[Tarheeler]

Took a peek in hive today/ mid 50's and I'm in southern piedmont NC. I was curious as to stores and any brood. 1 had a little capped (dbl deep)and the other (single deep)absolutely none that I saw/didnt stay long. Numbers are good. Should there be any now? Anyway I gave a little pollen sub and they have alot of honey left.

 

[Marcin]

Interesting observation and I have no advice or answer for you. I'm in northern Illinois and I expect my healthy queen-right colonies to have some brood right now, even though we're at day 4 of ~20 degrees below average temperatures, which should last for another week or so before we bounce back to our average of low 30's. Few years back when I checked my colonies on February 22 when it was mid 60's, I was finding capped brood on 2+ frames, and in some colonies there was even open drone brood at that time. That's ~4 weeks of our normal colony buildup.
All beekeeping is indeed local.

 

[JWPalmer]

Tarheeler, You should have brood. Most of mine never stopped this year and they are well on their way. The only one that did not have brood died sometime between 1/17 and 2/6.

 

[wildbranch2007]

what breed of bees do you have, will make a diference.

 

[Akademee]

Some of the more cold-adapted races of bees produce very little brood (and very small clusters) even toward the end of winter and early spring. But once conditions are right, they explode in the spring.

 

[LAlldredge]

Bees consider the winter solstice as the beginning of spring. Its also why colonies can starve out Feb and March because they can’t meet the nutritional demand of the brood. My Italians have to be watched because they can starve out easier. My Russians are more frugal and Carnis in between.

 

[joebeewhisperer]

The only one I’ve opened (to that degree) was a Russian on 8-9 frames. This was Jan 26-27 and they had about a 2-3” circle of capped brood surrounded by maybe 200 eggs. Very little in between so I think they are laying if shifts.?. Supposed to be mid-50s today so I expect to check them out a bit closer.

update: several of mine must have popped off a round of brood. Numbers were greater than early Dec. I have one 6-frame where the bees were boiling out, wasn’t expecting it. Probably be a swarm factory in a few weeks if I don’t do something. Everyone seems heavy enough on honey, bigger colonies haven’t touched 2 mediums.

 

[Tarheeler]

Tarheeler, You should have brood. Most of mine never stopped this year and they are well on their way. The only one that did not have brood died sometime between 1/17 and 2/6.

That's what I was thinking but going back into the hive will not help anything but easing my mind. Correct???

 

[Tarheeler]

what breed of bees do you have, will make a diference.

I'm not certain on this as was a split I made late august with a local queen from midnight bee supply. A small bee supply Vass NC

 

[Tarheeler]

That's what I was thinking but going back into the hive will not help anything but easing my mind. Correct???

Well in the 60s here today so I went in (took my time) and there is brood. Sorry fellows. Lol looks like I may have a moisture issue. Pics attached

 

[JWPalmer]

That is good. My work hive is bringing in pollen by the truck load today. No doubt they are full on raising brood.

 

[Tarheeler]

 

[ifixoldhouses]

It was 63 here today, I looked at a few, and moved a few to another hive stand 2' back, all but one had brood, I saw the queen in the one that didn't.I'm in Winston-Salem, NC

 

[username00101]

My bees do not brood up until later in the season.

They're cold adapted local survivor queens with Central Russian genetics.

 

[clyderoad]

username says: "
My bees do not brood up until later in the season.

They're cold adapted local survivor queens with Central Russian genetics. "

response:
Maybe they are pollen starved.

 

[username00101]

Russian bees are well known for not brooding up until later in the season.

Russian bees do not build their colony populations until pollen is available, and they shut down brood rearing when pollen is scarce. This characteristic makes them suitable in areas where the main honey and pollen flows occur later in the year,

Russian Bees

 

[username00101]

This below reference summarizes how Russian bees will not begin brood rearing until there's a spring pollen flow.

Russian Bee Details

@clyderoad - Do you get a pollen flow in February in your location?

 

[Tarheeler]

We have a trickle coming in here now but have stretches of cold and wet/rainy days this time if year that hinder them from flying. High of 40s all week with rain every day/ last week was mid ti high 50s. I added some pollen sub to try to help.

 

[username00101]

Why do you want to encourage brood rearing in February?

 

[clyderoad]

This below reference summarizes how Russian bees will not begin brood rearing until there's a spring pollen flow.

Russian Bee Details

@clyderoad - Do you get a pollen flow in February in your location?

Yes.
My point was not bees collecting pollen in February to rear brood now but what was stored in the hive last fall for early brood. Maybe your bees have none. They are pollen staved. Proper winter prep includes pollen as well as cured sugar water or honey, protein and carbs.
My point was limitations on February brooding.

Every hive I looked into during a 50*f day in late January had eggs and brood (only a few cells capped) in a medium pancake size patch. Have you looked for brood in your hives in mid winter headed by the 'cold adapted local survivor queens with Central Russian genetics' ?
For transparency, I have some Russian head bumper bees too. Haven't made a honey crop from them yet, keep them for the gene diversity in drones near a mating yard.