====== 2023/2024 Winter ====== ====== 2023/2024 Winter preparation ====== ===== Insulating hives ===== {{:2023-11-02_10.56.30_20231102_105630.jpg?400|}} 2 pieces of rope and a clear foil {{:2023-11-02_10.56.40_20231102_105640.jpg?400|}} Reflectix **as a gasket not insulation**. {{:2023-11-02_10.57.24_20231102_105724.jpg?400|}} Inner cover with closed ventilation hole. It presses edges against Reflectix gasket and seals the clear foil below. {{:2023-11-02_10.57.34_20231102_105734.jpg?400|}} First R-10 2in XPS {{:2023-11-02_10.58.54_20231102_105854.jpg?400|}} Second R-10 taken from unused 6 FR hives. {{:2023-11-02_10.59.20_20231102_105919.jpg?400|}} Top cover with weights. Medium box with stores. Yellow deep long Lang has a divider for two brood nests. The green stand below is a SBB (Screened Bottom Board). It has two holes for OAV. ===== Oxialic Acid 2023===== * [[https://www.mitecalculator.com/|Mite Calculator]] * 1xSSP means 2 halfs of Swedish Sponge Pad soaked in OA + Glycerin per [[https://scientificbeekeeping.com/instructions-for-extended-release-oxalic-acid/|scientificbeekeeping.com]] * RM SSP - removed SSP * dosage in **tbs** is for Johnno's EasyVap OAV **1/2 tsp made of 2x 1/4 tsp = ~3g** ^ Date\Hive ^ [[hive_1|#1]] gooseberry ^ [[hive_2|#2]] gate ^ [[hive_3|#3]] peach ^ [[hive_4|#4]] gooseberry ^ [[hive_5|#5]] fir ^ [[hive_6|#6]] gate ^ [[hive_7|#7]] peach ^ [[hive_8|#8]] fir ^ [[hive_9|#9]] yew ^ [[hive_10|#10]] yew ^ Notes ^ |~~ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | | 10 | ~~ | ^ **2023-Nov-22** | 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 | 44F | ^ **2023-Oct-26** | 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 | 66F | ^ **2023-Oct-23** | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | | | 63F | ^ **2023-Oct-17** | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | RM SSP | 55F, **removed OAE after 57 days** | ^ **2023-Aug-21** | 1 SSP | 1 SSP | 1 SSP | 1 SSP | 1 SSP | 1 SSP | 1 SSP | 1/2 SSP | 1/2 SSP | 1 SSP | 78F, #8 got +1/2 SSP on Aug 28 | ^ **2023-Aug-10** | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 78F, nucs got 1/4 | ^ **2023-Aug-02** | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | | 1 /4 tsp | 80F, nucs and #6 got 1/4 | ^ **2023-Jul-25** | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | | | 89F, nucs got 1/4 tsp | ^ **2023-Jul-18** | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp | | | 78F, nucs got 1/4 tsp | ^ **2023-Jul-13** | 1/2 tsp | | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | | | | | 71F | ^ **2023-Jul-07** | 1/2 tsp | | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | | | | | 77F outside | ^ **2023-Jun-22** | | | | | | 1/2 tsp | | | | | 81F outside, #6 has a queen | ^ **2023-Jun-15** | 1/2 tsp | | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp | | 1/2 tsp | | | | 74F outside | ^ **2023-May-25** | 1/2 tsp | | | | 1/2 tsp | | | | | | 57F outside | ^ **2023-May-10** | 1/2 tsp | | | | 1/2 tsp | | | | | | 69F outside | ===== Feeding ===== * SL - **still left** from previous feeding * y - new portion * 20lb of sugar - means **total** 20lb. * 1:1 - 1 volume sugar to 1 volume water * 2:1 - 2 volumes sugar to 1 volume water * CF - communal feeding * ^ Date ^ Gooseberry ^^ Gate ^^ Fir ^^ Peach ^^ Yew ^^ Comments ^ ^::: ^ [[Hive 1]] S ^ [[Hive 4]] N ^ [[Hive 2]] W ^ [[Hive 6]] E ^ [[Hive 5]] W ^ [[Hive 8]] E ^ [[Hive 3]] W ^ [[Hive 7]] E ^ [[Hive 9]] R ^ [[Hive 10]] L ^::: ^ | 2023-Nov-15 | CF | CF | CF | CF | CF | CF | CF | CF | CF | CF | 2:1, 60 lb of sugar, in last week with temperatures above 50F | | 2023-Oct-26 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | SL | 2:1 at 4:10 pm, 20lb of sugar, 66F, last 3 days with above 50F. **This could be last feeding** | | 2023-Oct-25 | y | y | y | y | y | y | | | | | 2:1 at 3:05pm, 10lb of sugar, 64F | | 2023-Oct-22 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | SL | 2:1 at 4:35pm, 20lb of sugar, 57F | | 2023-Oct-19 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | SL | y | 2:1 at 3:35pm, 20lb of sugar, 57F | | 2023-Oct-17 | y | y | y | SL | y | y | y | y | SL | SL | 2:1 at 5:00pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Oct-15 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 2:1 at 5:00pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Oct-11 | y | y | y | y | SL | SL | y | y | y | SL | 2:1 at 3:45pm, 20lb of sugar, 65F | | 2023-Oct-09 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 2:1 at 3:35pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Oct-05 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 2:1 at 1:15pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Oct-04 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 2:1 at 5:15pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Oct-02 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 3:2 at 5:15pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-29 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | SL | 1:1 at 4:21pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-26 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 at 4:40pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-24 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | SL | 1:1 at 6:10pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-22 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 at 6:30pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-20 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 at 6:45pm, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-18 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 at 10:30am, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-15 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 in the evening, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-13 | y | | | y | | | y | y | | | 1:1 in the afternoon, 10lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-11 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 in the evening, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-08 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1 in the morning, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-05 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | 1:1, 20lb of sugar | | 2023-Sep-03 | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | y | | | 1:1, added feeder to #3 after removing suppers | | 2023-Sep-01 | y | y | y | y | | y | | y | y | y | 1:1 | | 2023-Aug-31 | y | y | | | | | | | | | 1:1, moved supper #4 -> #3 and added feeder | | 2023-Aug-30 | y | | y | y | y | y | | y | y | y | 1:1, bees emptied feeders from yesterday's sirup | | 2023-Aug-29 | y | | y | y | | y | | y | y | y | 1:1 | ====== Inspections ====== * C - collateral super * W - winter stores * E - evidence * S - seen * B - bottom * QE - queen excluder * CP - capped * N - nectar ==== 2024-Feb-26 ==== * all hives flying, even nucs * bees bringing lots of yellow pollen ==== 2024-Feb-18 ==== * 45F and 1, 2, 6 hives are flying in sun. ==== 2024-Feb-08 ==== * 56F and all 10 frame hives are flying, 8 of them. Two nucs seem to be dead but** flying on Feb-20** ==== 2024-Feb-01 ==== * 7,9,10 do not fly * all others have cleansing flights at 52F, #8 started after 2pm ==== 2024--Jan-31 ==== * #3, #6 - got sugar bricks ==== 2024--Jan-29 ==== * #3, #6 - need food, bees at the top * #9,10 seem to be dead * other alive ==== 2023-Dec-8 ==== * It was 46F yesterday and all hives were making, I guess, cleansing flights because today at 51F the bees stay inside. ==== 2023-Oct-27 ==== * All hives very active at 66F * All hives bring pollen * Hives take sirup a little bit slower * Mite drop makes less then 1% mite level. * ==== 2023-Oct-17 ==== * removed OAE after **57 days** * 10FR hives have a lot of bees. * 6FR are not as populated as 10 FR * Medium boxes are heavy but bees still take 2:1 sugar. * Bees are flying at 55F. Still bringing some pollen. ==== 2023-Sep -13 ==== ^ Location ^ Orientation ^ Hive ^ Type ^ Group ^ Boxes ^^ Frames ^^^^^^ Queen ^ Drones ^ Temper ^ Weather ^ Comments ^ ^ ::: | ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ (A/B/S ^ Brood ^ Super ^ Pollen ^ Brood ^ Eggs ^ Bees ^ Stores ^ QC ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ^ Gooseberry | N | [[Hive 4]] | 10FR Wood | A | | | | 3M | 2M | | 4N | | E | | | | moved 1 capped M FR to #8 | ^::: | S | [[Hive 1]] | BeeMax | A | | | | | | | 2CP, 8N | | E | | | | | ^ Gate | E | [[Hive 6]] | 1/2 Long Lang | A | | | | 4DP | | | 2M | | E | | | | needs lot of 1:1 to draw mediums, will have 10 FR nurse bees soon | ^::: | W | [[Hive 2]] | 1/2 Long Lang | B | | | | 1 | 0 | | 7+ | | E | | | | looks very good | ^ Fir tree | E | [[Hive 8]] | 10FR Paradise | B | | | | 1 from #4 | | | | | | | | | not inspected | ^::: | W | [[Hive 5]] | BeeMax | B | | | | | | | | | | | | | not inspected | ^ Peach | E | [[Hive 7]] | 1/2 Long Lang | B | | | | 1 from #3 | | | 3+ | | | | | | got 3 drawn M FR from #3 | ^::: | W | [[Hive 3]] | 1/2 Long Lang | A | | | | | | | 3+ | | S | | | | | ^ Yew (cis) | S | [[Hive 9]] | 6FR | B | | | | | | | | | | | | | not inspected | ^ ::: | S | [[Hive 10]] | 6FR Paradise | A | | | | | | | | | | | | | not inspected | ==== 2023-Aug-28 ==== ^ Location ^ Orientation ^ Hive ^ Type ^ Group ^ Boxes ^^ Frames ^^^^^^ Queen ^ Feeding ^ Temper ^ Weather ^ Comments ^ ^ ::: | ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ (A/B/Split) ^ Brood ^ Super ^ Pollen ^ Brood ^ Eggs ^ Bees ^ Stores ^ QC ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ::: ^ ^ Gooseberry | N | [[Hive 4]] | 10FR wooden | A | 1DP, 1M | 1M | | 4+ | | | 2.5 | | | | | | prepared feeder | ^::: | S | [[Hive 1]] | BeeMax | A | 1DP, 1M | | | 10 | | | 0.5 | | | | | | added feeder | ^ Gate | E | [[Hive 6]] | 1/2 Long Lang | B | 1DP, 1M | | | 5 | | | 0.5? | | | | | | week hive, added feeder | ^::: | W | [[Hive 2]] | 1/2 Long Lang | A | 1DP, 1M | | | 6 | | | 6+ | | | | | | added feeder | ^ Fir tree | E | [[Hive 8]] | 10FR Paradise | B | 1DP, 1M | | | 7 | | | 1 | | | | | | added feeder | ^::: | W | [[Hive 5]] | BeeMax | A | 1DP, 1M | | | 7 | | | 4+ | | | | | | added feeder | ^ Peach | E | [[Hive 7]] | 1/2 Long Lang | B | 1DP, 1M | | | 4 | | | 1 | | | | | | added feeder | ^::: | W | [[Hive 3]] | 1/2 Long Lang | A | 1DP, 1M | 1D | | 7 | | | 2+ | | | | | | prepared feeder | ^ Yew (cis) | S | [[Hive 9]] | 6FR | A | 1DP | 1M | | 4 | | | 1+ | | | | | | added feeder | ^ ::: | S | [[Hive 10]] | 6FR Paradise | A | 1DP | 1DP | | 3+ | | | 1+ | | S | | | | added feeder |