What!s their plan?

[brooksbeefarm]

Checked 22 hives over the last 2 days for stores.All hives were strong with good winter stores, except 8 of them.The 8 hives were strong and did have about 40 to50lbs,on them 2weeks ago.Here it is 9/26/08 the queens have not slowed down [most had 12 to 15 frames of brood]and they have used up most of their stores?[some had 10 to 20lbs left].Have they forgot winter is almost here?They are bringing in lots of pollen and are working the aster,but not that hard and the goldenrod is going the other way.Anyone else seeing this?No their not Italian bees althrough they are mixed,but mostly carniolan.[Global warming maybe]

[RayMarler]

Are these summer mated queens? I've got summer mated queens here and they are laying like crazy.

[blaine]

Yep. Same type of situation here. A couple weeks ago, lots of nectar and pollen.
Today, expecting to see most cured into honey, and instead, WOW! Nothing in the pantry.

Feed-O-Rama time.

Likely would have lost 90% or more if I had assumed everything would have been fine.

there is gonna be a pinch on the pocketbook with the amount of sugar I am going to have to throw at these girls over the next few weeks.

Weird weather and rains my best guess for this year.

Tomorrow I will combine a few week ones into stronger, and feed some more.

[Tom G. Laury]

And not Italians? Or light colored bees?

[blaine]

And not Italians? Or light colored bees?

My bad. Mine ARE dago bees... They keep this up and dago hungry and starve to death.

(I can make italian jokes... I amma one, capiche? )

Never seen such a burn through of stores before. I guess my timing was just perfectly BAD. a few inspections ago, during august, I was feeding some, and seeing things holding at about normal levels. Then the fall nectar started coming in, so I tapered off the feed, as I would rather have nectar for them than plain sucrose. next inspection, all looked well, and frames were filling with nectar. Then this. BAM! Almost no nectar, little cured honey. Yikes!

Methinks I underestimated the fall flow this year.

[Tom G. Laury]

Still it's easier to add weight right now than add bees. Lotta folks would trade place in a heartbeat.

[brooksbeefarm]

Sorry guys I lost my internet conection 9/26/08 and couldn!t answer.

Ray Marler,yes they are both summer mated queens and superseded queens.

Tom G Laury,2 of the 8 are light colored but the rest are dark.
I have been busy this last week and haven!t looked at them but, you can really smell the aster their bringing in.I!ve got to go check my hives 60 miles north of here,they were in good shape 2 weeks ago.Hope I don!t see the same thing. If so Aldi!s sugar sales will go up.