Hello from Maine

[summerbeam]

Hi all, my name is Bruce and my wife is Chris and we live in Garland, Me. and although we have kept bees for nearly 20 years, we still can't seem to get it right. We did have our best honey crop ever last year in a difficult summer but it seems that our bees did not survive this winter........again. We now think we would like to try 4.9 bees and have many questions about that. So we hope to use you all as another knowledgeable resource.

[Sundance]

Welcome Bruce.............. If I were going to only
have a couple hives I'd go the Honey SuperCell
route for brood boxes and put packages on them.

They are fully drawn comb in the 4.9mm size. Spendy,
but worth it.

[waynesgarden]

Hi Bruce. I had bees many years ago but came here to learn and re-learn what I need to know. I'm taking the 12 week beekeeping course run by the Western Maine Beekeeping Association.

Wayne

[summerbeam]

Hi Wayne- Can you explain this course?

Thanks, Bruce

[summerbeam]

Hi sundance- can I get more info on Honey SuperCell?
Thanks, Bruce

[Ravenseye]

Hello Summerbeam,

Welcome. I used to live In Presque Isle and hunted around your area all the way to Princeton and beyond. Looks like you found the right place for your questions. Glad you're here!

[LenInNorCal]

Hi, y'all. I understand Maine got some snow this year. As a newbee I wonder, what is a 4.9?
I am a first timer with bees and my girls did not make it through our Sonoma County winter. No brood in the chamber and no honey. A few bees found with their heads in cell so I guess they starved :cry:
So in response I built a top bar hive and now I'll have two hives this year. Though I know the disheartening affect you are going through I find it encouraging to know that true troopers out there do carry on. Thanks for that.
=Len

[Sundance]

Hi sundance- can I get more info on Honey SuperCell?
Thanks, Bruce

Wow......... I see it's up to nearly $6 a frame. Still worth
it IMO as you get perfectly drawn 4.9mm. And wax moths
can never damage it.

http://www.honeysupercell.com/

[Barry]

As a newbee I wonder, what is a 4.9?

Here is the background on the term:

The Way Back to Biological Beekeeping
The Way Back to Biological Beekeeping (http://beesource.com/pov/lusby/part1.htm)

[BeekeeperBill]

I had a good year also last year...my 3rd year (i think). I had 3 hives in the fall, and snowshoed to them yesterday, pounded on the hives, and bees came out of all 3. They still feel like they had some weight to them, but in a couple weeks, i'm going to double check. Two brood chambers of stores in the fall and with the hives facing south with good sun exposure, I've never had them not make it through unless they were in bad shape before hand.