[jad0001]

I've just accepted a job in Colorado Springs and will be moving there in early April. I've decided to leave my 2 hives that I've overwintered with my dad and start over when I get to the springs. It seems like 2 hives is almost not worth the trouble to move and I know my dad will appreciate having them.

My main question is does anyone have a good contact for local nucs in Colorado Springs/Denver area? I would like to buy local in hopes to get them thru the next winter. I'm sure I'll need to put my name on a few sooner than later.

Also, what are the main foraging plants/trees etc, for bees in CO? And when is the main flow? Are there two flows? Being in Georgia I'm used to one flow and curious about regional keeping out west. Thanks to any advice!

 

[JWPalmer]

Search for and read the threads titled Front Range Rollercoaster (various years) You will find many of your answers there.

 

[msl]

flows are radically different depending on location.. I have 2 yards 6 miles apart.. one has drones 3 weeks later then the other
you need to talk to a local local. Town(watered plants and trees) , Dryland praire, cropland (irrigated), creek bed and pine forest are all very different

maby start here http://www.pikespeakbeekeepers.org/

same kind of thing with nucs... vastly different areas, and a lot of not so local sold as local(ish).
my best advice if you want bees this year reserve a package (often sold out by this time of year) and pick up a local queen later if you can.
Losses are about 45%, most replacements come in from out of state

 

[Hobo]

I lived in Colorado Springs for 30 years. Moved back to Georgia (where I was born and raised) a couple of years ago.
Check with Pikes Peak Beekeepers Association. They meet quarterly and generally have an excellent program. Someone there may be able to hook you up with some nucs.
As msl said, your climate will depend on your location. I lived on the north side of town (just on the north edge of Palmer Park). My micro climate was different from the west side of town or down south near Cheyenne Canyon.
I hope you enjoy living in the Springs as much as I did.

 

[Bear Creek Steve]

jad,

I'm the VP of Pikes Peak Beekeepers Association so if you PM me tomorrow I will answer any and all questions. I have my apiary in the SW part of town, and yes, as mentioned above, Colorado is arid and beekeeping is challenging.

Cheers,
Steve
====

 

[elmer_fud]

I am closer to Ft Collins, but most of this is still sort of relevant depending on how far you want to travel. There are a few people on here from the springs, and the front range roller coaster thread contains a lot of info.

I bought a nuc from here one year, and it did well until it crashed overwinter due to mite problems (me not paying enough attention). https://www.highlandbees.com/nucs-1-1

The package I got from here seemed to do pretty well. They also have a lot of assembled equipment for sale: https://dakotabees.com/shop?olsPage=t/bee-packages

I know the noco (fort collins area) bee club has a bulk package buy. I dont know if pikes peak does. NOCO buys thier bees thru here: https://www.tobeeornottobee.us/bees/packages/

I have not been as impressed with this place when I visited it (and it is way out of your way) https://copocoshoney.com/

I have seen a picture of a nuc from this place that looked more like a swarm added to a box and only filled about 3 frames http://www.bees-bees-bees.com/



As for what to expect it is all over the place depending on where you are at. Where I am at my flow runs from april/may until july/august depending on the year. I am in a residential area with a lot of open space close (around a river) so I think the combination results in a long flow. I have a scale under one of my hives and this is what the last 3 years have looked like for me (starting with a package in 2017)

 

[jad0001]

JW, MSL, Hobo, BCS and Elmer, thank you all for the advice here. It is very helpful. Will be moving into the Palmer/Monument area so will be a bit north of Colorado Springs.

I'm now trying to decide whether or not to sell my equipment and start over on that front too. I have four hives (three empty now) consisting of two deeps and three mediums each. It may be easier to save the space in the moving truck and start over here also.

I had just recently removed the mountain camp sugar and made syrup with it to start feeding and the storm that came thru the SE this week blew the 2nd deep covering the syrup off my smaller hive and I didn't find it until I got home from work and they had been rained on all day so I'm thinking I'm down to one hive now. Frustrating to have put in all that work and prep for the rain to get them...

 

[fieldsofnaturalhoney]

...storm that came thru the SE this week blew the 2nd deep covering the syrup off my smaller hive and I didn't find it until I got home from work and they had been rained on all day so I'm thinking I'm down to one hive now. Frustrating to have put in all that work and prep for the rain to get them...

Welcome soon to CO! Good advice given so far.. The wind here can be brutal, so I keep a cinder block on top of all of my hives. Maybe you can put the boxes in the truck last to see if you have room, and leave the living with your dad with a few extra boxes?