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First graft of the year, Apiril 14th

4/16/2012

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Well I took 3 breeders on Saturday and performed my first graft. It is always an exciting time to do the first graft of the season. I am starting to see drones running around in the colonies and nice patches of capped and uncapped drones. So there should be lot's of them out by the middle of May. This is the earliest I can graft in this environment. There has always seems to be a mating window around Mothers Day Weekend. Maybe the Lord sends some extra sun down just for all the mom's! There are a couple pockets in the Okanagan that you can get mating weather earlier, but not here. I have always been curious about the Kamloops area. I think if you could ramp up drone production you could possibly get mated queens early May around there. 

Anyhow the strong colonies are 6+ frames of brood and they are chomping at the bit. They are starting to build burr comb and bringing in lot's of pollen. I haven't noticed much spring dwindling at all this year. I know better than to forecast the weather but it may be a heavy swarm season if they continue their path thus far. Generally spearking a heavy swarm year often translates into good honey production.....now I am way ahead of myself!
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3rd Round complete

4/5/2012

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Well, all the bottoms are cleaned and I have my 3rd round of patties on and my 2nd round of syrup complete. I have been surprised at the rate of pollen consumption so far. The last couple days I threw 2 patties on everything that had totally finished off their last feed. I am curious to see now if they will consume those 2 patties by my next visit (roughly 10 days). My patties are over 1 lb each so that would mean about 5 lbs of pollen patties eaten by April 15th?? I think that's a lot!

My higher elevation yards are having trouble taking down syrup, probably due to the cooler temperatures, lot's of dead bees in the frame feeders. The first round I fed patties I didn't feed syrup but used honey. I almost wish I had more honey to put on them. Feeding syrup sucks! I don't really frame feeders, hive-top feeders I don't like, I don't like buckets.... There must be a better way! One thing I may try is using fondant in the spring. Could I get a sufficient amount of feed if I cut the fondant into strips and put it in the frame feeder? I'd then avoid drowning bees. Mind you I'd avoid drowning bees by using ladders in the feeders. If that was the way I went I would just need to rig up a pump to my syrup tank and pump it into the frame feeders with ladders.... Yeah that's the way to go!
1 Comment

    Bill Stagg

    Exciting life of a beekeeper!

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