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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 27 Jan 2013 05:52:01 -0700
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 > When preparing doubles for almonds in late winter, the temptation is to
 > reverse the brood chambers of colonies that have moved into the upper
 > chamber, since the cluster would often quickly expand upward. But ever
 > since we discussed this subject previously, I've questioned whether that
 > was a good idea after all.

The key to understanding why I put the box on the bottom is our 
weather.  Southern Alberta temperatures can range from +30 to -10 in 
May, often within a day or two, and mid-May is when (+/-)  we put the 
seconds on packages.  In addition, we may have 100 KPH winds at that 
time and often there is little shelter on the prairie.
See 
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/images/2009/Trochu%20Temperature%20Chart.jpg

Southern Alberta is a harsh climate for bees.  Some years are benign, 
but other years, If we have two similar yards of overwintering bees and 
we unwrap one at the beginning of April, and leave the other wrapped 
until May, we may find that the unwrapped yard is 80% dead or dwindling 
and the wrapped yard is 80% alive, with some thinking of swarming by 
mid-May.

We have no way to know for sure what is coming even a few days in the 
future.

In other areas or times of year in Alberta  where the climate may not be 
as variable or where the yards are more sheltered, less conservative 
approaches like adding boxes on top, reversing, or raising brood or 
opening up the brood chamber by inserting empty comb or foundation can 
be good practice.  In fact, I do these things myself in specific 
circumstances, although I may have often put the new box on the bottom a 
week or two previously to get accepted and conditioned by the bees if 
they have a warm spell.

Again, there is also a difference between types of bees.  Some may need 
some encouragement to expand the brood nest, but others, like Italians, 
may already be pushing that envelope and be harmed by further expansion 
or removal of the heat conservation of an insulated lid adjacent to the 
cluster.

These things are a matter of judgment and weather expectations, and 
involve a calculated risk of being wrong early in the season in our 
area.  Later on, in June, with stronger colonies and younger bees, we 
can be much less conservative.  My aim is to risk no harm to my 
developing colonies and I am conservative compared to some neighbours.

As some say, all beekeeping is local and what I do may not be optimal 
for others in other areas with different conditions, goals and practices.

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