Where is Spring?

This may help you make plans for the season.  Tom Priddy, University of Kentucky meteorologist just issued a new statement on upcoming weather trends.  The new spring season officially started at 7:02 on the 20th, but more than anything, it felt like the middle of January. This past month has been extremely cool with a state average temperature of 4 degrees below normal through March 20th. Just this past 3 days (3/18 – 3/20), highs have been averaging a very cool, 9 degrees below normal statewide, with lows following suit at 4 degrees below normal. Average highs across the state for this time of the year are suppose to be in the upper 50s to low 60s with lows only dropping into the upper 30s. The rest of the month doesn't look any better. This upcoming week will feature highs staying mostly in the 40s across the state. The short term outlooks don't provide any hints at spring either. The 6 to 10 day outlook going out to March 30th, as shown to the right, has well below normal temperatures expected for the Commonwealth. So what is causing this cool pattern? Although we can look at local weather conditions for an answer, looking at a larger spatial scale is also required. Read More

Pretty weekend for a Bee dive

I have heard from many of you today after your weekend (or at least 1 day) of hive diving.  I think what we are discovering is that the winter may have been harder than we felt it was.  I have gotten lots of reports of more loses than expected.  I for one had an unsuspected loss with probably forty pounds of honey in place on the hive.  They just didn't have the resources to reach the food source.  It can be frustrating. 

On the other hand I have had at least six calls this winter and spring from people with bee trees on their property.  This indicates an increasing feral bee population that indicates strength within the bee community. All of that is a good thing for the future.  For the new folks, this hobby or business should be given the time any other livestock operation is given.  When you pay attention to the details the details pay.  

Check out the facebook page for more discussion on feeding and management. 

Package Bees

I know many of you are getting new packages of bees shortly so the following might come in handy as a refresher for installing. 

Package bees are produced in the southern states and California for shipping to northern beekeepers who wish to strengthen weak colonies or establish new colonies in the spring. Packages are available in 2-, 3- , or 5-pound sizes (Figure 12). The most popular packages are the 2- and 3-pound sizes. Each pound represents about 3,500 bees. A newly mated queen is included in those packages to be used for developing new colonies. Packages intended for strengthening weak colonies may be ordered with or without a queen.

You should order packages in January or February to ensure timely delivery in early spring (April). If you are installing packages on drawn combs containing honey and pollen, you can do so in early April; if you are installing them on comb foundation, then you should order them to arrive in late April or early May. Beekeepers in northern areas may wish to delay shipments for a couple of weeks. Package bees could die if installed on foundation in temperatures below 57°F (14°C) because too few bees will be able to break cluster and move to syrup feeders. Bees clustered on combs of honey, on the other hand, do not have to break cluster in order to eat. Read More