🟡 Wait! Don’t crack those beehives open

Рет қаралды 2,405

Күн бұрын

Beekeeping Mistake You're Probably Making: Inspecting Colonies Too Soon in Late Winter
At this time of year, beekeepers who keep their colonies in colder regions are excited to open their hives and inspect their bees on a warm late winter day. However, this can be detrimental to the colonies.
In the following video, we discuss a topic that may only be relevant to certain apiaries. While we strongly advocate for our beekeeping approach, we acknowledge that it may not be suitable for everyone. We invite you to watch the video, consider our reasoning, and evaluate whether our approach would be appropriate for your own apiary.
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VIDEO CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:08 What are we doing in the apiary today?
0:26 Teaser intro
0:51 Observe from the outside
2:21 Bees are bringing in pollen
2:53 Resist the urge to tear into the colony
3:29 Bees starting to bring in resources
4:00 Don't break the propolis envelope
4:44 Watching the activity at the entrance
5:47 Limited inspection is ok
7:28 Recapping our perspective
8:36 wrap up / outtro
The videos on this channel are created, edited, and shared by Jason Crook, the owner and operator. As a Master Certified Beekeeper from the University of Montana, Jason has almost a decade of experience in beekeeping and enjoys sharing his insights with others. It's important to note that beekeeping practices can vary depending on the local environment, and the videos on the Bohemia Apiary channel showcase what works for Jason's own bee colonies, rather than providing a universal prescription. While the concepts in the videos are generally endorsed by many beekeepers, it's also crucial to listen, observe, and learn from your own bees as well as other beekeeping resources.
As Jason himself says, "Beekeeping is more than a hobby, it's an obsession."
Thank you for supporting the channel, and feel free to leave comments as they will be addressed. Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the channel and hit the notification bell for future updates.
#beehives #beekeeping #honeybees #beekeepers #latewinterbeekeeping #beecolony #beekeepingmistakes #savethebees #pollinators #beekeepingtips #beekeepingadvice #beekeepingcommunity #beekeeping101 #bohemiabees #honey

Пікірлер: 50

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Our first video of 2023, and finally broke the 1,000,000 views on our channel. So humbled and blessed by all the community support ❤

@BrianCooper901 Жыл бұрын

Congratulations that is an impressive milestone! Thanks for sharing!

@woodcampfarm5597 Жыл бұрын

Congratulations J!

@donbearden1953 Жыл бұрын

Congratulations Jason! It’s all downhill for you now.

@GrammyMidwife Жыл бұрын

Congrats!!🎉

@TheCaliforniaBeekeeper Жыл бұрын

Yeah buddy! Congratulations Jason happy for you man keep it going

@chuckcampbell3927 Жыл бұрын

🛫📖🛬 Congratulations Jason. You have a great channel and you are a great communicator. This is Saturday the 18th and we had a modicum of sun today but still a little chilly and you are so right about the urge to merge with your bees when you should leave them alone. This morning they had pulled out one deceased little gal and that was it and they are flying like crazy bring in that mint green and the bright orange/yellow pollen. Like I told you I don't give false compliments and you really have done a great job with your channel and I enjoyed this video. GOD Bless 📖🛐✈️🐆🐝🐝🐝

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Thank you Chuck it was great to chat with you the other day.

@noahriding5780 Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you spoke up against cracking open the hives because a lot of people are saying the opposite. And even though I'm not new it can be confusing when you hear a big crowd going the opposite of reason. It can feel confusing.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

It’s different everywhere but around my area probably still not a good strategy.

@WildwoodsBeekeeping Жыл бұрын

Good Points Jason, We've been able to get in the hives down here in AL, But we still have some cool weather Coming but spring is coming soon. Good stuff Jason!

@lagrangebees Жыл бұрын

While I certainly can't open my hives with the snow we have here, I did engineer some top insulation that doubles as a winter feeder. R-60 ish insulation with a removable insert for putting fondant. allows me to do quick live checks as well.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

I love bee innovation

@brucesbees Жыл бұрын

Great job Jason. Keep up the great work!

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Thanks Bruce for all the support

@duanevonbargen7516 Жыл бұрын

Jason, I agree with what you are saying. I'm in northern Idaho. Where I'm at the temps have been in the upper 40's lower 50's and freezing at night. Mid week next week we are having lows in the lower teens. And then I see the guys in the south. Opening hives and seeing such strong hives. YOu know how hard it is to not go into mine?...lol....But I'm not doing it nope nope nope....Great vid Jason.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Keep an eye on their volume. If you add a box because they are packed >80% then use some painters tape to seal the seam. Propolis won’t re-melt under 60 degrees.

@donbearden1953 Жыл бұрын

Good video Jason along with some good advice. I’m about 200 miles north of Bruce and about 1 to 2 weeks behind him. I had drone cells and dry queen cups almost 2 weeks ago. I definitely have to keep a close eye on mine until it’s time to super them up. Hopefully, all of your colonies are in great shape when the weather lets you get in them.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Thanks Don

@302FISHING Жыл бұрын

Great video Jason! Keep up the great work!!

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Appreciate it!

@sourwoodbranchbeefarm6515 Жыл бұрын

Hey Jason here in Southern Virginia I checked some of my strong colonies this week on a 80 degree day .I was surprised some have cups, some have cells and 1 had capped cells. Hope the cooler weather coming will slow them down on building cells. We aren't even out of February yet. This is crazy. Had a couple with brood in 3 boxes.

@jeffreynast4063 Жыл бұрын

Not going to be craking open the hives anytime soon... we hit -21f this morning. But, really looking forward to late March and early April! Thank you Jason!!!

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Probably a good strategy. Make sure they have some emergency stores still

@sawmillcharliesbeefarm Жыл бұрын

Jason, been feeding my Nucs with fondant and cluster size are good in most of them and my ten frame hive are all good they have 6 to 8 frames of honey with nice size clusters .

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Same here Charlie

@dcsblessedbees Жыл бұрын

You get coastal weather with real good wet Winter storms. Jason how big of an effect do you think your slatted racks have on your hives humidity levels, do you think it helps them control the wet better? Here we have been running 80+% humidity and NW winter rain, so I have been having a real big issue with to much humidity/wet in my hives. My colonies were wet when we got hit with that cold, needless to say things didn't go well. So I am looking for ways to help them control moisture so I thought of you, partly because of your location and Winters.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

I’ve never tested the impact on humidity based on slatted rack solely. I would think it may help because the foragers can hang out on it and not jam up the brood nest. That could help airflow and humidity level.

@dcsblessedbees Жыл бұрын

@@BohemiaBees Ty much Jason, have a great evening.

@JCsBees Жыл бұрын

Should we lift one side of our bee boxes to see how the food store weight is? Or maybe pop the top cover and check the food stores from the top? How often do colonies starves this time of year, is that a worry? Thought I'd offer a couple questions for the newbies. Love the Status Disc. I noticed you didn't add one to the Apimaye, are you not going to? Not wanting to drill a hole in it? I understand that for sure. lol

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Yes Jason, absolutely try to lift boxes to judge weight for a reference on remaining stores. I use screen innercovers so popping top is also an option for me. Weight tends to be more of an indicator that just a top visual (my opinion) Colonies do starve out this time of year. This is why checking activity and weight are good ways to perform a cursory inspection and then if no risk of freezing drop some 1:1 on them or fondant of still have risk of freezing. Your perspective is always welcome on my channel. I grew up watching you. I didn’t get chance to install one on the Apimaye, I could just didn’t. The dials you see in the video were test dials from last fall. Since we launched the QueenRightDial I’ve not gone back and installed one on every one of my hives. Definitely will this spring.

@danielweston9188 Жыл бұрын

We do research that requires us to open hives every two week year around. We use a beeswax caulking to reseal the gap - works great......

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Like I mentioned there are scenarios and regions that will have some latitude. I’ve been meaning to try to get some of that “bee caulk” and try it.

@danielweston9188 Жыл бұрын

@@BohemiaBees works great I have a post on making it.

@noahriding5780 Жыл бұрын

Do you have a video that takes about how to move bees in trucks? I'd heard its easy to mess them up from vibrations of moving causing combs to collapse on them. Seemed good to talk to you about. And some of the older videos people mention chocking the frames or something like that but they don't exactly state how exactly someone should do this.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

I do not have a video but the main concern would be with non-foundation combs. If they are wired you could be ok but you could rubber band the frames where comb is free form with no foundation and has concern. Frames should also be tight and centered in a box and if they are propolized they should be fine.

@alanwiebelhaus8750 Жыл бұрын

Hi Jason watching your video my eye got attention on those 2 objects at a 45 degree on a pile stand would you like to share what’s that all about ? Thanks Alan

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Lol those are test hives. We did a few videos on them about 2+ years ago.

@woodlandharvesthoneycompanyllc Жыл бұрын

If on the early warm days you see a colony bringing in that first early pollen, would you advise giving them small amounts of pollen patties to supplement what they are gathering on their own?

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

You can but when you start giving pollen it’s recommended you don’t stop until they go into a full flow or at least stop consuming it. They will find pollen, it’s really the carbohydrates they need this time of year.

@woodlandharvesthoneycompanyllc Жыл бұрын

@@BohemiaBees Thank you. Yes they are getting carbs from Hive Alive and sugar bricks. I am pretty sure that they have honey also but I'm not going to pull frames now to look. I just thought the pollen patties might help because on a small colony they may not have enough foragers to collect enough natural pollen when they start brooding up.

@ray37876 Жыл бұрын

My girls are starting to grow it wont be long.

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Awesomeness

@bobk4249 Жыл бұрын

Why do you set your hives on pallets

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

That is another way to setup hives. It’s used more often in the commercial beekeeping circuit. Hobby and sideline typically don’t run pallets. I cross a little into many different ways to manage/keep bees.

@kylekinkade9211 Жыл бұрын

Off topic real quick... I've been seeing alot of lost bee hive transplant videos. Is this normal or has there been an uptick in lost hives?

@BohemiaBees Жыл бұрын

Cutouts or swarm removals are not necessarily increasing. Just more content creators are producing these type of videos as it’s sort of good click-bait. There is a shock factor that works well with the KZfaq algorithm so you are seeing more of them.