It has not rained here . (NYC) in about 12 days. The Queens do pause at the end of the summer before making the winter bees. Mine did the same thing. They ate some of their honey in August and slowed down. Very little nectar and mostly pollen coming in. The fall flowers have just begun and I inspected today and see brood frames wall to wall. So soon the Drones will get the boot and most of those summer workers will die off. I think what you saw is normal. And from what you said, it seems at the end of every summer Balboa makes queen cells. I don't do this but what do you think about a Journal with dates? To compare year to year? Or just look at old videos..

[@vinofarm]

I have every single inspection on video! I can just look back through the photo albums. I think we're about 7-10 days behind where we've been for the past two years. It normally starts the last week of August. So we've pushed to the first week of September. This video was from last Friday. Things have picked up a TON over the week, but I haven't actually opened any hives since last Friday. I'll have a peek this weekend!

[@brettwillbornsr.8437]

I have a hive called the Barrow hive and they built queen cells in 3days on the same frame that I tore them down on ! I would ride around and look at the resources in your area and see if u see bees . I do I'll get out and walk around and see if I see bees . And i compare the pollen with what is being gathered in the field to what I see coming in to the hive.

[@scottrobbins9320]

Pop up... new Vino Farm. I'll call this my lunch whistle. Very late lunch today.

[@Digger927]

Jim, I'd take that balboa queen, the old one and make a split with her and some of her workers. Let the old hive keep the new queen. If the new queen has trouble and runs too late, you can always re-merge the old queen split with it. This is a safety net move with no real way to lose and gives you the most options without infringing on your "I need to let this play out" strategy. If you are not going to either take out the queen cell or move the old queen, she is likely going to swarm with a crap load of the bees out of that hive and you'll lose a lot of work force and that queen. By making a split with the old queen, you are forcing a swarm and you get to determine how many bees go with the old queen and you get to keep them rather than losing them to the wind. Make the split and feed them and see if she'll take back to laying, I'd bet money she does. My feeling on what is going on there is old Balboa is feeling pressure with a short flow and high bee population and she is feeling the need to split the colony for winter resource needs. The reason she has quit laying is likely because she's prepping to swarm. The queen typically stops laying and shrinks down to enable her to fly some time before she swarms. If this is what's happening, you're limited on time to make the split as she'll swarm before you realize what's going on. The fact she had a frame of larvae tells me she's fine. You can feed the bees, if there is enough nectar flow, they'll ignore the syrup and keep working as they should. From what I saw you have nectar flowing to some extent or there wouldn't be so much brood. They appear to me to be building up for a flow harvest. My feeling is you're getting anxious to see nectar stored away and that's very understandable. It's like watching your favorite sports team barely winning for most of the game rather than putting the game away handily. I think your flow is just starting right good and they'll be fine. I could be wrong, I go more by feeling than logic with bees and not being from your region, maybe I don't have a good feel for your seasonal flows. It seems like Balboa just got a good start this time last year though. I've always felt Goldenrod was vastly overrated. I see bees bringing in pollen from it but it never seemed to me to give much of an actual nectar flow.

[@julieenslow5915]

OK Brent this is becoming a familiar pattern! One I think is awesome, thank you. Jim, I don't have the answers but I really like what Brent says!! I'd go with it.

[@vinofarm]

Brent is always spot on.

[@julieenslow5915]

Sometimes I am slow, but I do get it! LOL He is definitely GOOD.

[@Digger927]

Awe thanks but not always and even when I am there's always more than one way to do things. I'm still learning after keeping bees for 23 years. I learn something new every time I visit my bees. If I was that good, I'd be a bee keeper of legendary status and wealthy beyond belief, lol. I just enjoy watching and learning and figuring out the challenges that go with beekeeping and helping others figure stuff out. My uncle got me into beekeeping and helped me learn and figure stuff out, he passed of lung cancer three years ago and I'm thankful I had his experience and help to lean on for years. I'm happy to help others the same way if I can. Jim, you're a good guy, smart and intuitive, you'd figure this stuff out on your own in short order. I appreciate your efforts to video your experiences as you go. I don't have the patience to mess with that stuff while I'm trying to work and get stuff done, I'd probably kill myself with a hive tool out of frustration trying to juggle a camera, editing, posting it online, etc.. lol. Lulie Enslow, thanks, you're a good soul. ;)

[@julieenslow5915]

Thank you Brent. Most of all, thanks for sharing all that experience. I have found the beekeeping community to be full of the most caring people. People of all kinds but they are all sincerely vested in helping bees and that expresses in helping beekeepers who help bees. Makes me want to be a beekeeper.

[@lenoretalon9958]

Check for mites again? I’m from Montana. We harvested honey and now we are feeding most our hives even though we see food out there. We treated for mites. It’s mite and robbing season definitely. Take care👋

[@vinofarm]

All drone frame inspections up to 3 weeks ago yielded almost no mites. I will alcohol test one more time after the flow (Early October)

[@AlfredoGonzalez-xl1ny]

You may want to consider planting more and/or different flowering plants to where you have a constant flow during the warmer months.

[@DarthLink1986]

Sounds like they are all gearing up for the fall flow.... Bees are such amazing creatures

[@julieenslow5915]

Those Balboa Queens are sure gorgeous! BIG. And as you are talking it occurs to me. When you have this many hives - it makes it much easier to diagnose a bigger problem. Its not one queen which has stopped laying - its not one hive that has few resources stored - its not one hive that is slow in drawing out new frames. So its not one queen at fault, not one hive that is just stubborn. And you can start to understand environmental pressures which come on a week to week basis. Before you would have been looking for reasons the Queen was failing (or whatever), now you remember that a Queen will not lay more eggs than she has workers to support. And so if she has lots of nurse bees but few foragers, she has one problem, and if she has lots of foragers but few nurse bees she has a different one. But both problems could be attributed to the queen and then you start thinking of superseding. OK now all that is something old beekeepers know so well they probably don't think about it. But people like me - no. Just figured it out thank you! LOL OK so as usual you are way ahead of me. The beekeepers can advise you. I really don't think you have two many hives for your property. But I have no reason to think that except that I don't want that to be true, so I'm stepping out of the way and letting the beekeepers talk. But I think your what to do now thought is right on. Feed the smaller hives, let the big hives with some honey stored work it out. if they find a solution you know the smaller hives can as well. if they need help - well you know what to do then. I am praying for you and your bees, Jim. You have lots of friends here. Hang in there. By the way, your hives look so darn wonderful, take a minute to enjoy that. Its pretty awesome.

[@vinofarm]

Thanks, Julie. We're all learning a lot in the comments. It's taken a few years to start trusting my gut, but this season has been a good test.

[@endling_king960]

i agree, those Balboa queens are amazing. when i start my first hives after winter i hope i can find someone local who has queens that look like that. that is a hearty hive that seems to do well with the colder environment. something I'm going to be looking for when i start my first hives.

[@FloryJohann]

Fel I advise you, to get your bees local. It is very hard to find good queens. Do a research now and see where you can buy bees and see where those middle man get those bees. If you order your bees you need to do this beginning of the year( January or February ) to get your order filled or you may not be able to get bees. 1st year my bee guy sold me a package that did not do good all year long. It was pose to be treated. It died that winter with 50lbs of honey. This year I got a nuc from the same bee guy, but there was no queen. I missed the honey flow and build-up and I am still having some problems with that hive, but I am doing a internal inspection every 2 weeks to see what actions i have to take. I grew up with bees , but it is recently that I wanted to be a bee keeper and having bees on my own.

[@endling_king960]

I'm sorry that you are having such a bad run with your bees. I'm currently in the process of buying my woodenware and equipment and i recently joined a couple of local facebook bee groups. I've been soaking up as much information as i can "along with reading a few bee keeping books" and trying to nail down a local bee supplier like you recommended. I'll be sure to ask where they get there bees from "if they do get them from someone else" and what type they are. I'm also trying to find someone near me who has bees that i can learn from before and when i get my own bees. I hope things smooth out for you and your bees.

[@FloryJohann]

Looks like things are level out here, thank you.. Feed sugar water to new bees, treat for mites and control beetles if you have them.

[@AnomalousZoologist]

Not a beekeeper myself but the flowers are in abundance. And the farmers markets are saturated with wildberry honey. I'm in eastern Washington so we've also got fruit trees like nothing else.

[@phyreacid]

This had me so spooked, as always you're a good ambassador to your bees!

[@Les0613]

I have already started feeding 2:1 syrup, the fall flow is not strong enough for them to fill their stores. It has been so dry here, that the plants are not providing nectar. I would rather they have ample stores to get them through the winter than worry about getting another honey pull.

[@eddevault4604]

From what you explained you could put 40 hives there....don’t worry about feeding hives that have lots of bees...that are well established....feed the new hives...and low count hives...they are working on preparing the hive for winter....

[@julieenslow5915]

OH dear - Jim - so busy worrying about things I missed a huge attaboy!! You combined the Fanken-Nuc hive that was a walk away split from Balboa, then was a Laying Worker hive - then you combined it with a nuc that was Queen right (and a lot of people thought that was a mistake) - and it worked!!! They have queen cells (that was the crazy queen who liked long walks on the stone beach you have there)and are about to get themselves a sane Balboa queen. This is so awesome I cant believe in all the other drama I missed the significance of that successful combine you did! Take a bow!

[@vinofarm]

I'll do an extended jig if this one works. Until then, anything can happen. If all goes well, it'll be end of September we will know for sure. Thanks!

[@luisa1551]

Hi! First: I love what you do and your scientific spirit. I wish all my PhD students will have your spirit, patience and open mind to learn new stuff. I am microbiologist so bees are a little bit too big for my field BUT I love their behaviour. While trying to know a bit more about the little ones I found a german KZbin series (in english) about the traditional beekeeping done here in Germany before the 1950's called Skep beekeeping. Since it is traditional they show how the beekeepers just follow the rythm of the bees. You can even see how the humans wait for days to catch the swarming colonies to create new colonies for the winter (they had aver 700 colonies!). I think this video series shows a lot about the natural behaviour of bees. I hope you will enjoy it and may learn a bit about how to harvest queen cells for later keeping and new swarms. Have fun and keep that experimentation spirit! P.S. they are really old videos so you might want to play them at faster speeds😉

[@bwana4711]

LUI SA I’ve seen that video. Very interesting, especially the way they wait for the swarms.

[@T289c]

You will know when the Goldenrod nectar comes in because it should smell like dirty socks. It seems like we should have a good year for Goldenrod. This climate description sounds like what we have had: " Goldenrod nectar is most plentiful in years when there is abundant moisture before bloom time, and when bloom time remains warm and sunny"

[@vinofarm]

Sock smell started this week! It's coming now.

[@DembaiVT]

We have been getting a ton of rain lately, it wouldn't surprise me that the bees are being frusterated with that. The goldenrod near my home was flattened...it looks like yours is doing better but it may just be grumpy wet bees. I think feeding them in 4-5 days would be a good choice if you don't see them processing honey.

[@dazamistwalker]

Here in Atlanta, the asters are just starting and the girls are hauling in the pollen, but no golden rod nectar yet...a couple more weeks maybe. This seems to be how it works; the pollen precedes the nectar so that the colony can strengthen and tee-off when the flow gets heavy and hit hard. All that new brood is going to have to age a bit. I think I would give up on the idea of pulling honey this year because you've split and expanded so aggressively. I'm in the same spot. Feed and let them build for winter. You're yard is looking really good!

[@wess1405]

Feed immediately! Queens may shut down rearing brood with even a dip in food supply. That's rarely the case but definately effects the population growth. Also, You want the stores for winter to be capped before winter so that You don't exhaust the wintering bees.

[@Christine-bq2nn]

I think you are correct about Balboa "postponed" laying during Dearth. It make bee sense to me inasmuch as that you were not supplement feeding and existing resources were low. It was also confirmed in the later weeks when the goldenrod bloomed and the natural colony resources resumed. Thanks so much for your time and efforts in sharing everything you do! Can you please share the source of your newest supers and RH hives (light green-Blue)? I like the quality of these hives. Thanks!

[@lisafeck1537]

I'm new to your channel. I look forward to watching how you work through this problem. I know basically nothing about beekeeping. You explain things well. I will go back and watch the videos you mentioned. My grandfather kept bees, my dad helped him while growing up. I hope to start keeping bees when we move, in the next year. In Virginia.

[@richardreid2059]

I think you nailed it on the first hive, the queen shut down during the dearth. Those hives are not super populous so I doubt you have too many hives for the area based on your description of the surrounding forage. I'm not sure what it's like where you are, but here in the mountains of VA, we usually don't get much nectar off goldenrod, though we do get plenty of pollen. I would feed them up for winter and hope the flows are better next year. The queens look good and appear to be laying well, they just need more nectar.

[@CanadianTropica]

Hey vino, my hives looked similar to yours a few weeks ago, except with a frame of honey from spring on one end, now they are finally storing some goldenrod though, It took a week of cool weather which seemed to get them into slow down laying and storing mode. Mid September i'm removing all supers and reducing to 1 deep and feeding shortly after to get them into the 60-70lb range for winter. When they start clustering with cool weather (5-10c) i'm doing an oxalic acid drip and wrapping them up. Make sure the hives are all queened up soon as they will be evicting all the drones and there wont be many left to mate in a month or so. Continuing to enjoy your videos, nice job.

[@Alisonneri]

Hi there, I have been watching your videos and this is one of the times I can actually add something as I have had a similar situation. We have had a dearth which has been quite long as it has been very dry in July August here in Haute Savoie France. So when I checked my hive I found it very light and large queen cells (still open) being constructed on the bottom of the frames. The hive is pretty much Varroa free and all looked good but on the 16 deep frames I had only one frame with eggs on a tiny patch. I fed them immediately and within 3 days I had 6 frames of eggs and no more queen cells. That was about 10 days ago. Since then I have checker boarded and swapped the top box for the bottom and it is now full of eggs and sugar syrup resource and pollen. Because of the dry conditions there is plenty of pollen but no nectar to forage. I hope this helps. Well done on all you adventures. I will split next spring and see how I go.

[@CryptoidEngine]

I see a consensus of "Feed 'em now!" and people warning of a swarm. Not a beekeep myself, but even still, my own mind says feed 'em, too. I can't speak for a potential swarm, though; no experience. Oh, and hope that drone's okay. :D I got a small chuckle at that crash.

[@anothergamedeveloper5820]

Bees need water if you don't have a water supply the bees cant control the humidity of the colony, utilize stored food and they need it to dissolve sugar. some of the food is for the brood. If theirs no pond or lake keep in mind they consume a lot of water

[@vinofarm]

They have a big bird bath water bowl that I keep clean and full. I have a video about it that I haven't edited yet.

[@effingbeesapiary2599]

So what is an alternate to not having a pond? I do have a small Creek but it is deep in the woods will they find that? Do I just get a bird bath or something? I plan on getting a small salt blcok tomorrow

[@vinofarm]

EffingBees Apiary I carved a bowl into a big rock that sits outside my bee yard. It's basically a giant bird bath. At first I was worried I'd get bees drowning, but after about a week, they found it and figured out how to land on the edge and drink. They all line up around the edge. No drownings. So, yes, a bird bath would work, but they need to be able to land on the edge of the water. My big bird bath holds almost 5 gallons of water, so I make sure to check it every 2-3 days minimum. On hot days, I fill it every morning.

[@SecretPurpleQ]

So for Balboa I would put out a small container of food anyway, not a really big thing cuz you still want them to feel driven to go out and forage, but you want them to stock up and save some nectar and not be completely skinny. I will be interested to see what comes of all of this this is our journey of figuring it all out together and I really like it.

[@Maximusrex4575]

Balboa hive is so full of bees, wouldn't be surprised if they are going to swarm.

[@deboracroft1292]

We are also in the goldenrod flow but I did check my hives and several of them needed to be fed for winter build up so I have been feeding each hive individually.

[@bryanroberts]

Community feed.. Maybe 5 gallon bucket method upside down. If they need the syrup they will come to it. If there is enough nectar flow going on they will not touch the syrup. You can see how the flow is simply by watching your syrup. Fall buildup is too important for me and I never harvest anything once goldenrod starts. That's just my way but I let them have that for winter.

[@jeffslavens818]

This is exactly right!!

[@bigboybees1864]

Yep

[@aaronharr6553]

Down south just did my second harvest of honey will get one more late fall then will close shop for the winter . I run two Russian hives love those hot headed bees they make my day when I go look in on then something new every week. You are doing a great job keep up the good work and the awsome videos.

[@Oceansteve]

Love the drone footage at the end.. lol ;)

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

Had a very similar situation in the hives i am apprenticing under where the queen just totally shut down egg production. We have had a LOT of rain here locally keeping the bees in the hives and we had a pretty harsh dearth this year. Just this week she started laying again...and laying well. Might be a similar situation

[@bluzervic]

Nice video, this one has me on the edge of my seat. The end result is going to be a cliff hanger for sure. Five stars out of five. Keep it going. Oh, and feed them, but watch them carefully so they do not over fill and not have space for brood.

[@mrbodo69]

Feed feed feed. This year has been horrible in Western NC. Too much rain in early summer knocked the sourwood blooms off. I'm feeding all 4 of my hives right now...

[@jeffreys9667]

Jim, We just hit our goldenrod and knotweed flow going on 09/07/2018, I lost one hive two weeks ago, due to low food stores, excessive heat, dearth, and rain. Huge triple deep, 50,000 dead bees in less than 3 days. I still can't believe what happened but live and learn. I guess it was just the perfect storm. I put food on all my other hives now. Feed, Feed, Feed, Syrup and pollen patties all around. What they don't need they won't take. All seem good now. They could be dead in a week without food, don't wait to feed if they are that light on food. That's a lot of bees to be eating if they can't get out due to rain. Best of luck!!

[@flygirlhoney_]

My hives were like that with almost no resources starting a few weeks ago, so I've been feeding since then. We've had crazy weather, so I don't think it's the bees' fault. My thought is I need them ready for the winter. Plus, if they don't want it, they won't take it, right? No harm feeding them if you aren't planning to harvest.

[@vinofarm]

This is correct!

[@TammySIII]

3 of mine stopped laying for a bit. I gotta go in my swarm hive, once weather breaks

[@toddachten2224]

It's time to make a choice NOW and not in a week! If you think that there are valid reasons that she shut down on the egg laying because of resources coming in (likely the cause), and you want to keep her then you need to go in and destroy that remaining queen cell now. It's possible that you could make a split and pull that cell out but with the luck you have had this season I wouldn't risk that. If that virgin hatches......she will most likely go and kill Balboa!

[@vinofarm]

But what if that's what was meant to be? What if Balboa is really having trouble and the bees want a new queen? And if she's NOT in trouble, she can just go kill the cell. I need to let this play out.

[@toddachten2224]

I understand what your saying. My take on the observation of the cells for the most part appear to be half/half supersedure cells and swarm cells. Usually mated queens don't seek out virgin queens or their cells. That seems to be a reasonable assumption in the fact that queens are present when virgins hatch out in both situations. I have heard many experienced keepers say that mated queens are not fighters.

[@toddachten2224]

One thing for sure.....it will be a learning experience.

[@julieenslow5915]

You could bank a Queen or two. You know those push in cages for Queen release? They can also work as a means of keeping ALL the queens about to hatch. Then you bank them. I'll find the video and post it here. Its just about how to bank Queens. Push in cages new use I just thought up but I have no idea if that is good idea. OK this is the video I saw. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2SZmGCrrtirhs0 Found this one too while looking. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3rXkqyhi6Zro7M

[@luoarnamsk]

What @todd said is correct, as far as I know.

[@timmo7913]

Hey Jim, North Idaho here. We don't have the luxury of golden rod up here. (Wish we did). Our dearth is definitely upon us, however, my 6 hives (3 at each yard, about 3 miles apart) luckily are surrounded by irrigated alfalfa that is about to hit it's 3rd Bloom. Knapweed is still kind of around, and clover is around where irrigation is. My queens stopped laying a couple weeks ago due to the hot, dry weather AND the smoke from the forest fires up north (Canada) that drifted down to us. I have 2 more hives to harvest honey from but started feeding the others. Once I started feeding (2:1 w/ essential oils [DoTerra] spearmint, maleluca, and basil) they started laying again and are laying very hard right now. Theyre laying the winter bees. The summer foragers are dying off quick. The nurse bees will be the ones to fill and cap the cells now. I would build them up super heavy buddy so the don't starve out. FEED, FEED, FEED. Most of the pollen you're seeing will be for February/March so she can start laying in the hive to build up when we're still under snow and have no flowers. (2 of my queens started in February last year). We're the same climate/ growing season. My rule of thumb is 1 full deep of food above the bees. Winters are hard in our regions. The longer you wait, the colder the syrup stays during the day, and the harder and more energy it takes for them to dehydrate it. Until you hit the point that they can't anymore. I'm no expert, and I'm sure you'll get a ton of comments, but just food for thought from the other side of the northern region. Cheers my friend, trust your gut.

[@vinofarm]

Thanks, man! I'm in my 3rd fall season now and have a pretty good feel for the flow. We're about a week later than usual, but it looks to be a mega flow if the bees go get it. Lots more goldenrod and knotweed than I've noticed in the past few years. And I know I can force feed 2:1 syrup through much of October if I have to. September is the big push. I need to let them go get it. Good luck over there!

[@reginaromsey]

You are Back! I missed you!

[@McCuneWindandSolar]

first time seeing your videos. and you got a sub right a way after seeing Ariel view. Love the set up nice and clean, nice wind blocks ect I want so much to do such. all some.

[@RobertSchwartzLive]

FEED YOUR BEE'S.. (nectar flow not as heavy as your thought) S U G A R W A T E R.. You do no need pollen... Bee's need royal jelly - feed em up! :) and to finish drawing comb - start thinking reducing size of overall boxes - you should be thinking winter now... :)

[@briansmith6824]

Jim, If the frames have all that pollen, they obviously have food. They have minimal nectar because the forgers are focused on raising new bees to handle the main flow. The new bees will make more comb/wax. You don't need to do anything at this point, your bees are poised for a great season. You need to have more supers ready to max your honey production. If you want to learn more about the "why" of bee behavior, I suggest you read Walt Wright's articles on beesource.com, articles.

[@krispapas9834]

Sometimes taking frames will make the bees think queen isn't doing a good job.

[@aakesson1]

I'm almost done with feeding my hives, preparing for winter. The flow is over and nights are getting chilly. One of my hives can probably survive winter on the nectar it's drawn during the late season but the others got a feeding box of syrup last weekend. My oldest hive is three y.o. at the moment but they changed queen last year.

[@thecolburnfarm7613]

I have to say when i checked my hives they had hardly and honey no brood and larvae and all capped brood was hatched, I do believe all my queens stopped laying because they had no food, but I'm no expert. I took all bottom boxes off and left one box and started feeding feed, but having queen cells that late is really pushing it, they start dragging drones out of the hive and might not be any left to mate? but your hives kind of looked like mine and I did spot my queens so I know they were their, I do believe they have no food she quits laying. great video

[@CuriousCreature]

All is well. Just feed them. Mine are light too. Just the ebb and flow of nectar and pollen sources. I like the bucket or barrel feeding idea to get it done fast if you can protect it from bears.

[@RJ-ys1vy]

Instead of feeding individual hives look into the 5 gallon bucket feeding away from your hives and if a hive needs the resources they can find it and use it. You want it enough away from your hives or it could cause robbing if to close.

[@vinofarm]

But bears. We have bears.

[@briandodds]

Build another electric fence around the bucket feeder ?

[@RJ-ys1vy]

I hadn't known to many bee keepers who don't deal with bears every now and then, unless your in the city. Normally if a bear finds the bucket they will just knock it over and leave. Only known 1 to keep coming back and that guy has a nice bear rug now. Even still the advantages to group feeding out way any chance I'll see a bear to me. Just a thought.

[@timk571]

Hang a bucket in a tree or on a roof? Don't know if bears get that

[@lericsun]

id say another reason not use a feed station u cant control what hives use the syrup feed station and hives that u want to harvest honey will be filling there hives with the syrup and not nectar

[@clergyurge]

Don’t sweat it. You have the pollen and are shooting for honey production. The goldenrod honey is definitely an acquired taste. Down here in Alabama, most beekeepers leave the goldenrod honey and pollen for the bees for the winter build-up. If that is your own plan, unless you plan to sell goldenrod honey, what can it hurt to feed sugar to help the girls get a strong jump on the brood making? My business is to grow and sell honeybees and queens and the girls are eating voraciously and splitting population at the seams! I am going to attempt nuc splits tomorrow adding mated queens to the new colonies and hope to be winter ready by Halloween. Wow what a first year ride! Started with 2 5 frame nucs in May and will be going into winter with 16 nucs. Whew!

[@drrota]

yes, we're having the same nectar dearth 20 miles east of you

[@jman414999]

Ok I live in south eastern Ma. You know this I think we talked about it before. My 6 hives are growing so fast its amazing. I did notice a pollen dearth about 3 weeks ago and I gave the 5 smaller hives, syrup and pollen, my one big hive I gave pollen no syrup. The big hive I will be pulling honey maybe this weekend. In the last week I have not added any pollen or syrup and the activity is very very high the flow is in full swing. I think you have had two to three times the rain we have had.

[@vinofarm]

We're a couple weeks later than eastern mass for flowers. This year has been about a week behind. I have a feeling the flow is happening now. (This video was shot last Friday.)

[@volfirefighterwargo]

I planted dwarf sunflowers, then buckwheat late the bees only seemed to stay on the buckwheat for a little over a week and then they were done with it, I am in VA most of my area has dried up so I am back to feeding. Next year I plan to plant the buckwheat in phases. Where did you get golden rod seed??

[@vinofarm]

Goldenrod is native. It is our king fall wildflower. i did buckwheat in phases (Late June, Late July) and notice TONS of bees all over the flowers... but very little nectar in the hives. Kind of a bust.

[@honeybeesinjapan]

You should take that queen cell out of Balboa and start to consolidate the hive down. Move a pollen frame into the brood chamber and feed till everything looks juicy. Good luck

[@heathersfeatherfarm3245]

Absolutely loved the overhead aerial view of the land ( hope your drones okay!) I dont own bees but I would totally feed them? After watching all these videos, yes it can taint that honey but...what's going on with the buzzing crew??? I'm so excited when you post your videos! I hope the bees find resources soon!...they all look great in numbers perhaps it's not as of dire situation as it appears? Fingers crossed they go and forage and bring home the gold.

[@rogierdikkes]

We have not had rain in June and July, this week we had around 100mm rain in a single day. My bees have around 1KG food per hive, no pollen and their 1 broodbox big. I'm hoping for the hedera helix to fill them up for winter but I'm also feeding them. Goal is 14KG in these couple weeks.

[@xistsixt]

Had the same experience this year, very hot and very dry, no nectar, no harvest & feeding end of August. But in Switzerland...

[@deeno5689]

Hi Jim I've only been beekeeping just over a year in a different country but, we are now in spring with plenty of stuff in flower. The nectar flow is low because it has been so dry here for the last 18 months or so. My hives look similar to yours. Lots of pollen and not much nectar.

[@jasonehlinger846]

They can build queen cells that fast. I’ve seen bees build 1 pound of wax and start laying brood in less than 12 hours. Pretty sure they simply built them out of dire need.

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

From what I've noticed, if you open feed the bees will suck down syrup much faster than putting internal feeders. Try it once. You'll like it. If I use a 4 gallon tub, they'll suck down all of it in less than a day. I don't know why exactly, perhaps it's the 'competition' thing, but open feeding is a great way to instantly fill up all the hives, don't put the feeders too close nor too far away from the hives. I'm in Austin, TX and we don't have ANY flow going on now, but the bees still seem to be ramping up their production of eggs. We just got some much needed rains and hopefully, this will trigger the plants to bloom.

[@vinofarm]

Open feeding is a dinner bell for bears. Not an option for us. I like the concept, but I don't want to draw more bears to the property than there already are.

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

You could put the tub anywhere, you could put it on top of the roof, the bees will find it! You could even put a tub between two trees hung on a wire. If that would help...honestly, I don't know anything about bears and their capabilities. I love open feeding. It fills the hives instantly!

[@kellylea]

Coming from Canada, I do know bears intimately. They can do "nearly" anything a human can to some degree and they climb trees well too, along with other things. lol :)

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

+Kelly Lea What about metal poles? Would they climb up a flag pole for a tub-o-syrup? This is like a puzzle to me, I like puzzles. There's gotta be a way to thwart a bear!

[@dianaconover6151]

I had the same issue a couple of weeks ago and as of this week, my hives are honey bound. Very strange. I harvested honey to provide space for the queen to lay.

[@Psyche8D]

Where did you get your metal entrances? I’m having a very hard time finding them for 8 frame hives. Thanks in advance!

[@Psyche8D]

Just found your video with more info on the entrances. I’m still working through all your posts. Maybe a video on how you cut them? Probably not hard, but I’m also a newbie in shop and metalwork skills.

[@vinofarm]

"Wiss aviation snips". Available at any hardware store or homedepot. Those mouse guards only come in 10-frame. I cut them all down to 8 frame. The first one takes a few tries to get it right and now I can cut and install one in about 3 minutes. I'll try to make a video on that soon! Affiliate Link: amzn.to/2NXrOTl

[@Casey_Ezaziel]

I just looked today. My small hive pulled 10 frames and filled them with nectar in 14 days. It's insane here in Australia

[@0naallan429]

Question, did I miss a video? What happened with the laying worker hive?

[@vinofarm]

Last video was Part 4. The hive has morphed into the Nuc Drama Hive seen at 7:43 in this video. When those queen cells hatch I'll have an update.

[@fhdgfyh]

Love the bee camerawomen!

[@enstreetbees9968]

I like what David Barnyard bees says about feeding if they have a natural source for nectar and pollen they wont take sugar syrup or pollen substitute, I would say feed because they all have zero stores so its all hand to mouth at this point. Worst thing they dont take it, best scenario they thrive, and dont starve. First year for me so take it for what its worth

[@samiyarossini]

Got a LOT of goldenrod, and some other things blooming all over here in western NY. Been about a week since this was recorded, so I hope they're doing better for you. (Hope your drone did okay with that crash too!)

[@vinofarm]

There is a lot more activity since this was shot, but I have not opened them up to check since last Friday. I'll probably have a peek in a few this weekend.

[@Ikantspell4]

Fall food is different. Lots of availability of polin but not much nectar. The bees will be ok. If you feed that's ok. The bees will be making "fat" bees so having good resources will be an excellent way to prep for the winter. Around here (ID) everyone is all prepping for winter and lots of keepers had to move resources from the supers to the brood boxes before harvesting or if they miscalculated they are feeding just like you. It's a different game when you invested so much energy into splitting as aggressively as you did. I think the number of hives is fine. Some stuff I'd love to see next season is: 1) Feed polin sooner to get the hives super bee heavy BEFORE the the first flow. 2) Keep some primary "Production Hives" that are constantly on verge of being ready to swarm. The brood chambers should be heavily populated and you will have to keep pulling queen cells. It's a fine line between keeping the hive "production ready" and having half the bees look for a new home. Learn how to find the sweet spot. 3)please keep making videos

[@tinacalifano5023]

Where are you located,I am going through the same lack of food. bad summer lots of rain for me I’ve been feeding but not good enough..last year our whole yard was covered with flowers but with the rain we got all this year nothing...sad ....a friend of mine lost his hives so sad but I’m glad I have been feeding ,just enough to not loose them but didn’t know how bad it was. I haven’t seen goldenrod.no Please feed your bees please.open feed if you want to keep them.i have seen my bees bearding,waiting for the forgers to comeback and tell them where the food is,but there wasn’t any...until I fed and there were no bearding after I open fed .did you have a lot of rain this year more than normal? I’m trying to pay more attention to what my bees need. Please let me know what you think I so want to help my bees!❤️🐝

[@MaynardFreek]

Dear Vino, do you have woodworking experience or know someone who does? If so build some 3 frame mating nucs to rear some queens. All the deminsions are the same as the other boxes except the inside width, 5 1/8th inches. I would build 6 for your situation and have new queens to build new hives and or replace less desirable queens. Hope this helps!

[@loveysbees7392]

They may well be just from going into the NUC. Eggs hatch day 4 and the bees cap them day 9. So 5 days to fully capped. The early ones may not be great but the younger cells should be fine.

[@wesileydrewitt4338]

I would give them at least a small feed to give them all a little kick start 👍

[@normjacques6853]

I have a question...borne of my inexperience: I subscribe to several other beekeepers' channels, and although I know that they feed their bees, the feeding seems to take place early in the season, and then only...or so it would seem through the lens of their cameras. Are bees smart enough that they can be conditioned so that feeding is the norm, and foraging (although instinctive) becomes secondary?? In other words, is it possible that you have 'spoiled' your bees by feeding them so generously? With all of that blooming goldenrod, you'd expect tons of pollen, and nectar, wouldn't you? Also, I wonder if all of that feeding is somehow forestalling swarm conditions? They're crowded, but so well fed that some of the swarming 'triggers' aren't there, which might somehow confuse them?? Just curious and 'thinking out loud.' Thanks!

[@jasonpatterson8091]

11:03 You're inspecting a hive from a new nuc. Looks like a queen cup on that frame as well. Don't know if it came with the nuc or if they're building queen cells...

[@TheSoilandGreen]

All my hives just stopped laying, no nectar no syrup. Now I know, don’t stop both at the same time.

[@b4roni1]

I have the same exact problem. i'm new but I see a problem. I live in the country too, and last years was great and now, this year bad, it's like there not foraging, no honey at all , so I started feeding late august. had open feeders and bald faced hornets and wasps were eating out of feeders and other hives nearby were eating out of my feeders too. so I went to inhive feeders. so so still trying to figure out a fix to this problem and make it thru to next year

[@TruesMidori]

So i was looking really close at your video. I saw Queen Cells in 2 of your Splits. at 9:19 There was one in the Balboa Split from June 30th. And at 11:04 the new Nuc Installed July 15th had one. They looked like immature cups like they were building them very recently.

[@vinofarm]

The 9:19 one has been there (empty) for weeks. I'm not worried about it. The other one was an empty swarm cup. That hive is nowhere near swarming. Thanks.

[@isedhooah3683]

Love the ending footage...haha

[@eddouville7874]

Hey Jim. Old Drone 64 here. I am not sure when you took this video but since we are a couple of towns over from you, I thought I would comment. . I noticed that your Balboa hive seemed more chill than usual. Maybe you should feed externally like someone else suggested. Our bees had brood but no eggs and the bees were lethargic, just like your Balboa hive. We had to feed internally, (1:1) on our hives about a week and half ago, to stimulate egg production. And we don't like to feed if at all possible but the rain that we had in this area has forced the bees to eat their stores. We have only three boxes of honey this year and that is not much considering we have 14 hives. I wish you the best with your bees and love the videos.

[@vinofarm]

This was a few weeks ago. We have since had a huge flow and are now back down to a trickle. I will most likely be taking honey off this weekend and starting the fall feeding. Thanks for checking in!

[@eddouville7874]

I watched the follwing videos and was happy to see that you held out feeding your girls. Good luck on your honey harvest.

[@vt8632]

Im in Syracuse, NY. have around around 30hives. Goldenrod everywhere. So strong nectar flow now. They filling up all frames with dark nectar so there is no place for queen to lay. I only have Carniolan Bees. So far they best honey producers. Lately bought some Buckfast Queens. They doing good job too.

[@vinofarm]

Awesome! You guys are a week ahead of us, so things should be picking up fast. Where do you get Buckfast queens???

[@vt8632]

Vino Farm ordered them back in March, 2018 at Ferguson Apiaries. They shipped over and i received them beginning of July. So far they very gentle. Try carniolans. They should do great job for you.

[@vinofarm]

I installed two carniolans into two nuc splits this spring. One made it and one didn't. So I have one building up now. I still need to get to know them.

[@deeepumes7740]

Please try this. Every morning pick some of these flowers and place them in front of the hives. Also water your flowers in the early morning.

[@stevekovalick3806]

Just checked hives today. They are banging out the aster's. Goldenrod is just about to start. Not ready for winter yet, but shouldn't take much longer

[@stevekovalick3806]

Most of my queens shut down almost a month ago. All laying again, I believe it's just the dearth. 10 hives running in East Ohio

[@StephenBiggers]

I was wondering about the hives that were solid bees and capped brood. Where do the bees go once they are out of the cell. Do they just replace bees that are dying or do they need room?

[@susanmitchell1117]

I've always thought their was no dearth in Ontario but right now there is one and I think it's because of the long hot dry summer.

[@dzdffxddvbaiden225]

Where do you get your boxes and frames?

[@vinofarm]

I've ordered from Betterbee, Brushy Mountain, Mann Lake and Kelly Beekeeping. I would not buy from Kelly again. I usually shop Betterbee and Brushy Mountain and go with the better deal on the day I'm buying. Betterbee and BrushyMountain are highest quality.

[@nicksulakov7918]

Bees do pull a queen within 3 days. They sometimes select a 3day larvae.

[@vinofarm]

Thanks. I guess it is possible. This is Balboa we're talking about!

[@18brash]

I don't know much about bees or plants but what about in the spring planting something like a few dozen tomato plants or something else that are constantly getting new flowers on them so they still have a source of nectar thru the dearth and just give the tomatoes or whatever to your friends and familly

[@vinofarm]

I have planted acres of buckwheat and wildflowers. We need more than tomato plants! (We have a hoophouse full of tomatoes, too!)

[@smokeydops]

With so many colonies building up, it's no surprise there's not much storage of nectar going on. They are eating it to survive. You could have a better idea of forager activity by placing salted water feeders and seeing the kind of activity they get.

[@julieenslow5915]

smokeydops why salted water? i'm not a beekeeper (yet) never heard of salted water. (oceans, I know, I mean in regards to bees. now stop it y'all.)

[@smokeydops]

Bees are attracted to water with minerals in it. Salt happens to be a vital mineral to almost all living things. I'm not saying much salt; let's say 1 tablespoon for 2 gallons. In this case you salt the water because its good for the bees, and secondly, rather than a straight water source the bees might consider it as a low-grade foraging source compared to nectar. If there is enough nectar for all the hives, the salted water source will not have much activity, as the foragers would be busy getting nectar. Otherwise it would have an increased amount of activity, because the foragers wouldn't have much else to do. That is reaching a bit, as you'd have to have these set up for multiple years around the same time with around the same hives to really be able to tell what is going on.

[@julieenslow5915]

Thank you for the explanation. Makes perfect sense now!

[@MaynardFreek]

@@smokeydops the proper formula is 1 teaspoon of salt per quart of water. I use Mortan Sea Salt without iodine

[@MaynardFreek]

I've setup 3 bucket feeders stacked. A 5 gallon with fresh drinking water, a 2 gallon salt water and a 2 gallon sugar water that sits just out of their drop zone. Most days they don't touch any of the feeders but on certain days they will drink from all 3, depending on their needs. I've noticed they take the salt water as much as the sugar water

[@jonathanwilcox2003]

yes it is possible for them to build queen cells in three days I've seen it it all depends on how desperate the hive is

[@elliethompson5535]

Could Balboa stop laying if she is sick? It could be some type of bacteria, fungus, or mite/parasite making her slow down or stop laying eggs. I would suggest do a small feed and see if that helps at all, and if not maybe it's a bee born illness of sorts. I don't know alot about bees, but an illness of some sort is a possibility.

[@Anonymous-mb9kc]

Nice drone shot at the end ;)

[@fernvalleyfarm9711]

In northern Illinois lots of golden rod I started feeding I took the honey super s of to weeks ago they are driining a gallon a day of 2 to 1

[@tpaige99]

lol at the crash at the end. Here in Iowa our flow was really good. Took honey from 3 hives and got about 400 pounds of honey.

[@vinofarm]

Nice! That's huge.