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Going into last winter all my hives were in either double or triple med. 8 frame. All survived the
winter! I did feed some dry sugar cake starting around Christmas. By April 4 they all had at least...

I know it is just the beginning of spring in some areas but I am already thinking about overwintering my hives.
I am curious how you feel about it. If you had to pick just one configuration, what...

I know it is just the beginning of spring in some areas but I am already thinking about overwintering my hives.
I am curious how you feel about it. If you had to pick just one configuration, what...

I got my first swarm today. It was a foot off the ground in a small bush. Shook them into a 10 frame medium and could only put
9 frames in it. Too many bees. It was a huge swarm. They had swarmed...

I make my own queens and hive increases without depending on out of state inventory.
I experimented this year and I took 5 established hives and made 20 starter hives from them. It is slow at first....

I forgot to add to the previous re[ly. I have had ZERO losses for the last 2 years.. And I don't treat at all.
I rely on IPM for control of pests and diseases.

That is why there are chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavored ice cream. Everyone has a different opinion on which
one is the best. You have yours and I have mine. Time will tell who is closer...

"A very small percentage with problems" you say.. Strange, I thought the average loss of colonies this winter was somewhere around 50 % nationwide.
I think that includes everyone, doesn't it? And...

The powers to be do not really want these problems solved. The commercial guys won't like this post but. There would be some hardships to some people at first but the solution seems simple to me....

Just watched it. Same old same old. Bees are dying and nobody knows why. Right.
I think if the almond farmers kept their own bees and not rely on others, it would go
a long way to stop the spread...

Welcome to the wonderful world of beekeeping. It will be both rewarding and frustrating at times. But always fascinating.
It sounds like you are on the right track by hooking up with your local...

To show the difference in prices. I buy my packages for $90 this includes shipping to me. I don't sell the packages but keep them to increase my numbers for splits later. I do sell nucs I make from...

Ben, I am curious. If you buy the packages how do you make any money putting them in a nuc and selling it? :scratch:

Thanks Michael. I will assume they have a queen and let them go another week to check them again.

After thinking about this entire situation I agree Mike is 100% correct for absconding. Mike, can I assume if the nuc absconded that they have a queen? It is time to check the colony to see if
they...

Thanks all but how do you stop absconding?

Yeah, I think you are correct about making it up too strong.
But what I don't understand is where did they get those eggs for the queen cells?
I started the nuc with a queen cell. That queen should...

I caught my first swarm today. But it was a swarm from one of my nucs. So that didn't increase my numbers any. The nuc they left behind only had a few bees left.

So how do you keep them from Swarming when they get that full? One of mine swarmed today. I got it back in another nuc box but can't understand how they did it. They left a few bees lots of stores...

I grafted cells for some 5 frame nucs on April 5. One of my nucs swarmed today. It was on day 28 of its cycle. I caught it and put it in another nuc box.
I found the nuc box it swarmed from. There...

Hoping for 80% success. This method has another factor of giving everyone a brood break to help
with varroa control..

This year I decided to increase my bees and not make a harvest able honey crop. I started with 5 overwintered mother hives. Each colony had at least 8 frames of brood in them when I started. In early...

Central Missouri swarm season normally starts April 15 in my area. But this year is not normal. I would say look for it to start around April 30.
I inspected my hives April 7 and they all had lots...

I'll add to your Central Missouri post

04/10/13 Maple blooms, Barlett pears full blooms. Hen bit blooms, dandelion blooms.
more to come.

Goat man

4877

A not so clear pic of one of my stands and 10 inches of snow yesterday..