New Bee in Montana

[Montana Bee]

Greetings to all from sub-zero Montana! My name is John and I decided to raise a couple of hives to help with pollination for my fruit trees, garden and acres of wild flowers. I raised bees back in 1966 in California after a master bee keeper removed a hive from our wall at our house. Back then I had no clue what I was doing. One evening after the sun had set I opened the hive and was immeadeately swarmed. The bees got under my veil and under my clothes and I sustained about 50 stings before I could crawl into the house where my dad beat the bees off of me with a broom.I layed on the couch and was sick for 24hrs. I wish I would have educated myself before I opened the hive for the first time. I have decided to go with a top bar hive and a Langstrof. I built my top bar hive and anticipate it will perform very well. I have been viewing this forum for 3 months in preparation for my leap into bee keeping this spring. My biggest concern is over wintering the bees here in Montana. When I got up yesterday it was minus 20 degrees. I am very thankful for this forum where "Old Pros" are willing to mentor "New Bees".

Bee seein you around,

John Q

[Specialkayme]

Welcome to the site!

[dragonfly]

Welcome to Beesource, John.

[mongreltiger]

Hi John,

If you want some inspiration on keeping bees in the bitter cold, particularly overwintering them, grab a copy of the February American Bee Journal and read about the fellow who overwintered a hive of bees (Russians, I think) 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle in a small Alaska town. He devised a clever way to shelter his hive from the bitter cold and deep snow.

I look forward to reading about your venture with the TBH. This is my second time around at beekeeping as well, and I too will be starting with a home-built TBH and also a Langstroth hive using 8-frame mediums. My two packages are due to arrive around April 13. I can hardly wait.

Good luck.

Greg

[sqkcrk]

Welcome John. It's good to have you back in beekeeping. Usually cold doesn't kill bees. Good ventilation is very important.

Live and learn. Bee Happy.

[Bsweet]

Welcome to the site. Jim

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Welcome John!

[Montana Bee]

Greg,
Was the feb issue 2010?

[mongreltiger]

Greg,
Was the feb issue 2010?

John, I believe it is in the Feb. 2011 issue. My partner in crime has it at the moment, but maybe he can confirm which issue it is when he checks in here tonight. I am almost certain it is the most recent issue delivered because I read it as soon as it arrived and gave it to him when I finished. It also contained an article on a fellow traveling in Turkey in search of some rare honey (I forget the name but believe it was something like Azula or Azume).

Greg

[Montana Bee]

Thanks very much. Do you have any favorite ways to insure good ventilation?

[scdw43]

Welcome to Beesource.

[kwest]

welcome,

I live near bozeman. your bees will winter fine just make sure they have good numbers and pleanty of honey. i use all langs and close up the entrance to 1/2"x1/2" and also give thm an upper entrance.

[Mtn. Bee]

Welcome to the forum neighbor!

[Montana Bee]

where do you put the top entrance? do they use it year around.

[Bee Kid]

Welcome! I live in Eastern Montana and have two Langstroth hives. I'm still in my first year. So far so good. I haven't checked them for a little while but so far they've gone through a couple -30 F and are still alive. Hope all goes well with you!

BK

[Montana Bee]

Thanks so much for the good words. I live in Helena and I will install my first 2 packages in May. I am getting carnolians from Western Bee in Polson. Did you get your bees there? I made a couple of Top Bar hives and will let you know how it goes.Did you have Varroh problems?
JQ

[Bee Kid]

No, I got mine from Simpson Honey Farm in Miles city, it was a lot closer than Western Bee and they seem to be great bees. I didn't seem to have any trouble with Varroa. I was pretty sure I had it earlier on because there were one or two bees with deformed wings but it seemed to disappear as time progressed.

Bee Kid

[Montana Bee]

Thanks very much. Im thinking I may try Simpsons next year. Does Simpson grow his bees in Mt. Or bring them in from somewhere else?

Lets keep in touch. Do you have an email address? Mine is shkdive@msn.com

Thanks again,

John Q

[Bee Kid]

He's a commercial beekeeper. He keeps his bees in Montana until around fall and then he ships them to California for the winter. In early spring he gets them back and makes nucs, he also sells queens. Thanks for your email address, I'll PM you mine.

Bee Kid

[Montana Bee]

Do you use a notch in the inner cover for ventillation? Is that enough in the summer? When do you start feeding in the spring or do you leave enough of the honey the bees produce? Is it reasonable to leave a super of honey on for winter feeding?
Any info is appreciated.

John Q