Backyard Beekeeping Q&A 288 if you start feeding, keep feeding...

Last Q&A of 2024 and the bees are flying!

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Today's Topics:

1) Two of my colonies are all the way up to the feeder. Will they go back down? Can I add insulation to my Apimaye hive top or is it too late?

2) I would like to know your thoughts on robbing screen drift.

3) What's your preferred type of camera to monitor your hives? How much spirulina do you use?

4) Can I remove my mouse guards now that we are part way through winter?

5) What will the bees do with the space below the frames in your Long Langstroth design?

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Chapters:
00:00 introduction
04:50 Two of my colonies are up to the feeder. Will they go back down? Can I add insulation to my Apimaye hive top or is it too late?
14:40 I would like to know your thoughts on robbing screen drift.
19:39 What's your preferred type of camera to monitor your hives? How much spirulina do you use?
27:42 Can I remove my mouse guards now that we are part way through winter?
35:21 What will the bees do with the space below the frames in your Long Langstroth design?

[Adam.Holmes.]

1) Two of my colonies are up to the feeder. Will they go back down? Can I add insulation to my Apimaye hive top or is it too late? 4:50
2) I would like to know your thoughts on robbing screen drift. 14:40
3) What's your preferred type of camera to monitor your hives? How much spirulina do you use? 19:39
4) Can I remove my mouse guards now that we are part way through winter? 27:42
5) What will the bees do with the space below the frames in your Long Langstroth design? 35:21

[NATURALBEEKEEPERSCOLLECTIVE]

Just wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous 2025 and thanks for all the awesome videos over the years. My grandad has watched well over 170 of them and my niece and nephews do catchups every Saturday when they visit him. I agree with once you feed then keep feeding. We have door mice here and they are very rare but quite a few on our bee yard. I have only ever seen them eating dead bees at night. I have also seen blackbirds Song thrushes and Robins eating dead bees as well.

[MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Mr. Fred thank you for all the life in the introduction. We are definitely missing all that entrance life.

[cynthiakranich]

Appreciated Nick's question about the additional shim and resulting open space under the frames in your long Langstroth hive design.... had just looked at your plans, and wondered what the bees might do in that space. Perfect timing. Thanks for the information.

[kennith.]

Great news re: Keeper's hive, I am looking forward to your opinion on them. Thank you for sharing.

[ruesnow]

Study done at U of Wi- Madison that honeybees are microbial meat eaters. Sterilizing pollen kills the microbes. Interesting study.Answered my question on why bees would like algae.Thanks for the info on the frame sizes

[UTsnowsailor]

Based on your recommendation I purchased and just finished reading INCREASE ESSENTIALS by L.J. Connors. Thank you for a great recommendation. I highly recommend this book as well. 🙏

[tommychew]

I look forward to seeing video from the upcoming Expo from yourself, Randy and Jeff.

[guiart]

Deer mice are like little ninjas! Thanks for the great content this past year!

[lindasuerussell]

Happy New Year 2025, God bless you and yours.

[thehiveandthehoneybee]

another good one Uncle you made my sunday cant afford hive life I will watch the vid you make!!!!

[ME_MeAndMyBees]

Hi Fred. . .
Yay. . .Its Saturday and I am catching up on the last Q&A for 2024, here in Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Managed to do my x3rd O/A Vape Treatment. . . And see some of the Girls 🐝 today at their Hive Entrances. All Good.
Has been Mild over Christmas 12C (55F) unheard of. That's really Mild for us. 🙄
Today was a Tad Cooler at 10C (53f) so knew the Bees would be in their Hives but not in a Tight Cluster. Perfect for doing Oxalic Acid Vaping. 👍

It's due to get a lot Colder over the next 48hrs or so. We are apparently going to get quite a bit of Snow on what we call "Hogmanay" or New Year !
So before the White Stuff starts to come, may I Wish a 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 "Happy Hogmanay" and raise a Wee Dram (Glass of Single Malt !) to a New Year, and may your Bee Season 🐝 in 2025 to be a Great one ! 🥳
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Happy Beekeeping 2024🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
I have been catching up on some nice YouTube Videos on Beekeeping matters. And Old Timers with 'Native Bees.' Especially the Black Bee, (AMM.) Even saw a fairly near Beekeeper (Neighbour kind of !) on a Lecture (Talk at the 2022 UK National Honey (Bee) Show.) 'Willie Robson' of Chainbridge Honey Farm. Has Beehives all over our local Coutryside. From just over in Northumberland, England. And here to, in South Scotland in, around, the Scottish Borders. Our Heather Honey is loved by the Tourists. And us local Beekeepers are lucky to have wonderful AMM Genetics close by. . . I get to have gentle Hives, raise lovely Queens. That both Over Winter well. 😎

[russellaymond]

Thank you Fred, Hope you and family have a great and happy new year

[laureldoherty]

Screen bottom boards also help with hive beetle control.

[Bee_Cathy]

Thank you for covering the robbing screen research by Randy Oliver.After I read that issue of American Bee Journal while our weak hive was under attack I removed the robbing screen and went to hive gates. This year we are running all hives with hive gates entrances. Looking forward to NAHBE and meeting those that have helped us through this first bee season in Kalamazoo Mi.

[sgradaigh]

Thanks Fred, hope you had a Merry Christmas! Happy New Year 🎉

[glennsnaturalhoney]

Wise old beekeeper once told me that "wet bees are not dead bees but dead bees are wet bees". People blame their bees death due to wate r dripping in then but as you said the bees died and since they arent alive to control the moisture they get wet and moldy. Glenn

[schammond]

NW Georgia, getting ready for 50s high 20s low next week. Just great. Welcome to the South. I guess Mother Nature's having hot flashes. 🤣
Happy New Year Fred to you and the family. Thank you for your videos. Greatly appreciated.

God's Blessings,
Susan

[tommychew]

Been out of the picture for a while, I like that you mentioned feeding wild birds also. I've always felt the same way about feeding wild birds, they rely on you once you start so it should be kept up for sure if you start, it's only natural if you think about it.

[brianbennett]

Happy New Year All another great video Fred thanks 👍 for teaching us 😊