First overwintered hive busting out during nice spring day

**NewbeeNnc** · 03-13-2010, 10:03 AM

http://s640.photobucket.com/albums/u...Spring%202010/

**c10250** · 03-13-2010, 11:44 AM

I'm a total newb, so take this for what it's worth, I don't see many bees there. Are you sure that they're OK? Here's what mine did on a warm spring day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM0qpkTN7Q0

When I opened the top up, they boiled over. Almost every frame covered. . .

**throrope** · 03-13-2010, 12:00 PM

NewbeeNnc - congratulations! Getting your hive through the winter is something to strut about. You could feed to give them a pick-up and help you sleep better.

c10250 - Looks great and strong. Those girls look ripe for propagation to splits or swarms.

Wish you guys a great season with loads of fun.

**NewbeeNnc** · 03-13-2010, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by c10250

I'm a total newb, so take this for what it's worth, I don't see many bees there. Are you sure that they're OK? Here's what mine did on a warm spring day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM0qpkTN7Q0

When I opened the top up, they boiled over. Almost every frame covered. . .

Thanks guys. Hey "c", I was afraid they wouldn't even make it through this year. I lost one that had a huge cluster. However this one had some good winter traits in my opinion. They hardly ate through anything and we had a really bad winter for NC. I noticed this queen started shutting down real early in the fall, that's why the lack of bees. We only had our first above 50 degree day 1 week and 1/2 ago, so I didn't expect much. Just glad to see larva and queen.

Last year was really wet and cool, so I think thats why both of my hives didn't build up well. Just glad I got a survivor.

**throrope** · 03-13-2010, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by NewbeeNnc

Thanks guys. Hey "c", I was afraid they wouldn't even make it through this year. I lost one that had a huge cluster. However this one had some good winter traits in my opinion. They hardly ate through anything and we had a really bad winter for NC. I noticed this queen started shutting down real early in the fall, that's why the lack of bees. We only had our first above 50 degree day 1 week and 1/2 ago, so I didn't expect much. Just glad to see larva and queen.

Last year was really wet and cool, so I think thats why both of my hives didn't build up well. Just glad I got a survivor.

Ahh....A spare hive with drawn comb and a remarkable queen. For my money I'd do a queen-less split. Move couple frames with standing on end fresh laid eggs and nurse bees to the spare hive, feed feed feed, let them raise a new queen and give you a new colony. IMHO best way to keep the genetics and costs nothing.

**NewbeeNnc** · 03-13-2010, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by throrope

Ahh....A spare hive with drawn comb and a remarkable queen. For my money I'd do a queen-less split. Move couple frames with standing on end fresh laid eggs and nurse bees to the spare hive, feed feed feed, let them raise a new queen and give you a new colony. IMHO best way to keep the genetics and costs nothing.

I've thought about this as well. Some folks on here disagree with the "emergency queen rearing" from a split like that. I don't know. So many opinions on this website, sometimes it gets really confusing.

**NasalSponge** · 03-13-2010, 07:02 PM

I have to tell ya this time around keeping bees I am in it for the experiences...so I am trying a bunch of stuff I never did before just to have tried it. I have little concern if others disagree with my way of beeking. For instance, I had a hive go laying worker last year, well there are lots-o-opinions about the best way to deal with that but I chose to add a frame of eggs a week for several weeks and before long I had a gorgeous newly mated queen laying like crazy. It was a very satisfying experience. So I say give it a try if you want to and go from there.

**c10250** · 03-13-2010, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by NewbeeNnc

Thanks guys. Hey "c", I was afraid they wouldn't even make it through this year. I lost one that had a huge cluster. However this one had some good winter traits in my opinion. They hardly ate through anything and we had a really bad winter for NC. I noticed this queen started shutting down real early in the fall, that's why the lack of bees. We only had our first above 50 degree day 1 week and 1/2 ago, so I didn't expect much. Just glad to see larva and queen.

Last year was really wet and cool, so I think thats why both of my hives didn't build up well. Just glad I got a survivor.

It is indeed good to see the bees again! What kind were they? Carni?? Russian? I would think some of those traits were involved. Maybe not.

Ken

**NewbeeNnc** · 03-14-2010, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by c10250

It is indeed good to see the bees again! What kind were they? Carni?? Russian? I would think some of those traits were involved. Maybe not.

Ken

They were actually Italians from packages at Brushy Mountain I bought last April. I think they got them from Gardner? Not sure though. The other hive showed signs of starving even though they had stores around and above them. This one only went through 2 frames of stores and it was a colder winter than normal. No global warming here.