New Beek from North Alabama

[willrich68]

This is my first experience with bees. I was given 2 full hives from a local lady in early Nov 09'. I was very anxious and probably should have waited to move them but I did ( lost some bees)and also removed the top super of honey from each. I subsuquently put 6 of the frames I pulled off back and now I'm just tring to get them through the winter. They had not been tended too all year and were infested with shb,very few mites that I have seen so far. I collected a paper plate full of dead bees from the bottom screen board on the 15th of Jan and looked at evryone of them. I saw several mites but only about 13 of the bees had the deformed wings from the mite damage. That was from my strong hive. The weak hive to my surprise only about a hand full of bees and no sign of mites or the wing damage. Would like to talk with any beeks to learn as much about natural beekeeping as possible. I have lots of equipment and also a new topbar hive I built before I was given the 2 langs. willrich68@yahoo.com

[copper287]

Hi.Good to see a beek from AL.If you have any ? some one here will help you or you can pm me with a ? i'll help you all i can.Nice to see you on here.copper287

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum. It is good to see another keeping bees in alabama. Do both of you know about the upcoming seminar at auburn? It is on the first saturday in February, I am planning on attending.

[HAB]

Welcome from a S. Alabama Beek. Glad to have you aboard.

[willrich68]

Yes I did know about the meeting but timing is not good for me. I am trying to get to the local meeting in Cullman. I will continue to learn all I can from everyone on this and other web sites.

[T.J.]

hello and welcome.i'm a new member here too - and everyone has been great.i've learned alot in my short time here.
T.J.

[Fred Bee]

Welcome North Alabama! I hear your concerns and my best advice to you would to be to link up with some other bee keepers in your area who can help you. Additionally, you may want to get behind your hives and give them a little "heft" (lift up just a bit by hand) to see if they are heavy with honey. If not, you may have to feed them sugar syrup this spring until the nectar flow comes on. Good luck and best wishes!

[markmaster]

Hello from Shelby County! I'm pretty new to this myself (just got my first hives last Spring), but have learned a lot since setting up my hives - through trial-and-error, mostly. Forums like this one have been really helpful to me, as well. Good luck with your hives!

[Rohe Bee Ranch]

Hi there! Welcome to the forum.