Enjoyed the video and appreciate the good information! A couple of questions... why don't the bees on the brood frames that you are putting into the weaker hives fight with the bees that are already a part of the weaker colony? Why do guard bees fight off intruders that try to come through the front door but there is no skirmish with the bees that are on the brood frames that are being added? I have one very strong hive and one weaker hive that made it through the winter here in Northern Michigan and I'm looking to equalize the hives as shown in your video, but I don't want to screw things up! Thanks!
This is something I should have explained more. If adding a frame of sealed brood, you can remove the bees and add the frame by itself as it is generating it's own heat by that "age". Flying/field bees and entry guard bees can be a problem but nurse/house bees do not care about being moved form hive to hive. A small amount of fussing can be expected but I have never had a problem with this. On a weak hive, do not add too much to overwhelm them. As you can see, I find the Queen and make sure she is not along the outside edge of the nest area where I am adding the new frame thus protecting her some. Since she is a laying Queen and has the pheromones of an actively laying Queen, bees accept her readily (unlike a caged Queen). If you are feeding a hive or if there is a nectar flow on, this also distracts the bees and reduces fussing. I also run a small amount of smoke across the frame to mask odors and confuse the bees when adding a frame. I hope this helps.
@@tonywestsbees6042 Thank you for your reply! This clears up things for me. It is these kinds of things that newer beekeepers such as myself struggle to sort out when watching videos or reading articles. I think I can get my hives equalized now with confidence! Thanks again!
It's time for us the equalize the hives here in Southern Ohio. Maple bloom is over. Purple Deadnettle is coming into bloom. It will not be long and Redbud and Dandelions will be blooming which is the beginning of swarm season. Equalize now and again in two weeks then it's time to Demaree the hives. It's coming fast now.
The first hive, the small one, I had a feeder on it for three weeks but for some crazy reason they all but ignored it. They did use pollen sub readily. The third hive, you can see a feeder in the background. I do not use them in the entrance but on top of the frames with an empty box around/over it. That hive is using it well. We have been going thru quite a bit of cool wet weather this spring with few flight days. I did have an open feeder out until this week that was sucked down on flight days. As long as I'm seeing stored nectar or syrup around the brood, I'm not worried. Never want a dry nest, that will stall them quite a bit. Went thru some hives tonight, they are growing at an impressive rate now, the winter nest has turned over real well. Several hives will need frames of brood removed this weekend to slow them a little.
Thank you wery much for your videos! About equalising - you do first in May? Looking for aprox 4-5 frames of brood in hives? What you do if some brood frames is extra...the hives are full? You make a New family from that frames in new hox/hive? Thank you wery much!
Here in Southern Ohio, I start equalizing the hives late March and continue thru April and into May. I equalized this past weekend again and will at least one more time. Pull the strong ones back a little, add empty frames, etc. Give the excess brood strength to smaller hives for a boost. I have enough hives I can adjust frames quite a bit. By pulled strength back and adding empty frames, you give the bees "work", that is, cleaning the extra frames, repair, area for the Queen to lay and keeping the population growing without exploding. This is done in conjunction with adding extra boxes for "floor space" as one frame of brood that emerges will cover three frames. Keep the bees from feeling crowded reduces swarm impulses (among other things). It's all about balance that comes with trial and error. Find out what works for you in your situation and capitalize on that. Stay ahead of the hives and try not to chase them. If you get behind, they start building Queen cells. At that point, pull the old Queen and make a small split. Remove all but one cell, let them re-queen themselves without swarming.
@@tonywestsbees6042 thank you so wery wery much for this great details!! When is the flow season you Have in hive aprox 6..7? Frames of brood? When you are equalizing you simply put frames+bees in other hive....they as said do not fight? Enjoy!!
Adding a frame of brood and bees, I try to use a frame of sealed brood as they will hatch/emerge the soonest. I usually leave the bees on the frame, lightly smoke that frame then add it to the outside edge of the brood nest, not in the center. Just butt that frame to the outside with knowing that the Queen is several frames away from this then lightly smoke them all just to cover scent and confuse them a little. I want my hives going into the flow with 7-8 frames of brood. That means you have a strong hive with boxes stacked up, big population but enough box space they do not feel crowded. When the flow starts, they change from the swarm build up attitude to the hording instinct. Our flow is still a week or two off before things kick and I am running 6 plus frames of brood as of last Sunday. They probably are on frame 7 as of today.
Bess look underfed. In my opinion colonies are underdeveloped for this kind of operation. It seems too early in the season and I recommend tk use hive tool for scraping queencells.
Thanks for looking but these were mostly right on schedule and made a very good honey crop. Our genetics brood down to small clusters in winter and build up to the right size for our spring honey flow.
Like the video. I'm in central NJ and it's been cold here as well.I've only looked at the top frames by taking off the sugar board.I'm kind of afraid to pull out frames due to the temps. What are your thoughts about this? I would like to look deeper, but I'm afraid of chilling the brood.Thanks
Wait until you get a day in the mid 50's, you can do a real quick check. Early on you just need to know if you have a laying Queen and food reserves. As things progress you can then start looking at how strong or weak the hives are. As spring comes in and hives expand, then you get to equalizing them out like this video talks about. Check out our other videos I made this spring for more information leading up to the equalizing. Thanks for watching.
Enjoyed the video and appreciate the good information! A couple of questions... why don't the bees on the brood frames that you are putting into the weaker hives fight with the bees that are already a part of the weaker colony? Why do guard bees fight off intruders that try to come through the front door but there is no skirmish with the bees that are on the brood frames that are being added? I have one very strong hive and one weaker hive that made it through the winter here in Northern Michigan and I'm looking to equalize the hives as shown in your video, but I don't want to screw things up! Thanks!
This is something I should have explained more. If adding a frame of sealed brood, you can remove the bees and add the frame by itself as it is generating it's own heat by that "age". Flying/field bees and entry guard bees can be a problem but nurse/house bees do not care about being moved form hive to hive. A small amount of fussing can be expected but I have never had a problem with this. On a weak hive, do not add too much to overwhelm them. As you can see, I find the Queen and make sure she is not along the outside edge of the nest area where I am adding the new frame thus protecting her some. Since she is a laying Queen and has the pheromones of an actively laying Queen, bees accept her readily (unlike a caged Queen). If you are feeding a hive or if there is a nectar flow on, this also distracts the bees and reduces fussing. I also run a small amount of smoke across the frame to mask odors and confuse the bees when adding a frame. I hope this helps.
@@tonywestsbees6042 Thank you for your reply! This clears up things for me. It is these kinds of things that newer beekeepers such as myself struggle to sort out when watching videos or reading articles. I think I can get my hives equalized now with confidence! Thanks again!
You're a good teacher.
Trying to explain a method can be a challenge but showing it makes sense
New subscriber. Loved your demare presentation.
Thanks, appreciate that.
A EXTENDED version would be nice. Don't underestimate our need in the NORTH to see BEEZ while ours huddle during our cold days and nights.
It's time for us the equalize the hives here in Southern Ohio. Maple bloom is over. Purple Deadnettle is coming into bloom. It will not be long and Redbud and Dandelions will be blooming which is the beginning of swarm season. Equalize now and again in two weeks then it's time to Demaree the hives. It's coming fast now.
Really good video thanks for all your informative information.
Thanks. Hope it is helpful.
Surprised you don’t have 1:1 on yet…. That hive will snap around well I imagine with the application of a few quarts.
The first hive, the small one, I had a feeder on it for three weeks but for some crazy reason they all but ignored it. They did use pollen sub readily. The third hive, you can see a feeder in the background. I do not use them in the entrance but on top of the frames with an empty box around/over it. That hive is using it well. We have been going thru quite a bit of cool wet weather this spring with few flight days. I did have an open feeder out until this week that was sucked down on flight days. As long as I'm seeing stored nectar or syrup around the brood, I'm not worried. Never want a dry nest, that will stall them quite a bit. Went thru some hives tonight, they are growing at an impressive rate now, the winter nest has turned over real well. Several hives will need frames of brood removed this weekend to slow them a little.
@@tonywestsbees6042 I’m in Perrysburg so I’m like 2 weeks behind you. Nothing needing frames removed. One does need some help quick or shook
Thank you wery much for your videos! About equalising - you do first in May? Looking for aprox 4-5 frames of brood in hives? What you do if some brood frames is extra...the hives are full? You make a New family from that frames in new hox/hive? Thank you wery much!
Here in Southern Ohio, I start equalizing the hives late March and continue thru April and into May. I equalized this past weekend again and will at least one more time. Pull the strong ones back a little, add empty frames, etc. Give the excess brood strength to smaller hives for a boost. I have enough hives I can adjust frames quite a bit. By pulled strength back and adding empty frames, you give the bees "work", that is, cleaning the extra frames, repair, area for the Queen to lay and keeping the population growing without exploding. This is done in conjunction with adding extra boxes for "floor space" as one frame of brood that emerges will cover three frames. Keep the bees from feeling crowded reduces swarm impulses (among other things). It's all about balance that comes with trial and error. Find out what works for you in your situation and capitalize on that.
Stay ahead of the hives and try not to chase them.
If you get behind, they start building Queen cells. At that point, pull the old Queen and make a small split. Remove all but one cell, let them re-queen themselves without swarming.
@@tonywestsbees6042 thank you so wery wery much for this great details!! When is the flow season you Have in hive aprox 6..7? Frames of brood?
When you are equalizing you simply put frames+bees in other hive....they as said do not fight? Enjoy!!
Adding a frame of brood and bees, I try to use a frame of sealed brood as they will hatch/emerge the soonest. I usually leave the bees on the frame, lightly smoke that frame then add it to the outside edge of the brood nest, not in the center. Just butt that frame to the outside with knowing that the Queen is several frames away from this then lightly smoke them all just to cover scent and confuse them a little.
I want my hives going into the flow with 7-8 frames of brood. That means you have a strong hive with boxes stacked up, big population but enough box space they do not feel crowded. When the flow starts, they change from the swarm build up attitude to the hording instinct. Our flow is still a week or two off before things kick and I am running 6 plus frames of brood as of last Sunday. They probably are on frame 7 as of today.
Bess look underfed. In my opinion colonies are underdeveloped for this kind of operation. It seems too early in the season and I recommend tk use hive tool for scraping queencells.
Thanks for looking but these were mostly right on schedule and made a very good honey crop. Our genetics brood down to small clusters in winter and build up to the right size for our spring honey flow.
Like the video. I'm in central NJ and it's been cold here as well.I've only looked at the top frames by taking off the sugar board.I'm kind of afraid to pull out frames due to the temps. What are your thoughts about this? I would like to look deeper, but I'm afraid of chilling the brood.Thanks
Wait until you get a day in the mid 50's, you can do a real quick check. Early on you just need to know if you have a laying Queen and food reserves. As things progress you can then start looking at how strong or weak the hives are. As spring comes in and hives expand, then you get to equalizing them out like this video talks about. Check out our other videos I made this spring for more information leading up to the equalizing. Thanks for watching.