Dealing with a dead out

When you have a dead colony, it is best to clean it out before it warms up.
First look where the cluster is and try to determine how they died. Starvation normally looks like a bunch of bees dead in the cells with their butts looking out at you. If all the bees were gone, it was varroa. If the cluster was separated it could have been a virus. One reason they can die is having an old queen. A beekeeper should never run a queen through more than one winter.
 Clean out any loose bees, use a bee brush. Clean off the bottom board.
Bring a box with you to put the dead bees in. Don't leave the debris near your hives. It can draw skunks. Also the debris will make the grass grow faster and you will have to cut it more.
When you are done cleaning it out. Seal up and entrances to keep other bees from robbing your honey that you can feed to a package or a divide.

Pollen Patties and Feeding Syrup

Bees need to touch the pollen patty. Leave the wax paper on both sides of the patty.

It is almost time to put on pollen patties. Anytime starting this weekend should be OK. Always put the patty where the bees are. The bees need to be touching it. They will not travel much of a distance to get it. A strong overwintered colony should get a full patty and may eat it all in ten days. Once pollen patties are put on the hive they need to be replaced before they are all gone. The bees will increase brood production and they will need the pollen.
 If they bees have not moved up, the pollen then needs to go between the boxes where the main cluster is.
 Feeding. Feeding can be done now if the bees need it. Do not overfeed. The bees will plug the hive with syrup if the beekeeper keeps feeding pail after pail of syrup. This will leave no place for the queen to lay. and will impact the hives population.
 Lift up the top box off the hive. If it feels light feed, if it feels heavy don't feed.

Checking Hives

This is a very nice over wintered colony taken in March. Lots of bees.

This weekend will be a perfect time for the alive or dead check on overwintered colonies.
The snow depth is mostly non existent so getting to colonies should be easy. The forecast is for a good snow, maybe on this coming Tuesday. So time to check this weekend.
Check now while there is time to order replacement packages.
When checking colonies, if you don't see bees on top of the top brood box, check down deep. The bees may have not moved up yet. This can happen on colonies that are heavy with honey. Don't assume the bees are dead until you see a dead cluster.
 I have even had in the past, is to tilt back the top box to see if any bees are under there. It is always a pleasant surprise to see a large cluster under the top box.
Check food stores. The queens should be laying now and honey consumption will increase with the new brood coming on.
Still a little early to feed. But if on inspection there are bees, but their food is almost gone, better to feed syrup than to lose the colony.
A good colony has around four frames of bees. A Carniolan hive if it has three frames of bees right now should be ok.
 If the cluster of bees is two frames of bees or less, consider it dead and get a package to replace it. If you have a five frame nuc box you could put the weak hive in there and let it build up and add it to a hive later in the season.
Pollen patties can go on in about two weeks.

5 frame nucs

I did a talk about 5 frame nuc's at the Honeybee Club of Stillwater .
Here is the link to the summery:
http://honeybeeclubofstillwater.blogspot.com/

Bees are going fast

The bee sales are moving along at a fast pace.
This current blast of cold weather will put many colonies over the edge.
This cold spell looks to last thru Thursday. 
Beekeepers should look in their colonies  Friday or Saturday to see if they have survived.
We have sold 75% of the 2 lb packages and 60% of the 3 lb packages so far.
Anyone needing bees should not put off ordering very much longer.

Bee Class in west metro

BEEKEEPING BASICS
March 7 & April 18 -- Saturdays, 9:30 AM–4:30 PM
Gain all the information you need to keep bees in cold climates. Explore two years of beekeeping with veteran beekeeper and entomologist Dan Palmer, from purchasing and assembling equipment and obtaining bees to producing and selling honey. Geared toward beginning beekeepers. Reservations required by February 26. Register online at www.threeriversparkdistrict.org <http://www.threeriversparkdistrict.org>  or call 763-694-2001. $55/two sessions. Ages: 12+.

New February Hours

Our February hours are:
Wednesday----  noon - 6pm
Thursday------  noon - 6 pm
Friday---------- 9 am - 4 pm
Saturday ------ 9 am - 2 pm