Bee Chronicle Dec 2011

The colonies are snuggled in their clusters

With visions of new blooms all dancing in their heads …

Finally, the time has arrived when we can sit back and watch our hives. How ironic that everything is happening inside and we can not see anything. Okay, we switch to our monitoring role. At least this is not when something happens fast. The most important thing is to monitor the flying days. If the bees are flying they are eating honey. If they forage and do not find anything they come home hungry. Sounds like a bunch of school children after playing outside. Has anyone noticed the bees on their Thanksgiving mums. How about the witch hazel that has been blooming by the creek. Does anyone have hardy gardinias or lenton roses blooming. It is amazing what the bees can find. However, be cautious from now until mid February. The two most important measures will be the the tilt test, and the yellow streak watch.

The tilt test is to determine the amount of food stores remaining in the hive. Pick up a corner of the hive to estimate the weight. One hive body needs to start at 80-90 lbs. As the food is eaten the hive will get lighter. One day you will lift and nearly tip it over. That tells you the hive is about out of food. You had better hope the weather is good enough to let the bees go out of the cluster to syrup to replenish food stores.

The Yellow Streaks are bees deficating on out side of the hive. They are too sick to fly. When they have been cooped up they “hold it” until they can go on a cleansing flight. Up north the bees just keep swelling up all winter long. They are extremely house broken. Bees with nozema just walk out to the front of the hive an leave yellow streaks of diariah.

You should have already knocked your mite populations down so the bees can winter over.

Nozema and foul brood should not show up until next spring. They are conditions that manifest themselves more in the damp hive. With the bees tightly clustered the diseases can spread. Then when you start looking again next spring you find problems. That is why, traditionally, these diseases are treated with profolactic medicines in the fall and again in the spring. Terramiacin for nozema and fumigilin B for nozema.

Make sure you have mouse proofed your hives. Entrance reduces are for mice (Keep em out) and temperature (keep it in). You may have to open your hives one more time to make sure no mice are in a far back corner. If you find one, eject it, clean up the nest and the bees will be just fine. Remember, you want to do this on one of the few 60+ degree days, and be quick about it.

Start getting you wood working projects together. Hive maintenance is what winters are for.

Merry Christmas, and wait till you find out what to do in January.