Yes, I left the flow super on a couple extra days while it was cooler earlier this week, and to give them time to clean up the channels where the leftover honey from harvesting had pooled - letting them clean it up through the channel back flow opening. I took the super off yesterday and left the super away from the hives for the final clean up from everyone in the neighborhood. I’ll leave it out a few days, then put the frames in the freezer before storing.
How do you all do the final clean up of the “stickies” after harvest?
I wait no longer than a day to take the super off, lest the bees start refilling or propolizing. I put it on top of the inner cover, then another inner cover & the lid. This way it’s like a feeder, there’s no worry about inducing robbing or having any competition from other bees & insects out in the yard. It’s usually cleaned up within 2 days.
That’s super helpful Eva, thank you. I’ve tried putting them back on and no matter how careful I am about drips, it seems to induce a robbing frenzy. Maybe sandwiching between inner covers helps keep the smells to a minimum, or keep activity mellower.
I’m wondering what you all are doing with entrance reducers this time of year since it’s been so warm. I typically keep a robbing screen on my hive starting in August until it gets cooler and I reduce the entrance. I seem to get robbing every year pretty intensely, I wonder if there is a wild colony that knows where my hives are and checks in during the late season dearth.
Anyway, on Sunday I took the robbing screen off and put the entrance reducer on to the smallest opening because wasps have discovered the robbing screen secret entrance, and it’s getting down into the low 40’s, upper 30’s at night. Then yesterday afternoon I looked and there was a lot of robbing activity, bees fighting, etc. on the landing board. The bees were unusually aggressive, I got stung twice standing near the hive looking to make sure it was robbing. It definitely was. So early this morning I removed the entrance reducer and put the robbing screen back on to see if things can mellow back out.
I’ve had the Flow entrance reducer on my other hive since early August and there’s a bit of fighting over there, but not as much as the hive I put the robbing screen back on.
Any experiences with keeping robbing to a minimum to keep the bees healthy and less stressed?
My hive was just killed last week due to robbing. I would definitely keep a robbing screen and move the entrance reducer to on side of the other. Do not put it in the middle of entrance. What kind of bees do you currently have?
Bill
I’m so sorry to hear that @Lamb1 ! I lost a hive last winter because they were so weak due to robbing too. I have Italian bees. Robbing screen is on, and brush piled in front of the other hive with the entrance reducer on.
When robbing starts in spite of reduced entrances, in addition to a screen I drape a damp beach towel over the front face of the hive. Basically stick it under a brick on top and hang it down longways and kind of turned back around the front corners, so the one small entrance has another detour to it. Your bees will have some trouble finding their way in too but not as much as the robbers - the dampness helps buffer the scent and give the guards an extra minute to fend em off.
Thanks @Eva - I’ll give that a go right now. I’ve done the damp sheet trick in the past and was hoping entrance reducers, a robbing screen, and brush piled in front would help - the wet towel to buffer the scent makes a lot of sense.
Will keep you posted - both colonies were strong heading into this so fingers crossed. It’s been an unusually warm autumn and I think the dearth and warmth means robbing opportunities. I’m looking into late season bloomers for next season to improve forage. We’re always learning, eh?
I’ve been delighted with the Osmanthus Sasaba I planted about four years ago. It’s grown from 2’ x 2’ to a huge shrub over 8’x8’ now, is evergreen and blooming right now. The blooms last pretty long before shriveling, look like many tiny cream-colored trumpets along each branch & have a rich, sweet-spicy scent that I can smell from yards away My bees love it!
We’re in zone 5b so it looks like it might be a little cold for Osmanthus? Could be worth a try in a microclimate in the yard though!
We did just get some Heptacodium to try - bees were all over it at the nursery.
This morning things seem mellower at the hives after a day and night with damp towels. I’ll keep an eye and the towels on today and see how things look tomorrow.
Hello,
Why not put an entrance reducer so the opening is in the middle of the hive’s entrance?
What are you using to “manufacture an entrance reducer”?
I have many yellowjackets looking for opportunities to enter the hive. They also, on occasion, are dragging off an unfortunate bee for their brood’s consumption.
Thanks…Eric, Longmont
Just did a thorough fall inspection and removed my mite strips for winter - I tried Hopguard for the first time so I’m hoping the girls look good in the spring.
I spotted one of 2 queens but there was capped brood and some larvae in both hives. Not very much - does anyone know if there’s less brood in the fall heading into winter months?
Plenty of honey but I did set off some robbing behavior so I put wet towels back on to nip that - hopefully things will mellow in the next day or two.
Bill, good advice from Alok and just a thought - you might want to repost this in the Flow Hive category (and definitely give it a thorough read) so you get more info on all the harvesting ins and outs.
Greetings. Newbie here. I live a little above 8,000’ in Crestone, Colorado. I want to order a Flow Hive and need advice in what to order to ensure bees have what they need in order to survive the winters here. Also, ideas for protective shelter to build will be appreciated. Thank you
Generally in cold climates you are going to be looking at an additional brood box for extra honey stores for the bees, but it might also involve insulating the hive and feeding them additional stores.
My bees love it!