[blk]

Does a cool wet spring (which we have had) affect the expansion of a split hive or the recovery of a hive that has made it through the winter? I made a split May 16th. Bought a queen and put her in the brood comb of the split. She was out and active 11 days later when I checked for the first time. She is still alive as of June 12 but there are very few bees active in the hive. How long can they live without expanding the hive? I am feeding 1-1 sugar water and they are using it or it is being robbed. Not sure which. Weather was in low to mid 40'sF until noon and didn't get above 55 until after noon most days. Bees in both splits were totally inactive until it hit 55 each day.

 

[JWPalmer]

How are your pollen stores and are you feeding pollen sub patties? Bees need protein to make more bees and a wet spring does little to help in that regard.

 

[crofter]

The queens wont lay eggs for more brood than there are bees to cover and keep the brood warm. It takes three weeks for a brood cycle and the first batches are small so it takes a while before you see the queens laying whole frames of eggs. Feeding them can free up foragers to stay home and babysit but that can easily be overdone. Drawing comb also requires enough bees to warm the area to working temperature.

In a cool spring like this when growth of new brood is slow, the clock still ticks at the same rate on the adult bees dieing off.

I hear of one queen breeder who feels his first round of queens did not get well mated and is dumping them.

Things are late getting going but it still may be a good year; no complaints for sure about it being too hot and dry!

 

[blk]

WoW!! The wind just blew the top off my split hive. I got home just after it happened and I saw I forgot to lash it down with the wire I use. Best thing that could of happened. I saw a huge amount of bees through the top screens and I could not believe there were that many bees in this hive. I see very little activity leaving and coming but some at least. It has renewed my faith in this split for the time being at least.

 

[elmer_fud]

I think the cold weather here delayed the spring buildup this year. My hives seemed to be about a month behind where they were last year. We did get a few days of near/below zero in march though which is unusual. We also got snow after mothers day which uncommon since we usually consider mothers day as when snow and frost are done for the year.