Hello all.
A couple weeks ago I came home to a nice football size swarm ball of wild bees in my back yard just camped in my Rose of Sharon trees. I actually built two hive bodies and was going to take some beekeeping classes back in January of this year but luck had it, life happened and I did not go through with it. So I did not start a hive in the beginning if the season when I should have. But now it seems nature might have wanted me to have a second chance. I took my 10 frame Langstroth hive and loaded it with 9 of my foundation less frames. I just have a spline on the top inner portion of the frame that I coated with some bees wax. I cut the branch the ball of bees were on and shook them into the hive. After about 3 days there were no swarm balls outside and these bees were still in my hive. So I put out a couple Bowles of sugar water with wooded floats for an island. (1 part sugar 2 part water by weight) also my entrance reducer is on the smallest setting. I checked on them today and there are two combs started on the back two frames. So I know it is late in the season. I want to know if anyone can estimate on if they think these bees can survive the winter? Oklahoma has had some mild winters recently. Heck last winter my grass in the yard never really turned brown but stayed green most the year. Do you think these bees can fill up two hive bodies? If they do should I add honey supers? If they do not build enough comb and store honey then what is the best way to feed the bees in the winter? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
A couple weeks ago I came home to a nice football size swarm ball of wild bees in my back yard just camped in my Rose of Sharon trees. I actually built two hive bodies and was going to take some beekeeping classes back in January of this year but luck had it, life happened and I did not go through with it. So I did not start a hive in the beginning if the season when I should have. But now it seems nature might have wanted me to have a second chance. I took my 10 frame Langstroth hive and loaded it with 9 of my foundation less frames. I just have a spline on the top inner portion of the frame that I coated with some bees wax. I cut the branch the ball of bees were on and shook them into the hive. After about 3 days there were no swarm balls outside and these bees were still in my hive. So I put out a couple Bowles of sugar water with wooded floats for an island. (1 part sugar 2 part water by weight) also my entrance reducer is on the smallest setting. I checked on them today and there are two combs started on the back two frames. So I know it is late in the season. I want to know if anyone can estimate on if they think these bees can survive the winter? Oklahoma has had some mild winters recently. Heck last winter my grass in the yard never really turned brown but stayed green most the year. Do you think these bees can fill up two hive bodies? If they do should I add honey supers? If they do not build enough comb and store honey then what is the best way to feed the bees in the winter? Any info would be greatly appreciated.