# First overwintered hive busting out during nice spring day



## NewbeeNnc (May 21, 2009)

http://s640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/joshob/Bees Spring 2010/


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## c10250 (Feb 3, 2009)

I'm a total newb, so take this for what it's worth, I don't see many bees there. Are you sure that they're OK? Here's what mine did on a warm spring day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM0qpkTN7Q0

When I opened the top up, they boiled over. Almost every frame covered. . .


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

NewbeeNnc - congratulations! Getting your hive through the winter is something to strut about. You could feed to give them a pick-up and help you sleep better.

c10250 - Looks great and strong. Those girls look ripe for propagation to splits or swarms.

Wish you guys a great season with loads of fun.:thumbsup:


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## NewbeeNnc (May 21, 2009)

c10250 said:


> I'm a total newb, so take this for what it's worth, I don't see many bees there. Are you sure that they're OK? Here's what mine did on a warm spring day.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM0qpkTN7Q0
> 
> When I opened the top up, they boiled over. Almost every frame covered. . .


Thanks guys. Hey "c", I was afraid they wouldn't even make it through this year. I lost one that had a huge cluster. However this one had some good winter traits in my opinion. They hardly ate through anything and we had a really bad winter for NC. I noticed this queen started shutting down real early in the fall, that's why the lack of bees. We only had our first above 50 degree day 1 week and 1/2 ago, so I didn't expect much. Just glad to see larva and queen.

Last year was really wet and cool, so I think thats why both of my hives didn't build up well. Just glad I got a survivor.


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## throrope (Dec 18, 2008)

NewbeeNnc said:


> Thanks guys. Hey "c", I was afraid they wouldn't even make it through this year. I lost one that had a huge cluster. However this one had some good winter traits in my opinion. They hardly ate through anything and we had a really bad winter for NC. I noticed this queen started shutting down real early in the fall, that's why the lack of bees. We only had our first above 50 degree day 1 week and 1/2 ago, so I didn't expect much. Just glad to see larva and queen.
> 
> Last year was really wet and cool, so I think thats why both of my hives didn't build up well. Just glad I got a survivor.


Ahh....A spare hive with drawn comb and a remarkable queen. For my money I'd do a queen-less split. Move couple frames with standing on end fresh laid eggs and nurse bees to the spare hive, feed feed feed, let them raise a new queen and give you a new colony. IMHO best way to keep the genetics and costs nothing.


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## NewbeeNnc (May 21, 2009)

throrope said:


> Ahh....A spare hive with drawn comb and a remarkable queen. For my money I'd do a queen-less split. Move couple frames with standing on end fresh laid eggs and nurse bees to the spare hive, feed feed feed, let them raise a new queen and give you a new colony. IMHO best way to keep the genetics and costs nothing.


I've thought about this as well. Some folks on here disagree with the "emergency queen rearing" from a split like that. I don't know. So many opinions on this website, sometimes it gets really confusing.


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## NasalSponge (Jul 22, 2008)

I have to tell ya this time around keeping bees I am in it for the experiences...so I am trying a bunch of stuff I never did before just to have tried it. I have little concern if others disagree with my way of beeking. For instance, I had a hive go laying worker last year, well there are lots-o-opinions about the best way to deal with that but I chose to add a frame of eggs a week for several weeks and before long I had a gorgeous newly mated queen laying like crazy. It was a very satisfying experience. So I say give it a try if you want to and go from there.


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## c10250 (Feb 3, 2009)

NewbeeNnc said:


> Thanks guys. Hey "c", I was afraid they wouldn't even make it through this year. I lost one that had a huge cluster. However this one had some good winter traits in my opinion. They hardly ate through anything and we had a really bad winter for NC. I noticed this queen started shutting down real early in the fall, that's why the lack of bees. We only had our first above 50 degree day 1 week and 1/2 ago, so I didn't expect much. Just glad to see larva and queen.
> 
> Last year was really wet and cool, so I think thats why both of my hives didn't build up well. Just glad I got a survivor.


It is indeed good to see the bees again! What kind were they? Carni?? Russian? I would think some of those traits were involved. Maybe not.

Ken


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## NewbeeNnc (May 21, 2009)

c10250 said:


> It is indeed good to see the bees again! What kind were they? Carni?? Russian? I would think some of those traits were involved. Maybe not.
> 
> Ken


They were actually Italians from packages at Brushy Mountain I bought last April. I think they got them from Gardner? Not sure though. The other hive showed signs of starving even though they had stores around and above them. This one only went through 2 frames of stores and it was a colder winter than normal. No global warming here.


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