tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post6878114803304227457..comments2023-06-22T13:47:52.157-05:00Comments on Our Bee Blog: HIVE MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS by beekeeper Fredlikes beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328346238222816136noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-84918978479698911762015-04-18T12:56:35.401-05:002015-04-18T12:56:35.401-05:00I assume you have stopped feeding them now. Other...I assume you have stopped feeding them now. Otherwise you will have a super full of sugar syrup. Beekeeper Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16786897683610538084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-3360813190015764312015-04-18T12:35:29.278-05:002015-04-18T12:35:29.278-05:00Interesting topics Fred. Things I've wondered...Interesting topics Fred. Things I've wondered about too.<br /><br />I reversed my deeps about 6 weeks ago because I read that spring reversing is the thing to do, and I've done it every spring so far. But Bee Culture had an article by Phil Craft and he said he had pretty much abandoned the practice with positive results. So I'm thinking of abandoning the practice too. Why break up a possible brood nest? And I think I might have lost a colony in part due to reversing. Maybe. The hive had major losses over winter but had a small population when I reversed the deeps. Last week I checked on them and they had died of starvation, with a full deep below them. The one that had been on top. They died inches from honey that was in the box they were in, so maybe I would have lost them anyway. Got a lot of honey, but I think I'll just clean out the bottom boards in the future. <br /><br />I won't be doing 3 deeps for sure. If I was using medium bodies, yes, but two deeps seems plenty good. My two strong survivors had no trouble and had food left. I put out a community syrup feeder as soon as the temps hit the mid-40's and those two colonies took in a gallon and a half a day. Over 150 lbs. of sugar so far. Still are. I put a medium super on each hive last Saturday with 3 drawn frames and 4 foundation frames (8-frame equipment with 7 frames in the supers)because they're so strong and I've been concerned about them swarming. Today I'm adding a second super with 7 foundation frames because the frames I gave them last week are all drawn out. So I don't think three deeps are necessary, but mite control certainly is. The colony I mentioned earlier, and my 4th colony, had a mountain of dead bees develop outside of the hive over winter. Both went into winter the strongest of the group, and I didn't treat them for mites because their mite drops were light. I will be treating all Carniolan colonies in the future.Gerardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06496547773806762753noreply@blogger.com