Reader Comments

  1. Mike Riley

    Hey Everybody! I am a new beekeeper that had my two hives over winter well. I did my first full inspection on 3/9/20. The upper deep is drawn out and has lots of brood, and honey stores. The second deeps are about a quarter drawn and I threw two frames of honey down there and took some empty frames up top. With our warm winter, any idea on the nectar flow? I’m wondering if it is too early to throw some sugar water to help them draw the rest of the frames out on the second deep. Also, do you put honey supers on when they might still be working on the second brood box? Also any ideas of when the nectar flow will start and do you only harvest a super when they have filled 2 leavening one full honey super on the hive?

  2. Jones Tyler

    Hey Mike! Welcome to beekeeping! I personally believe that it is going to be hard to keep bees from swarming this Spring, based on what I am seeing. First, I would not put ANY sugar water on them at this time – it will not help anything and only add some risk. They have plenty of food and feeding will only increase the possibility of swarming. As to honey supers, it’s a great question. I would go ahead and get one on, no later than Mar 21. Keep an eye on them, like you have been doing, moving frames around here and there. The nectar flow has already started, but the main flow will come on around Tax day, in my opinion. Good luck!

  3. DC Rogers

    Hello, I’m looking to start a hive but I need bees. I had a Swarm trap out with no success in the spring months. My garden had very little success due to low pollination so I feel a behive will help next year. I’ve been doing a lot of research over the last 12 months. I really am looking forward to starting a hive. I would prefer a local supplier for my bees so that I know that they will work in my area of Virginia. Any suggestions on getting some bees and a queen would be much appreciated.

  4. Alex Broome

    Hi Jones,

    We live out in Powhatan, VA, and will be needing two top bar nuc hives to restart our beekeeping this spring 2021. Do you know anyone in the Richmond area who might be willing to develop the two nuc colonies for us if we provide them with the top bar nuc boxes? These would be virgin boxes so no worries about pests. I would really like to avoid packages coming up from Georgia if at all possible.

    Thank you in advance for any leads,

    Alex

  5. Jones Tyler

    Hey Alex – Sorry to have missed this message. Been really busy the last 7 months. I do not know anyone who does that, except maybe David Stover, who used to do a lot of top bar hives in the Richmond area. I will send you an email, in case you are still looking for something.

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