Solstice

[iddee]

Having said this for the NC climate, adjust for your locale.


Sunday will be Winter Solstice. Each day after that will have a little more daylight. It is said that this is one of nature's ways of telling the creatures spring is on the way.

The queen can resume laying anytime from then until mid Jan. For best buildup and strong hives, many keepers begin feeding both sugar water and pollen substitute shortly after Solstice. By mid Jan. at the latest, for maximum effectiveness. Just be sure they have it available constantly. Feeding, then letting them run out before spring will be worse than not feeding in the beginning, as it will cause them to have thousands of larva to feed, but no stores to feed them.

[Tom G. Laury]

Excellent comments Iddee. Day length is seemingly a catalyst for many of natures' activities. This is Bee101 beginners would be well advised to consider the seasons when planning bee work.

[Ravenseye]

Great advice. I'll just re-stress the importance of HOW you feed, especially for us beeks in cold country. Feeding is not a one time event. Feeding is an effort that needs to be sustained until the bees can find enough food to walk away from that which you give them. One of my favorite articles on feeding bees and the consequences is linked here below. Hope you enjoy:

http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=532

[iddee]

Ravenseye, that is a great link. Of course, Kim is one of the greater beeks.

Here is a paragraph from that link that summarizes what I tried to say.

Kim is a much better writer than I am.

>>>>So rule number one is...don’t start if you can’t finish, and if you plan to finish, finish with more than you started with so you don’t limit the growth potential of that colony, their eventual health, and your potential honey crop. Waste a little protein feed early on to make a bigger honey crop later.<<<<

[Hambone]

Soild Advice!! I bought a couple of fall nucs this year. This same advice is what he stressed to me. He even gave me some Megabee to make some patties! Made them Saturday. I am ready for the first week of Jan. That is when I am starting the 1:1 and patty.

[Hobie]

Here, winter solstice typically means "hold onto your hats, winter is upon us" as the transient overshoot of cold spikes up. The top of the hump is typically not even thought about until sometime in mid-February.

I just posted this so iddee would feel warm and toasty about his locale. And maybe feel sorry for me and let me squat on his property somewhere! :D :D

[Ravenseye]

Hobie....I know the feeling. I always grumble when people start talking about the pollen they see coming in or that they're stacking honey supers.....and it's February or March! The web connects us virtually but it's easy to forget the real distances. Having said that, it's great advice though, adjusted for the area that you're in.

Thank goodness for those hats to hold on to right about now!!!!

[KQ6AR]

Thanks, guy's

[BEES4U]

:thumbsup:
Here are four very good URLs on the Winter Solstice:
Winter Solstice for the northern hemisphere:
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/uts/winter.html
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/WinterSolstice.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice
http://www.candlegrove.com/solstice.html
Regards,
Ernie

[Michael Palmer]

Sunday will be Winter Solstice. Each day after that will have a little more daylight.

Our sunset time has just started to get later. Sunset had been 4:13 for several days, and two days ago went to 4:14. And so, it begins.

[Hambone]

:thumbsup:
Here are four very good URLs on the Winter Solstice:
Winter Solstice for the northern hemisphere:
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/uts/winter.html
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/pholidays/WinterSolstice.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice
http://www.candlegrove.com/solstice.html
Regards,
Ernie

I just got time to look at these links. Very good Ernie! Thanks!!

[michael-bees]

As the days get longer the cold gets stronger.

[Jeffzhear]

As the days get longer the cold gets stronger.

Heard that! Especially in these parts...:s

Second thought, Michael when do you start feeding, presuming you do?

[Hobie]

Yep, yep, yep!

The southern folks are laughing at us now!

[Hambone]

Yep, yep, yep!

The southern folks are laughing at us now!

It's gonna be a nice 75 deg here today. I just broke out my Jams shorts and my best Don Ho t-shirt. :D

[sqkcrk]

It's gonna be a nice 75 deg here today. I just broke out my Jams shorts and my best Don Ho t-shirt. :D

:) Me too. But I wear them under two other layers of clothing.:)

[Hambone]

:) Me too. But I wear them under two other layers of clothing.:)

Sometimes it's the spirit that counts.

[jdpro5010]

Most of the time I will take my snow in the winter over your hot in the summer!:D