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Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

123K views 416 replies 68 participants last post by  BayHighlandBees 
#1 ·
We've had to listen to Jolly Ollie brag all year about all the swarms he's caught so let's see how well he does at keeping them alive all winter.

We'll go by number of hives lost beginning October 1, 2012 thru March 1, 2013. Check in with the number of hives you have as of October 1st. if you want to participate so get done with all your combines and such before then.

Ollie may be old, bald and cheap but he's as honest as they come so we'll go by the honor system like we did the swarm challenge. Last I heard, Ollie had 60 hives. Is that right Ollie?
 
#262 ·
Bill,

Please do another overwintering project next winter. It's very boring this winter without your hive temperature post! I've been trying to keep busy playing jokes on Olly but it's just not the same without your on line experiments.
 
#264 ·
Charlie,
I will give it some thought, surly there is something we could experiment with to pass these long winter nights :thumbsup:. Sounds like Olly could use the reprieve :D.
 
#267 ·
I must be close to first place... I've still got 3 out of 13
That is 77% loss, you are ahead of me. Another Champion! I think we here in Mid California have had higher loss rate since 2006? Was that treatment free?
 
#268 ·
And here I thought the point was to keep them alive. Silly me. LOL So far I have 9 out of 10 still alive and the 10th one has some bees in it, but don't think they will make it. My biggest problem this winter has simply been the bees not having enough food due to the drought. I do see mites on my inserts under my screened bottom boards, but maybe 15 or 20, and that's not a 24hr #, that's a hey it's been a few weeks lets look at how many mites are on the board and then clean it off #. LOL We had 60 degree weather the last couple days and I got into a couple of the hives to see how things were fairing, and they look ok (could be better on stores of course), even saw some brood and saw a few bees with pollen on their baskets. Just gotta make it to march and things will be fine. :)
Rod
 
#269 ·
And here I thought the point was to keep them alive.
Rod
ME two hehe i'm down to 12 from 19 in AUGS i'm getting close to 50% but the ones i have now seem strong my nus seem to be eating alot and i had to add more sugar to the top of them today . It was near 60 today and in the 20s tomorro not like last year thats for sure.
 
#272 ·
Dang, you've got drones already! Right on! The euc flow is fattening up my country hives for the move, if I can ever find the time to move them! Not in a big hurry though, I want fresh eggs in the hive incase something happens to the queens in transport. Might transfer my nucs to single deeps tomorrow after work though so I can treat them with the OAV.
 
#278 ·
I guess I should be thankful for the hives I have left but most of the deadouts were my oldest colonies, some of which I was really attached too. :(

Is it time for swarm traps yet?
 
#279 ·
Last week I found a queen wandering around outside in the gravel, then I found a queen wandering around in a dead out hive, and today I found a 1 1/2 story hive crammed from top to bottom with winter honey and looking queenless, no eggs no larvae, no sealed brood. Fifty plus pounds of honey produced after 8/6 from an April 12 bait hive that languished until after August. Brood combs full of new honey.





 
#280 ·
Well, last warm day I took a look, there were a couple dozen dead bees in front of both hives, so I guess there are still live bees in there to carry the dead ones out!

Gotta check weight soon so I can feed in necessary, but we will have at least a couple more weeks of sub-freezing nights so I won't be able to look inside for a while yet.

Hoping to get a decent honey crop this year.

Peter
 
#281 ·
Another one bit the dust, a tiny cluster in a double-deep. http://s1110.beta.photobucket.com/u...3-02-09091846_zps34908fd5.jpg.html?sort=6&o=0
Winter survival so far is 9/12 in regular 10 frame configurations, and 18/18 in 5 frame nuc equipment; Although based upon the frost ring around the upper entrances there may be a couple of the nucs on their last legs. I will check in a week or two when the weather is warmer.
 
#283 ·
Three for three here, hives are still heavy.

We seem to lose most of our hives during the next month or six weeks around here, they tend to starve out when they start up brood rearing as the weather warms if they don't have adequate stores. We get blasts of arctic air still, and sometimes heavy snow, and if they can't get out and forage, eat everything up.

Looking forward to a good honey crop this year!

Peter
 
#284 ·
Almonds are starting to bloom around here, Ornamental fruit trees will start in the next 2 weeks our winter is almost over here.
Chemical free, powdered sugar only, worst year out of the last three 29% loss.
previous two years where 100% survival basically the same treatment strategy the last 5 years.
 
#286 ·
Almonds are starting to bloom around here, Ornamental fruit trees will start in the next 2 weeks our winter is almost over here.
Chemical free, powdered sugar only, worst year out of the last three 29% loss.previous two years where 100% survival basically the same treatment strategy the last 5 years.
>I might have a chance to beat OD on this one, last two winters 0% loss.
Powdered sugar is my only treatment. Going to be taking 4 hives, & 3 nucs into winter = 7

Oh how the mighty fall.....
 
#285 ·
I am four for four still but I am being mindfull of all this late winter starvation talk. I added sugar to the top of my two nucs. I think the big hive is goign to be fine and actually has about twice as much honey as it ever needed.
 
#293 ·
Thanks Bill. This week I have to make the rounds to my other bee yards. I haven't seen those hives in over a month being on my back with a sinus infection. I'm nervous as to what I'll find.
 
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