[brian barnard]

Hello everyone, I have been interested in beekeeping for a couple years now, I live in western, ny and started growing apple trees and have been making maple syrup for a few years now. My neighbor had been keeping bees for the past 3 years but had them die 2/3, so I did not think I could gamble a few hundred dollars to get started and have them all die.

So about a week ago I caught a swarm that tried moving into my house. After much work cutting into my wall, which i was already putting on siding, I was able to get a cluster the size of a mellon into a box. My neighbor lent me all his stuff since his hive died over winter. Not knowing anything i put the bees in a medium 10 frame box, (i had a deep but didnt think i should put them in there) I tried finding the queen but didnt know what to look for. Then I left them alone for about a week. Yesterday I tried to find the queen, and see if there were any eggs, i found neither because the 3 frames were covered in bees and i had a hard time seeing what I was looking for. Today I used a video camera and was able to see the queen but because of the way i held the camera i didnt get video. I am excited and look forward to beekeeping.

 

[roadkillbobb]

welcome aboard..hmm im more interested how you get maple syrup from apple trees...LOL....just sounded funny the way you wrote it...im down on long island and a newer bee keeper myself..you should start feeding them sugar water to get some stores( honey) built up for the winter or if they dont have enough, buy some bee patties to feed during the winter..I also have a house and property by oneonta, eventually I want to move some hives upstate when I get a few splits done..

 

[brian barnard]

My best friend growing up lived near oneonta, a very beautiful place. I started giving them sugar syrup but they did not take much, we have an abundance of goldenrod now.

 

[brian barnard]

My best friend growing up lived near oneonta, a very beautiful place. I started giving them sugar syrup but they did not take much, we have an abundance of goldenrod now.

 

[roadkillbobb]

My pasture is filled with the golden rod too, but feeding sugar water in the hive also helps give them a reason to stay and is quick food to help the hive grow in size...

 

[Gypsi]

How exciting, to find the queen the first time is always a big thrill. You said they are only covering 3 frames? You might want to purchase a nucleus hive to start them in this winter. I was chatting with roadkillbobb about that on another thread, we talked about insulation and stuff, you might want to take a look. And Welcome

 

[ccjersey]

You can also use plywood to divide the 10 frame deep in half so it has two 5 frame compartments or use a plywood "dummy board" to temporarily cut down their space to a few frames wide. The medium frames they have stored nectar and pollen in and those with brood can be moved into the deep. They may (will) build comb on the bottom to extend them down to the depth of the standard deep frames. These can be cleaned up later (next season) and moved to the medium super where they belong.

That being said...it is unlikely you or anyone else will be able to get that swarm through the winter. The best plan is to combine them with other bees to make a strong colony with plenty of stores to survive the winter. Your neighbors hive might be a good place to put them assuming he has been doing good management of varroa mites and there is one good queen between the two colonies. The swarm can be treated with oxalic acid now before they get any capped brood where the mites can hide from the treatment.

 

[ccjersey]

You can also use plywood to divide the 10 frame deep in half so it has two 5 frame compartments or use a plywood "dummy board" to temporarily cut down their space to a few frames wide. The medium frames they have stored nectar and pollen in and those with brood can be moved into the deep. They may (will) build comb on the bottom to extend them down to the depth of the standard deep frames. These can be cleaned up later (next season) and moved to the medium super where they belong.

That being said...it is unlikely you or anyone else will be able to get that swarm through the winter. The best plan is to combine them with other bees to make a strong colony with plenty of stores to survive the winter. Your neighbors hive might be a good place to put them assuming he has been doing good management of varroa mites and there is one good queen between the two colonies. The swarm can be treated with oxalic acid now before they get any capped brood where the mites can hide from the treatment.

 

[brian barnard]

Thanks for all the information, Last week I built a 5 frame nuc box, and today i finished building a second. If it doesn't work out for them there is always next year. Unfortunately my neighbor gave up on keeping bees as he is an animal farmer and that keeps him plenty busy.

I was surprised I found the queen so easily, though its not as if there were many bees to search through, I have not found her since though.

After checking my hive last they have built up 2 frames 2/3 with capped honey plus some more. I think if they did not have to build comb on foundation they would have had a better chance. I have a difficulty telling the difference between capped brood and capped honey...Our weather here has been an extension of summer and there are still many wild flowers blooming. Ive been feeding them sugar syrup and they are taking it it.

I did meet a fellow beekeeper not to far from me who is going to let me take a look at their hives. His 13 yr old son got him into beekeeping last year, pretty neat they are enjoying it and overwintered their 2 hives.

 

[Gypsi]

Sounds like you are doing well Brian. It's all a long learning curve, and then the bees take a turn and surprise you.