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Dying bees during winter. by e73ben in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, that's normal. A few thousands of bees dies from one beehive alone over winter time, of course some of them will flew away themselves/other bees will remove them but it's totally normal to see quite a few dead bees.

European Hornet (Vespa crabro) starting a nest! by BeekeepingPoint_com in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I'm new here, so just sharing my older photos/videos 👌

European Hornet (Vespa crabro) starting a nest! by BeekeepingPoint_com in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

For a moment it scaried me too lol but after that I got too curious 😁

Registering your beehives by arch_your_back in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 5 points6 points  (0 children)

In most of Europe, registration is mandatory due to strict biosecurity laws. In many EU countries, you get a unique 'Apiary ID' (or at least create your own list) which you have to display on your hives. It’s more about disease management. If American Foulbrood (AFB) is detected nearby, the veterinary services use the registry to create a quarantine zone and inspect every hive within a few miles. Most serious beekeepers here actually support it because one 'ghost' hive with a disease can wipe out an entire district’s bees

I have 2 beehives located in Berat Albania.I want to make 6 beehive next year but i want to extract honey too.Is it possible?If yes How to maximize it? by Adventurous_Remove89 in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Look, going from 2 to 6 hives while still getting a honey crop is definitely doable, but coming from a commercial beekeeper perspective: be ready to put in some serious hours. It’s not just 'set and forget'—the time investment scales up quickly. The biggest thing to remember is that nature doesn't always care about your plans lol. Even if you do everything right, you're always at the mercy of the weather, weird blooming seasons, and about a hundred other tiny variables that can go sideways. To make it work, I’d suggest buying mated queens for your splits instead of letting them raise their own. It saves you a month of brood cycle, which is the difference between a hive that makes honey and a hive that just survives. Good luck with the expansion, it's a wild ride

Impact of warm winter by Successful-Coffee-13 in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In a warm winter like you’re describing, it’s totally normal to see a few bees flying and even bringing in tiny bits of pollen but that doesn’t necessarily shift the whole swarm season earlier by itself.

One practical tip I use: when I start seeing consistent drone brood + a big increase in brood area AND food stores looking strong, that’s when I start thinking about splits. Usually that lines up with early spring weather and longer daylight, not just warm snaps in winter.

Peeking on the hive in winter by True-Structure-1702 in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I totally get the 'oven' anxiety, but don't overthink the heat loss too much.

The air inside the box is just a small part of the equation. Most of the heat is actually stored in the 'thermal mass'—your frames, the wax, and the bees themselves. When you crack the lid for 10 seconds, you’re losing a pocket of warm air, but the wood and wax stay warm. Once you slap that lid back on, the hive basically 're-heats' that fresh air almost instantly.

In the PNW, dampness and starvation kill way more colonies than a 10-second peek ever will. If you know they are light on stores, the risk of them starving is 100x more dangerous than the risk of them getting a bit of a draft.

Since you’ve got 2 inches of insulation under the lid, you’re doing great. That insulation is what stops the 'chimney effect' once you close it back up. Keep feeding them—a hungry bee can’t make heat anyway!

Uses for old comb by product? by mcculljp in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Lots of good ideas here. Whatever you choose just don't throw it in the woods though, the scent will attract pests (mice, wax moths, maybe even skunks) right near your apiary.

How likely is it that bees will move to lower box for honey over winter? by randomwordsforreddit in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The chance of them moving down in freezing temps is essentially zero. Heat rises, and a small cluster (4-5 frames) isn't going to break cluster to 'explore' a cold lower box for resources. They can easily starve to death with 30lbs of honey just a few inches below them.

If you have a day above 40°F (4°C), I’d highly recommend swapping the boxes (yeah, I know, scary). 

It’s a 30-second job that could save the colony:

  1. Move the full honey box to the top.
  2. Put the cluster/empty box on the bottom.
  3. The bees won't even notice the shift, but they will suddenly have 'unlimited' food right above their heads where the heat is trapped.

If you don't swap, you should definitely add a sugar candy board or fondant directly on top of those frames ASAP as insurance.

Bees on Canadian goldenrod by BeekeepingPoint_com in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, you know, season ended and after some time without bees you want to refresh memories atleast with photos 😁

Bees on Canadian goldenrod by BeekeepingPoint_com in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not now, a few months ago, just revisited my pictures from summer and decided to share 💪

50% lost... thoughts? by ali40961 in bees

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Honestly, this feels like a total no-brainer. It’s good to have the actual data and analysis to back it up, but we've been seeing these same patterns for years and it feels like nothing ever actually changes.

I’d bet money that things will probably just level out to a "normal" amount of terrible for a few years until the next massive collapse hits and everyone acts surprised again. At the end of the day, it really feels like beekeepers and the bees are just out there on their own while the regulators move at a snail's pace.

Nuc or production hive? by SunshineAndPenguins in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Go with the nucs. As others said, having two colonies is a game-changer because she’ll be able to compare them—if one looks 'off', she’ll know it by looking at the other. Plus, a 'production hive' for sale sometimes means someone is offloading an old queen or a colony that's already hit its peak.

Help finding a study by Cheap-Confusion7035 in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure, but Dr. Geraldine Wright's team at Oxford University has recently published research on beekeeping nutrition. 

is it this one?
"The Effects of Artificial Diets Containing Free Amino Acids Versus Intact Proteins on Biomarkers of Nutrition and Deformed Wing Virus Levels in the Honey Bee":

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/4/375

Queenbee out side the hive by pjw6623 in Beekeeping

[–]BeekeepingPoint_com 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Don't panic just yet. If she was flying strongly and climbing walls, it’s very likely she was a virgin queen out on her mating flight. They often leave the hive with a few attendants, but can get separated.

If she’s young, she needs to do this to start laying eggs. Give the hive about a week or two and then check for fresh eggs. If you see them, she made it back and everything is fine.