Winter solstice
Quote from iddee on December 3, 2018, 5:53 PM18 days to go.
Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 at 5:23 PM will be winter solstice. As the days get longer, the queens will begin laying for spring bees. It will start in the south and move northward and increase as the days get longer and the flows begin.
Just remember, most hives that starve will do so in the last weeks before bloom. The supplies will be running low and the brood, IE: mouths to feed, will be increasing. Heft your hives often and feed as needed.
18 days to go.
Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 at 5:23 PM will be winter solstice. As the days get longer, the queens will begin laying for spring bees. It will start in the south and move northward and increase as the days get longer and the flows begin.
Just remember, most hives that starve will do so in the last weeks before bloom. The supplies will be running low and the brood, IE: mouths to feed, will be increasing. Heft your hives often and feed as needed.
Quote from iddee on December 16, 2019, 2:02 PMSaturday, December 21, is winter solstice for us, but it is the first day of spring for the bees. As the days get longer, the queen will ramp up egg laying to get ready for the flowers. Your hive population will double to triple before the first flower blooms, so the food will go much faster. The consumption of winter stores will increase as the number of new mouths to feed increase. Starvation will be much more of a problem as the stores decrease before the first nectar becomes available. Keep this in mind and watch your hives carefully.
Saturday, December 21, is winter solstice for us, but it is the first day of spring for the bees. As the days get longer, the queen will ramp up egg laying to get ready for the flowers. Your hive population will double to triple before the first flower blooms, so the food will go much faster. The consumption of winter stores will increase as the number of new mouths to feed increase. Starvation will be much more of a problem as the stores decrease before the first nectar becomes available. Keep this in mind and watch your hives carefully.
Quote from iddee on December 18, 2021, 12:21 PMI was in Beez Needz supply house this morning when a gentleman came in and asked the question.
Him.. My bees aren't touching the sugar brick. Can they not get to it?
ME.. Is it laying on the top frames and can you see down between the frames?
Him. Yes
ME.. Are there flowers blooming around your house.
Him. Yes
ME. You have some nectar coming in. Bees take nectar first, stored honey second, and sugar when they have nothing else.
Try getting a kid to eat liver and spinach when there is candy and ice cream on the table. Let the same kid go 2 days without food and see how he loves L & S.PS.. Winter solstice begins in 3 days.Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at 10:59 am EST This is the beginning of the bee's spring. As the days get longer, the queen lays more and more. Therefore, the bees have more mouths to feed as the pantry empties. Most hives that starve do so just before the spring nectar comes in. Be sure to keep n eye on their stores.
I was in Beez Needz supply house this morning when a gentleman came in and asked the question.
Him.. My bees aren't touching the sugar brick. Can they not get to it?
ME.. Is it laying on the top frames and can you see down between the frames?
Him. Yes
ME.. Are there flowers blooming around your house.
Him. Yes
ME. You have some nectar coming in. Bees take nectar first, stored honey second, and sugar when they have nothing else.
Try getting a kid to eat liver and spinach when there is candy and ice cream on the table. Let the same kid go 2 days without food and see how he loves L & S.
PS.. Winter solstice begins in 3 days.Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at 10:59 am EST This is the beginning of the bee's spring. As the days get longer, the queen lays more and more. Therefore, the bees have more mouths to feed as the pantry empties. Most hives that starve do so just before the spring nectar comes in. Be sure to keep n eye on their stores.