Hi everyone
Apart of my earthquake posts I have been away of the conversation for the
know reasons. I had, as always, keep on reading all the posts in BEE-L with
great interest. I have learn over the years that what happens in the north
will somehow happen down here six month later. Therefore reading BEE-L
prepares me (us) for the better.
This season had been one of the most strange ones I have seen so far. We
started with a mild winter with the bees eating most of their reserves and
producing naturally lots of new bees. Then a very rainy spring that demanded
us to heavily feed for the colonies not to starve, eventough we lost some
colonies then, most of our reduction in numbers was done on purpose. Less
mouths to feed.
The rain continue for most part of the summer, if we can call summer what we
had. Temperature never arrived. After a couple of days with sun and temps
around the 20`s (ºC) we had an other couple of days with rain when the
colonies eat what they have gathered. As you might expect not much honey.
swarms everywhere was what our colleagues reported, we had some, but using
BEE-L 6 month "alert" we decided very early to split and split and split.
From close to 2000 hives, we sold 200 colonies by october, then 50 in
november, then some 50 queen, and from there on, we reduced our number to
around 1200 colonies by the end of november.
In december, january and mid february we had como back and increased a lot.
Now we have 3200 colonies. 1000 big ones, 1200 finishing their brood box,
and close to a 1000 nucs of different size.
We harvest very late (second week of february) around 13 kg per hive in
average of those 1000 big ones. 800 of them were drive to the mountais by
mid december.
We were trusting that Ulmo will give us that need honey. Today after almost
a month of our previous harvest, when Ulmo is close to full bloom, the odds
are against that will. The above based on the phone conversation with other
colleagues that had visited their colonies. We haven't gone to the mountains
yet (apart from the quick check after the earthquake 02/27/2010).
I will go next tuesday ready to treat varroa (that probably is eating the
colonies), to take one super out (we left the colonies with two full drawn
supers), and to decide when to drive them down the hill. The weather
forecast is not so good. Only four more days with good temp and no rain.
The colonies and nucs in the valley are in great shape. We had treat varroa,
feed them patties and supply some syrup. They had build quite good, they are
the reserv for the very cold and snowy winter (based on what happen up
noth). There is still some flow on, slow but enough for them to gather a bit
more for winter. We were going to supply them some sugar this week but the
sugar plant where we had 10 tons pay since september is close because of the
earthquake.
Well this long post is to thank all of you to share through bee-l what is
going on up north in bee terms, but also to thank all the support received
from any of you to my requirements.
Thanks Bee-l for your 6 month alert!!!
--
Juanse Barros J.
APIZUR S.A.
Carrera 695
Gorbea - CHILE
+56-45-271693
08-3613310
http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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