Jacek's Beekeeping

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====== 2021/2022 Winter ======

===== Feeding in 2022=====
  * **PB** - plastic bag
  * **FF** - frame feeder
  * **RF** - round feeder
  * **B**  - plastic bottle
  * **PP** - pollen patties
  * **SB** - sugar block

^ Date ^ Sugar/Patty ^ Solution  ^ Hives ^ Method ^ Comments ^
| **2022-Apr-06:** | **PP**  | half of Bee-Pro+  | all  |  | 1:30 pm at 50F |
| **2022-Mar-25:** | **SB** |   | resupplied 4 hives where sugar blocks were gone |  | 11:20 am at 43F |
| **2022-Mar-20:** | **PP** | half of Bee-Pro+  | all except 3E, 4E |  | 2:30 pm at 46F |
| **2022-Feb-20:** | removed all **PP** but 2 hives | left as experiment | left in 3E, 4E |  | 11:30 am, next try in 2-3 weeks |
| **2022-Feb-16:** | **PP** | half of Bee-Pro+ | all hives |  | 11:30 am |
| **2022-Feb-08:** | **SB** | n/a | all 6FR over 6FR |   | 1:30 pm |
| **2022-Jan-12:** | **SB** | n/a | #5 |   | 11:30 am |

===== Oxialic acid in 2021 =====

I am using //Johno's EasyVap//

  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2v9woKixwo|23.08.2018 Lek na warrozę, paski gliceryny z kwasem szczawiowym. miodykamionek.pl]] Nowy sposób podawania kwasu szczawiowego, paski kartonowe nasączone roztworem gliceryny i kwasu. 1000 g gliceryny spożywczej, 600 g kwasu szczawiowego podgrzewamy do 65 °C, nie więc bo kwas się rozłoży. Paski kartonowe 3 na 35 cm, rozmiar na korpus dadanta. Po nasączeniu na drugi dzień aplikujemy na ramki. Można stosować przed pozyskiwaniem miodu.
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP60hsPa38Q|How to prepare OXA cardboard strips]]
  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGMRqjJe-y4|how to make glycerin oxalic acid stripes varroa treatment (c) APIS POWER Beekeeper Bert]]

^  Date\Hive  ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_1n|1N]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_1m|1M]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_1s|1S]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_2e|2E]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_2m|2M]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_2w|2W]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_3e|3E]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_3m|3M]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_3w|3W]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_4e|4E]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_4m|4M]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_4w|4W]] ^ [[bees_in_2021#hive_5|5]]  (10FR) ^
|  **2021-Oct-27**  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  | 1/2 tsp / 1 mite drop |
|  **2021-Oct-18**  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  | 1/2 tsp / 16 mites drop |
|  **2021-Oct-11**  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  | 1/2 tsp  |
|  **2021-Sep-30**  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp |  1/2 tsp  |  1/2 tsp  | 1/2 tsp  |
|  **2021-Sep-15**  | removed strips from all hives |
|  **2021-Aug-19**  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 5 strips |   |   | 5 strips |
|  **2021-Aug-13**  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  |  | 3 strips  | 3 strips  |
|  **2021-Jul-27**  | 1/2 tsp | | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | | | 1/4 tsp  | | | 1/4 tsp |
|  **2021-Jun-21**  | 1/8 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/8 tsp  |
|  **2021-May-30**  | | 1/4 tsp |  | |1/4 tsp | ||| | 1/4 tsp |  | | 1/8 tsp  |

====== 6 Frame hives ======

[[6 Frame Hives]]

===== Feeding bees =====

Using plastic thin grocery bag works well, too. Bees punch it after couple hours and empty in a day.

{{:2021-09-08_12.06.29_pxl_20210908_170629239.jpg?400|Plastic bag feeder}}
{{:2021-10-15_13.41.18_pxl_20211015_184118969.jpg?400|R20 top cover}}

There is R20 roof insulation on every 6 frame hive. Right picture shows that vents in ventilation box are closed with 3/4" XPS

===== Insulating lid =====

This is R6 insulated dome (hood) covering three 6 Frame over 6 frame hives. 

Two regular 10 frame boxes fit under the dome, too.

{{:2021-10-27_12.02.07_pxl_20211027_170207249.jpg?400|$20 insulation for 3 colonies}}

===== Winter roof insulation =====

  * A thick rope to make beespace under the foil
  * Thin foil
  * Reflectix layer seals the foil below and reflects heat back to the hive.
  * A ventilation box with closed vents
  * R10 XPS inside the box
  * R10 XPS on top of the box
  * R6 dome on the top of that will come before winter

{{:2021-11-02_13.38.43_pxl_20211102_183843872.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-02_13.38.51_pxl_20211102_183851831.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-02_13.39.11_pxl_20211102_183911649.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-02_13.39.18_pxl_20211102_183918490.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-02_13.39.34_pxl_20211102_183934850.jpg?400|}}


===== Fully insulated =====

A single hood covers three colonies. Each colony is made of two 6 frame deep boxes. Upper box was full of food (~40lb) going into winter. In March each colony got a sugar brick and a pollen substitute patty.

  * R20 + R6 = R26 roof
  * R6 sides
  * no upper ventilation
  * 1/3 open disk entrance in lower box
  * open bottom entrance 
  * 6x 1.5" dia screened holes in bottom board open during winter

{{:2021-11-02_15.12.45_pxl_20211102_201245773.jpg?400|}}
{{:2022-02-21_13.26.48_pxl_20220221_192648274.jpg?400|}}
{{::2022-02-16_11.39.27_pxl_20220216_173927375.jpg?400|}}
==== Making sure that bottom entrance and the only bottom ventilation are open after heavy snowfall ====

{{:2022-02-02_11.45.35_pxl_20220202_174535194.jpg?400|}}
====== 10 Frame BeeMax poly ======

==== Putting BeeMax together====

{{:2021-11-06_07.56.54_pxl_20211106_125654035.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-06_07.57.06_pxl_20211106_125706325.jpg?400|}}
==== Moving from wooden to poly====

{{:2021-11-08_10.16.33_pxl_20211108_161633253.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-17_11.03.38_pxl_20211117_170338223.jpg?400|}}
==== Wintering in poly hive====
There are two pieces of R10 XPS on the top of poly cover to make total ~R26. The roof is much better insulated then the side walls. The red tape closes air leaks between lower and upper box. There is no upper entrance/ventilation. All ventilation is through lower narrow entrance and open screened bottom.

{{:2021-11-17_11.03.47_pxl_20211117_170347166.jpg?400|}}
{{:2021-11-21_10.19.37_pxl_20211121_161937047.jpg?400|}}

Protecting bottom entrances and ventilation from snow

{{::2022-02-02_11.46.00_pxl_20220202_174600140.jpg?400|}}

Feeding sugar blocks and pollen substitute patties in March

{{:2022-02-16_11.34.31_pxl_20220216_173431546.jpg?400|}}

====== First spring inspection in 6 frame hives ======

Done on Apr. 10, 2022 at 56F on a sunny day.
  * all 12 hives had brood in all stages and young nurse bees.
  * 3 hives had drone brood, too
    * 1 hive had walking on the comb young drones.
  * all hives had still capped sugar syrup from fall feeding
    * minimum was half of the frame
    * maximum was 3 frames and untouched sugar brick. It means they needed only ~22lb of capped stores (3 deep frames) for the whole winter.
    * strongest hives got more sugar bricks from hives which had enough stores in frames.