# Late winter bees



## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Had a chance to go check on a few of my hives today. It's 60° with very high winds, so I only took the top cover off. Every hive doing very well.









Bees were bringing in pollen. Can't say I've ever seen this before at this time of year.









Cluster across 7 frames.









Cluster across 5 frames.









Cluster across 5 frames.
Another hive had the cluster still in the medium below the top one. I put a baggie filled with honey on one of them.
Looks like this will be a great year to increase hive numbers as there are lots of bees to work with!


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

Barry, I was surprised at how well mine have overwintered so far. Lost the top bar, which was expected, but other eight have come through up till now. On one, I popped the inner cover and didn't see any bees. lifted it and was still heavy. then the bees started coming up. The were still in the lower box. I'm also thinking we might be in for a banner year here. We are over due. Of course, mother nature will have the last word.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Tony, glad you're also seeing good wintering! Still early, like you said Mother Nature may still have a few tricks to share with us, but to see good looking bees at this time is encouraging. Hope to finally get bees in all my equipment this year.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Did a more thorough inspection today. The 3 medium chamber hives are into all three chambers and a bit light on stores. The 4 medium chamber hives have the top chamber mostly full of honey still. I put some feed to one of the 3 medium chamber hives. The baggie I had given them two weeks ago was empty.










This system works really good. A slatted rack and a baggie filled with honey.










I put three slits in it and pull some honey out onto the top and let it drip down.










At this rate the hives will be swarming in a couple of weeks. They all have swarm cups in place with a lot of early stage brood. Should be a good year for splits. My local bees are very even tempered. The one's I started last year from Cali bees are significantly more aggressive. I'll be raising queens from my local stock.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Put a super on each hive today. In the mid 70's, full sun, and the dandelions are in full force. Took all the entrance reducers off as well. A couple of follow-up pictures.









Empty baggie feeder.









Strong hives under inner cover.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Way to go Barry! What the heck am I doing with all my bees in Texas? Oh yeah they have better barbeque down here.


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Must be nice, this is what I woke up to this morning.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

RiodeLobo said:


> this is what I woke up to this morning.


YIKES! My arthritis is glad I chose to retire in, and stay in, Texas here! ... I've been chasing swarms for almost a month already!


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Well the day before we were 55F and sunny. One year we had 2 inches of snow in the middle of June, it only lasted for a couple of hours. We can get some good sized thunder storms that can drop hail or snow through out the summer.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

jim lyon said:


> Oh yeah they have better barbeque down here.


But Jim, the best pizza, hot dogs, and Italian beef are found here. Show up, and I'll treat you to all three!


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Barry said:


> But Jim, the best pizza, hot dogs, and Italian beef are found here. Show up, and I'll treat you to all three!


Tempting for sure especially the pizza.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

First frame I pulled from a hive today had this going on.










Did a walk away split and will go back on Sunday and really break the hives down into splits. Hives are bursting with bees, lots of early brood and swarm cells.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

I was able to get two new splits from each hive. Still have one more hive to split three ways. It started to rain before we finished. Turning out to be a fantastic year for increase. I saw some mites in the drone larva that got pulled apart from between boxes. A few drones with chewed/deformed wings, but nothing I'll worry about. Extremely strong hives.










Lots of pollen as well.









My helper (daughter)!









These are what allow one to split so much.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Barry said:


> I saw some mites in the drone larva that got pulled apart from between boxes. A few drones with chewed/deformed wings, but nothing I'll worry about. Extremely strong hives.


Interesting view.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Get out the foger


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