I just hit my 1 year mark as a beekeeper here in GA. I’m not sure if I should rotate my boxes or not. I had a healthy colony going into winter. 2 deeps full of bees. Brood in both boxes, resources in both boxes. No concerns , based on what I saw and comparing to what I’ve learned in classes and your videos. Upon my first inspection after winter, I was surprised to find my population was severely diminished, maybe a few thousand at most and all in lower box only. I saw no dead bees anywhere in or around the hive, so I’m not sure if it was die off or swarm vacated with majority of colony. I’ve also found that I have a new Queen. Much smaller than previous Queen, but I have new larvae, brood, etc. (not a lot, but is increasing over the last few weeks), so I’m assuming mating flight was fairly recent. You talk about the swarm being gathered in the top box and not to swap to bottom too early. I have just the opposite issue. Should I swap boxes so my cluster and brood that is currently all in bottom box would then be on top, forcing them to move through the now empty bottom box as they come and go through the entrance?
Hi David, what is the total efficacy when performing various IPM such as; •Drone harvesting •Breaking brood cycle •powdered sugar dusting (as you mention) •Regular inspections (mentioned in Better Bee) •Screened bottom boards which all seem to help?
I'm a pretty confident person when it comes to beekeeping and going into my 3rd year but I still get nervous getting into my hives for the first time. In my defence I have a couple grumpy colonies that will be getting requeened soon with calmer genetics.
Hi David. New to the bee world. Bought 2 hives last October in middle Georgia. Just split one. They came through winter well! I have a lot of new foundation. Is it a good idea to put a medium on the older colonies to let them start drawing it out? Really enjoy your content. Keep up the good work!
Hello David, you address this topic in your spring management course. I did an inspection on Sunday. The top hive had honey comb and a good amount of bees, the bottom, best I could tell had no brood had some nectar couldn't see any eggs probably because of glasses. Yep you can tell I'm a novice. Would you rotate what I've described. I know you say you don't rotate. I'm thinking like you the bees know what to do. Your spring management course as given me me a little more knowledge on bee keeping. God bless
Hi David, thanks again for another great video. I'm a 2nd year beekeeper this year, and I'm starting another install of package bees this year, early May. I was wondering how far away from my overwintered hives, I should install the new package of bees? I don't want them to be too close and abscond.
Hi Mitchell, that's a legit question. Packages can be a bit tricky as they orientate to their new hive. Place some sort of distinct mark, like cut out a large black triangle and place it on the front hive of the new package. Distance is personal preference as long as they do not drift when first installed.
Thanks 4 This video I live in north middle Tenn we got up in the low 80 last week and I checked bees I had lots of bees in both box's I had seen a video rotating ur box's and I was trying 2 figure if I needed 2 u answered that 4 me thank u very much keep up the good work
I'll be a new beekeeper this year and I'm curious about painting my hive, should I do it? Does the paint have to be a special kind of paint? Is there a colour to avoid?
I agree that rotation depends on the size of the hive emerging from winter, the possibility of additional cold weather and the location of the brood. Since I’m in South Mississippi, my hives tend to be vigorous coming out of winter, winters are far milder and brood tends to end up on multiple frames and in both supers. I don’t move the boxes, I do tend to add polished frames in and around the brood area. I missed a queen cell and lost an early swarm this year when I didn’t check all the frames in a bottom super. Moved the frame to a new hive, added polished frames and some food frames and the swarm returned…..whew! Emergency split!
Good advice about rotating boxes, I have one question and that is last year I caught a swarm and put them into a new box but for some reason I forgot to put all ten frames in and left one out so the bees filled in the gap with comb filled with honey is it ok to just leave it that way or what do I do? New to keeping bees. Mike ( Busy Bees of the Bluegrass)
Hello David this was a great video very informative. I agree with your box rotation and your answer on mite treatments . I have a question about your queens on average how old is your queens when you think you get the best productivity out of her . First year , 1-2 or 2-3 , years old etc, Thanks for your video’s .
Suggestion to help your visual aid - attach dry erase board material to the boxes & sketch the example. You can quickly erase & provide multiple scenarios which we can pause & rewind as needed. Easier for us to find the info later or you could divide into linked chapters.
Hey Dave I have a super on top of a single bottom box. The super has honey and brood in it. Would it be a mistake to put an empty deep between the bottom box and the super?
Yesterday my double deep full were outside maybe cooling off... but it was only 62 degrees ambient. So I put on a shallow box but need to have them draw comb... we have not gone into the heavy flow yet...
Hi David. Another great, timely video. my question has to do with the hive you showed in the video. Given the population of bees, is that hive prime for a split? Given the roller-coaster temps in my area (SE PA, similar to yours) do you have a temperature range you target for splits?
Speaking of rotating, when you rotate out old comb. 1st year no problem, question is second year move outside frame in and install new frame or during the year move the frame in?
Hi David. Thank you for your information videos. Would switching boxes also help you determine the usefulness of the comb ? I think the bees are able to clean and reuse the foundations for just so long before the silk becomes too much for them to clean. Would switching and replacing bee better ?? Thanks again for your insights. 🇺🇸
Good point, and by silk you are referring to the cocoons spun in the cells by the pupae. Generations of cocoons is a problem over time. I like to replace my frames when the cells are getting too small due to cocoon build up and/or combs become too black to see through.
Thanks again for taking the time to make these videos. They always remind me of something that I once learned, but had forgotten. Do you have an update on your StarLink? Is it Worth It, or Worthless?
My policy is to leave well alone. If the bees seem happy there is no need to disrupt them too much they do a good job themselves with just a little help from us by controlling varroa mites. The hive can get weakened by constant disruption.
Second year newbie. beekeeper here.Thank you for the great information. I collected an unwanted hive from my cousin's downed tree today.I pulled about thirty pounds of comb and probably have the queen. The combs are shaped as only bees can devise. My question is how to put those comb into a new hive. Do I cut it out & lay it on the foundation or wire it into frames without foundation? Not sure how to make these bees ready for a new home. Please help...soin.
David very good advice! I live in South East Kentucky. I never ever rotate my hives. By design of nature. When the time is right. The bees will force the Queen back down.
When it coming to prepare you hive for winter and you use 2 deep hive and you know that it can be reduced to 1 deep, what and how do you get them all into 1 deep hive?
That's nearly impossible when brood is in both boxes. But of it is only in one box, then you can brush the bees into a single box, and move in your best 10 frames of resources.
Gday Dave, Roy from Australia what are your Best practices with flooded out hives in apiary treatment wise second year of floods New South Wales Australia, moved hives 2 meters above last years floods but mother nature got me again Bugger
@@beek Thank you for the reply. Probably wasn’t going to re-queen till next year anyway . Hope you raise queens next year for sell because you sure have good 🐝 David.
David, you are comparing an end of year hive population to a spring coming out of winter population where the population has naturally declined and the queen has drastically reduced her laying activity. Wouldn’t it be wiser to pull the empty deep and allow the hive to fill the single deep till you see the first swarm cells then add the second deep back to allow the hive to now have the space to expand? Now, I am a hobby beekeeper with only three hives so it is easier for me to work with my small number of hives.
done to be man showed you use mineral oil put it in a fogger and stick it in the bottom of the hive and let it come up through there and a fog and it'll get rid of the max that way is that true David I need to know for sure because I've done it years ago and it worked and I just want to make sure the mineral oil don't hurt the bees whenever you're fogging it like that thank you you have a blessed day and let me know something David and have a blessed day brother and be safe 🙏 but please let me know okay thank you
I just hit my 1 year mark as a beekeeper here in GA.
I’m not sure if I should rotate my boxes or not. I had a healthy colony going into winter. 2 deeps full of bees. Brood in both boxes, resources in both boxes. No concerns , based on what I saw and comparing to what I’ve learned in classes and your videos.
Upon my first inspection after winter, I was surprised to find my population was severely diminished, maybe a few thousand at most and all in lower box only. I saw no dead bees anywhere in or around the hive, so I’m not sure if it was die off or swarm vacated with majority of colony.
I’ve also found that I have a new Queen. Much smaller than previous Queen, but I have new larvae, brood, etc. (not a lot, but is increasing over the last few weeks), so I’m assuming mating flight was fairly recent.
You talk about the swarm being gathered in the top box and not to swap to bottom too early. I have just the opposite issue. Should I swap boxes so my cluster and brood that is currently all in bottom box would then be on top, forcing them to move through the now empty bottom box as they come and go through the entrance?
Hi David, what is the total efficacy when performing various IPM such as;
•Drone harvesting
•Breaking brood cycle
•powdered sugar dusting (as you mention)
•Regular inspections (mentioned in Better Bee)
•Screened bottom boards
which all seem to help?
Great info David. Hopefully all goes well and next year in the spring I will have hives living and can apply this knowledge. Thanks again.
You can do it!
Thank you for sharing such great information and thank you for taking the time to answer my question. Always enjoy your videos!
Be Blessed
I'm a pretty confident person when it comes to beekeeping and going into my 3rd year but I still get nervous getting into my hives for the first time. In my defence I have a couple grumpy colonies that will be getting requeened soon with calmer genetics.
I am starting my second year as a bee keeper. I wish I would have found your channel last year. I am learning so much!
Thanks Aaron, now that you've found my channel you'll learn a ton! Thank you for watching.
Take his ultimate course too! I just went through all of them and learned much much more from them.
Well Thank You So Much Mitchell!!
Hi David. New to the bee world. Bought 2 hives last October in middle Georgia. Just split one. They came through winter well! I have a lot of new foundation. Is it a good idea to put a medium on the older colonies to let them start drawing it out? Really enjoy your content. Keep up the good work!
Hello David, you address this topic in your spring management course. I did an inspection on Sunday. The top hive had honey comb and a good amount of bees, the bottom, best I could tell had no brood had some nectar couldn't see any eggs probably because of glasses. Yep you can tell I'm a novice. Would you rotate what I've described. I know you say you don't rotate. I'm thinking like you the bees know what to do. Your spring management course as given me me a little more knowledge on bee keeping. God bless
Thanks Dave. I love your videos, they are so helpful. Started the online classes and the teaching is great!
Thank you so much for this! That’s what I thought but see see keepers telling others to this with no real reason…. Thanks again!
Should you leave the empty brood box on during the winter, or compact the hive and take it off?
Subscribed!! Great video and information! Looking forward to learning more as we grow our apiary!
Hi David, thanks again for another great video. I'm a 2nd year beekeeper this year, and I'm starting another install of package bees this year, early May. I was wondering how far away from my overwintered hives, I should install the new package of bees? I don't want them to be too close and abscond.
Hi Mitchell, that's a legit question. Packages can be a bit tricky as they orientate to their new hive. Place some sort of distinct mark, like cut out a large black triangle and place it on the front hive of the new package. Distance is personal preference as long as they do not drift when first installed.
@@beek That's a good idea, I'll try that when it's time to install, thanks again.
Hey David! Thank you for all your information. I’m happy to be a subscriber and learning so much.
Awesome, thank you!
Did you create this video for me? I did exactly this the other day. I’m hoping they are still strong enough to pull through.
David, thank to for always answering my questions even before I ask them!
Thanks 4 This video I live in north middle Tenn we got up in the low 80 last week and I checked bees I had lots of bees in both box's I had seen a video rotating ur box's and I was trying 2 figure if I needed 2 u answered that 4 me thank u very much keep up the good work
Your videos are SO educational. They are so well done too -- really professional looking. Many thanks.
I'll be a new beekeeper this year and I'm curious about painting my hive, should I do it? Does the paint have to be a special kind of paint? Is there a colour to avoid?
I made a video on this: th-cam.com/video/G8qxfag4gMA/w-d-xo.html
I agree that rotation depends on the size of the hive emerging from winter, the possibility of additional cold weather and the location of the brood. Since I’m in South Mississippi, my hives tend to be vigorous coming out of winter, winters are far milder and brood tends to end up on multiple frames and in both supers. I don’t move the boxes, I do tend to add polished frames in and around the brood area.
I missed a queen cell and lost an early swarm this year when I didn’t check all the frames in a bottom super. Moved the frame to a new hive, added polished frames and some food frames and the swarm returned…..whew! Emergency split!
Good advice about rotating boxes, I have one question and that is last year I caught a swarm and put them into a new box but for some reason I forgot to put all ten frames in and left one out so the bees filled in the gap with comb filled with honey is it ok to just leave it that way or what do I do? New to keeping bees. Mike ( Busy Bees of the Bluegrass)
Hello David this was a great video very informative. I agree with your box rotation and your answer on mite treatments . I have a question about your queens on average how old is your queens when you think you get the best productivity out of her . First year , 1-2 or 2-3 , years old etc, Thanks for your video’s .
Thank you! This answered many questions for me. My father rotates and I had not been.i am still a newbie
Suggestion to help your visual aid - attach dry erase board material to the boxes & sketch the example. You can quickly erase & provide multiple scenarios which we can pause & rewind as needed. Easier for us to find the info later or you could divide into linked chapters.
Great video! Thanks for all you share with us.
Hey Dave I have a super on top of a single bottom box. The super has honey and brood in it. Would it be a mistake to put an empty deep between the bottom box and the super?
Yesterday my double deep full were outside maybe cooling off... but it was only 62 degrees ambient. So I put on a shallow box but need to have them draw comb... we have not gone into the heavy flow yet...
Great video Mr. David thanks for sharing makes a lot of sense
Thanks for all the useful tips!
Hi David. Another great, timely video. my question has to do with the hive you showed in the video. Given the population of bees, is that hive prime for a split? Given the roller-coaster temps in my area (SE PA, similar to yours) do you have a temperature range you target for splits?
Still too soon for me to split.
Speaking of rotating, when you rotate out old comb. 1st year no problem, question is second year move outside frame in and install new frame or during the year move the frame in?
I just wait and try and cull out 3 frames a year after about 3-5 years.
Hi David. Thank you for your information videos. Would switching boxes also help you determine the usefulness of the comb ? I think the bees are able to clean and reuse the foundations for just so long before the silk becomes too much for them to clean. Would switching and replacing bee better ?? Thanks again for your insights. 🇺🇸
Good point, and by silk you are referring to the cocoons spun in the cells by the pupae. Generations of cocoons is a problem over time. I like to replace my frames when the cells are getting too small due to cocoon build up and/or combs become too black to see through.
Thanks again for taking the time to make these videos. They always remind me of something that I once learned, but had forgotten.
Do you have an update on your StarLink? Is it Worth It, or Worthless?
My policy is to leave well alone. If the bees seem happy there is no need to disrupt them too much they do a good job themselves with just a little help from us by controlling varroa mites. The hive can get weakened by constant disruption.
Thanks! Great information!
Second year newbie. beekeeper here.Thank you for the great information. I collected an unwanted hive from my cousin's downed tree today.I pulled about thirty pounds of comb and probably have the queen. The combs are shaped as only bees can devise. My question is how to put those comb into a new hive. Do I cut it out & lay it on the foundation or wire it into frames without foundation? Not sure how to make these bees ready for a new home. Please help...soin.
Use rubber bands
Thank you David
Enjoy your videos very much
So glad!
Would love a powdered sugar video too 😊
That makes since if u go into winter with 2 boxes then therotically u should be able to have 2 comming into spring. Makes since
David very good advice! I live in South East Kentucky. I never ever rotate my hives. By design of nature. When the time is right. The bees will force the Queen back down.
PS! This is the best teaching on TH-cam on hive rotation!!!
Thanks Larry!
Do you treat differently depending of percentages of mites?
Absolutely!
Love your educational videos!!!
Thank you Lorraine!
I always injoy your videos.
Hi David, Rufus here from Myrtle Beach SC. Have a request worth it or worthless . ( spur wire embedder) thanks
When it coming to prepare you hive for winter and you use 2 deep hive and you know that it can be reduced to 1 deep, what and how do you get them all into 1 deep hive?
That's nearly impossible when brood is in both boxes. But of it is only in one box, then you can brush the bees into a single box, and move in your best 10 frames of resources.
Nice shirt
Gday Dave, Roy from Australia what are your Best practices with flooded out hives in apiary treatment wise second year of floods New South Wales Australia, moved hives 2 meters above last years floods but mother nature got me again Bugger
Thank you so much for all the info it is so much help for us wanaBEE BEEkeepers
I wish I would have watched this 2 weeks ago. I rotated during the nice weather. Then the weather turned - down into the 20s. I hope they're ok.
Wish I would have seen this two days ago; before I rotated my deeps :(
I published it 9 days ago just for you! 😃 Check every day to see if I've published a new one.
Hey David do you ever sell queens? Would love to Re-queen the nucs I purchase from you with your queens.
Yes, heavily. However, not sure if I want to this year. I'm thinking about it.
@@beek Thank you for the reply. Probably wasn’t going to re-queen till next year anyway . Hope you raise queens next year for sell because you sure have good 🐝 David.
Well... I wish this was posted 2weeks earlier 🤦. Guess I will learn the hard way.
David, you are comparing an end of year hive population to a spring coming out of winter population where the population has naturally declined and the queen has drastically reduced her laying activity. Wouldn’t it be wiser to pull the empty deep and allow the hive to fill the single deep till you see the first swarm cells then add the second deep back to allow the hive to now have the space to expand? Now, I am a hobby beekeeper with only three hives so it is easier for me to work with my small number of hives.
Will COFFEE TIME , come back this summer ?????
Thanks Peter, I may incorporate coffee time in today's filming.
I need to get back to beekeeping I am going stir crazy need to raise funds to get going again to buy land and build a house and farm
done to be man showed you use mineral oil put it in a fogger and stick it in the bottom of the hive and let it come up through there and a fog and it'll get rid of the max that way is that true David I need to know for sure because I've done it years ago and it worked and I just want to make sure the mineral oil don't hurt the bees whenever you're fogging it like that thank you you have a blessed day and let me know something David and have a blessed day brother and be safe 🙏 but please let me know okay thank you
👍➕👊🏻
Have you ever seen Japanese beekeeping?
Or removed a hive out of a wall?
That should answer this question.
1st. 🐝🐝🐝🐝
if bees are not supposed to go down on their own, my bees didn't get that memo lol .
didn't even watch yet , the hive better be strong enough
I get upset killing just one be.