# Late Summer dissapointment



## Jlockhart29 (Apr 29, 2016)

Second year with my 2 Warres. Hive last year swarmed late and didn't requeen so started off this year with 2 warre hives and 2 packages one Carni and another Italian. The Carnies were really slow taking off but appeared to be doing well. Sugar rolled them in June and had 4 mites. Hit them with the vapor every 5 days 5 times and next roll was zero. Italians took off like crazy. Mean as rattle snakes but building comb and increasing like crazy. Sugar rolled them at the same time as the carnies and only one mite. Left them alone. Italians filled up 2 3/4 Warre boxes by July and I added a 4th to the bottom. The Carnies had filled 1 1/2 boxes but they are Lang deep so they have a lot more volume. Both hives are full framed. Being Carnies I added a third box to provent swarming. Well I went into both hives Labor day. Italians 1st to my surprise only a couple frames of honey and brood box was in the top for the most part. I figured since there were so many bees they had out eat their selfs out of stores. Went into the Carnies and same situation. Little honey and brood box in top box. This was one of the best growing Summers in history hear in South Arkansas. Rain was perfect. Bahaya grass waist deep in the pasture my cows and horses can't eat fast enough. In a dry year I don't know what they would do. Sugar rolled both again. Carnies Zero mites. The pic tells the tail on the Italians. I quit shaking at 11. They got nuked that night!!lol So I got the top hive feeder back on both last night. Will check to see if they are taking the syrup today.
Now my questions. Is it normal for a package to have this little stores this time of year since it's been so wet? Keep feeding them threw Fall? Since both hives have an empty box on bottom and the box above about half full should I pull it now, leave till frost or leave all winter. Of course hear in S. Arkansas the winters are pretty mild and I'll slide in bottom over the screen once real Winter sets in. 
Oh and to finish up I couldn't find my Carni queen when I put it back together. Sure she's fine I just always like to see the queen safe in the middle when I close it up!


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## Treebeard (May 1, 2017)

With the price of bees I would plan on feeding them through the winter. Sounds like they didnt make comb. My first year I didnt feed them much and they were slow taking off and dies that winter. This year I fed both new hives for a solid three weeks before the nectar was really going and have two hives full of honey. We dont have wet summers but we do have wet springs and I feel like the feedings really helped them out


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## Hillbillybees (Mar 3, 2016)

As to the packages Arkansas summers have nothing unless you move to the soybeans or have some near you. In the North of the State we are on good flows right now of all kinds of stuff with Goldenrod just starting. Looks like we won't be feeding this fall. 
Don't know how far South you are in Arkansas but our Northern Arkansas Italians are easy to work. Sometimes our Southeast Louisiana yards will get a mean attitude and we requeen it immediately. Some parts of Southern Arkansas have areas of AHB. Ask your inspector. I think we only have two inspectors for the whole state and both are new but they should know where those areas are.
We hit everything mid July when we take off our supers with Apivar and early October with OAV and again in late November. Alcohol washes on moderately warm days direct our treatments after that.


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## Jlockhart29 (Apr 29, 2016)

I actually think the Italians are a Italian Russian cross. Got the package in Little Rock. They brought a trailer in from Georgia. Italian package and Russian nukes. Same source I think. Figure a little cross breeding took place. They are fine untill you open the hive then go ape. I got nailed 9 times threw suit top. Wear Tyvex under it now. I live almost on the La. Ark. boarder. No soybean. The Italians are what really suprised me. A lot of bees and comb really just no honey. Was really astonished how quick the mites exploded as well. Hive appears fine. No deformed wings and vigorous. Those mites are something but the Oxilic vaping worked GREAT!


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