I think your lack of knowledge to start is part of what has made you such a great bee keeper. You didn’t go into it with all these things pounded into your head over years of bee keeping. You approached it with an open mind and ran with it. Honestly my favorite bee videos on UA-cam. Keep doing your thing.
If heat is not lost, bees are warm, They do not have to work as hard (vibrate wing muscles) to stay warm. Also with a single entrance, Co2 rises and they go into torpor so very little eating. For a beekeeper, you couldn't ask for better proof that an insulated, single entrance hive works. Thank you again, great video, very informative.
@@frogsurfer4403 bees exhale. With a small entrance, the carbon dioxide will build up and with the cooler temps will help induce a state of torpor. The bees metabolism slows down and they eat less and use less energy. I'm no expert but I think this is why fat body bees survive the winter. (I think it is kind of like a bear fattening up before hibernating for the winter) Search Bees and Torpor. I'm sure there are a few articles out there that can explain it better than me.
I have read a study that mites have a “higher mortality rate” in a non vented hive. ie: only a reduced bottom entrance. I’m two years into keeping and it just seems so obvious to me.. the bees are constantly closing gaps and sealing off airflow. Closer you get to nature the better things will get. Bees don’t need burlap to soak up moisture. It’s not complicated. Moisture isn’t that difficult to understand if you just use your nothing . Love seeing your success getting down with common sense ! Keep up the good work my friend.
Etienne and Jim once again vindicated on the science of insulation and energy consumption! Yes! This is amazing on every level! Honestly though, I think the overwinter success is more a testament of your mite treatment techniques than anything. The early spring start and overabundance of food stores is a testament to the hive design! The haters can SUCK IT! Congrats, friend!
What an awesome start to the year. As someone who started watching in like 2020 and could see whole years fly by in a handful of videos, the clear takeaway from THIS video is that even the WEAKEST colony in March 2022 is about what a strong colony was in March of previous years. I can't wait to see how the bee yard does this summer and how you modify the Bee Barn with the lessons you've learned the past 12 months…
Howdy Jim. . Last year I was also in the group that had lost everything. Was really a sad day. I've truly enjoyed seeing you come up with these designs and watching them overwinter has been GREAT ! ! Keep on keeping Jim. .
Jim, nice as always to see new content. It is also nice to see you are seeing the same thing I get out of my insulated hives. I had two colonies overwinter in a 7 frame setup, each one went into winter with three STRONG frames of bees and 4 frames of honey... and they came out of winter STRONGER than 3 frames and of the 4 honey frames 2 were not touched at all and the other 2 still had about 25% of its honey left. Insulation makes all the difference in resource use! In addition to your comment of your hives being 2 months ahead....here in KY I estimate that my insulated hives are consistently a full month ahead of wooden hives. Insulated hives are going to change beekeeping forever
Happy to see you 12 for 12. I'm patiently waiting for the plans of your barn. I've seen a few other people take your design and tweak it which is good for everyone because it gets figured out quicker.
YESSSSS!!!! GO BALBOA!!!! LONG LIVE BALBOA!!!! I was here and started following you when you brought those hives home from your neighbor. couldn't ask for a better hive report. super cool! hit the like button folks!
Love the mic drop at the end! And remember, if you have 3 beekeepers in a room, you are gonna get 4 different opinions! Keep on experimenting, you are helping the rest of us out!
Those hive look amazing and are going to kick off with a BANG! (watch out for swarming 😊) For a good spacer design I recommend you look up Richard Noel. He uses foundation-less frames filled with a foam board covered in a thick layer of paint to prevent the bees from chewing them away. Wax dipping the plywood spacer boards is also an alternative. I did heavy insulation too, and as of the beginning of March I'm at 5/5 Hives alive. Too cold for an inspection in Canada still but its looking promising :D
A well deserved dance I say! Insulated hives always seemed to be something that was just common sense since they'd hole up in tree trunks in the wild. Don't know why people would think warm bees would eat more honey, when they're cold they're basically shivering non-stop throughout the winter and that obviously would use up more energy than just sitting around if it's warm.
Jim, You do not have too much honey in the hive. Once they start brooding up they will go through the honey so fast. Had a hive come out of winter with over 60 lbs. of stores, had the same concern you do now. The hive was so light by the time the flow started that I felt bad because they almost starved and they might have been a little hungry just before the flow. What I saw on your frames was there was enough space for brood and room below to expand, it looks good. My one comment on the design is that you should have 2X the insulation on the top then on the sides, that would solve your moisture on the ceiling problem. I agree bees can deal with the moisture and dead bees get wet after they die; just like wax moth move into dead colonies. Just have to get the condensation to happen on the walls and not the top. A solution that I would like in 2.0 is to make the frame standard so you can make splits to sell bees. I was thinking just stucco on the outside walls, yes there will be a cold spot where the boxes meet, but I will be standard and that is where the excess moisture will condense. Get the mites under control early, before you get your supers on. Best of luck. T.
As someone who has always used insulated hives... I'm not the least bit surprised. 😜 Bees aren't supposed to use most of their winter stores until they start brooding in spring.
Another question for you: when your bees start booming like they did last year, how are you going to deal with swarming? Are you just going to let them swarm away? Or will you rehouse and sell them?
I have a question Jim. Some of your custom frames are medium over deep, and some are deep over medium. Is this by design, and if so why does it matter?
@@vinofarm Good strategy. I would have never thought of that. Great vision, Jim. You know what I like about your Bee Barns? EVERYTHING! With your know-how, I can see you fixing the mold problem this year, no problem.
My first thought would be to seal the plywood with wax, but the bees would start drawing comb on it pretty much immediately. My second thought may sound crazy, but how about something with a non-sticky surface, either as a complete spacer or laminated on to it? The bees will probably hate PTFE as too non-sticky though.
The ending. 😂 Well deserved. You trusted your beekeeping knowledge and the hives are thriving! I can’t wait for more videos. Also I enjoyed the barn videos if you have more of those coming.
I tried something new this year with one of my hives in terms of insulation and I totally agree with you. It makes a HUGE difference. Like you! I noticed a massive difference in terms of less honey being eaten through the winter and a huge colony coming out the other side. With that being said, when I tried to share this sort of info with people on a couple of Facebook groups and got absolutely slated for it. It’s kind of tiering because a large portion of beekeepers in the UK are very opinionated and closed off to any new ideas or feedback.
Ha ha… try making UA-cam videos about insulating hives for 6 years and wait for the comments to roll in. A lot of people are unreachable, but I don’t really care about them. I’m not trying to convince anyone to change their ways. I’m just trying to inspire and think outside the box. People obviously notice and if what I do helps them, it makes me happy. I watch others and get inspired. I’m just trying to share it forward.
Vino Farm I absolutely love your videos. You’re always trying new things and you keep an open mind and try to be as analytical as possible. You’re also very good at explaining your thought processes so there are quite a few things I’ve picked up from you and implemented on my own hives. For what it’s worth, I’m grateful for you and your content.
It's official, it is the Vino Farm videos that I anticipate the most. Great video, great news, great results. Well done. I'm really looking forward to news over the summer, and the improvement to the bee barn. With that level of winter survival, it looks like you will be having to deal with some swarms this year!
I've been watching since your loss last year and through your determination of building a hive like they would in the wild. I started laugh crying in happiness when you said 12/12 lived. The amount of honey left over is also Huge! It shows that they had surplus for the winter which aids in the winter and early spring survival! I am looking forward to this hive build being the new hives of the future
The cold (and wind!) here over the past winter was vicious. It's been a long time since I've seen such temperatures, even for here. It's still windy and chilly here today. My daughter was complaining about it at lunch time...
Been watching for awhile now. I'm super happy that your bees are doing so well. It is awesome to watch you learn and grow then spread that knowledge to others. Hope things keep trending up :)
Loved the ending Jim. 😆 I also lost my hives last year and made lots of changes and was thinking of doing the same as you just to one hive then you did it and with style. Way to go and keep the videos coming and keep the thick skin for g to be hater’s. 🐝 thanks Jim
If I may recommend... Apply a layer of 2 part resin to the sides and bottoms of the boards that got moldy (when you replace them, of course). it will make them impervious to the condensation. 2 part resin is often used for table tops and counters so it is food safe. It is hard as hell so the bees can't chew it or anything. So happy for your success...
Lol…love the victory dance at the end! Fitting!! The quilt boxes, burlap, wood chips, moisture boards, upper vents are such an antique and poor solution for wintering bees. Insulation is a great product!
I laughed so hard, Jim! That dance was to die for, especially on top of your fantastic bees! Success! I am super interested in your fix for the mold and also bottom moisture. I know there are beekeepers who watch you to learn and save their hives. The bee barns are now a thing thanks to you! Congratulations! Here's to another fine year!
It’s absolutely astonishing to see how far ahead your bees are, Jim! Normally the difference between your hives and the Southern beekeepers I watch is in terms of months, and right now, you only look weeks behind. I doubt bees are in my future, but I’m definitely going to make sure our CSA and community gardens are familiar with your ideas.
I’ve been watching you for a few years now, and from what it seems like, it’s as though the insulation allowed them to be more comfortable through the winter so they didn’t have to fight to stay warm and keep the hives warm. Like people if you’re cold you’re going to need to eat more to maintain heat, but if you’re at a livable comfortable temperature you’re not going to have to eat as much to stay warm.
After keeping a couple of hives for a few years, we had an unusually cold winter here and I lost both of them. I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel when I discovered your channel. WOW! After binge watching (and driving my wife crazy) I did my best to replicate what you have designed and built. I finished just in time before the two new packages arrived. I've never seen hives grow so much in so little time! A BIG THANK YOU going your way Jim!
Jim. Your response to haters, priceless. Your beebarn videos and published science backed literature gave me confidence to insulate my hives. Results? 12 out of 13 survived and like your observation, a whole bunch of excess honey. I had to spin it out and store it. Did you do a video on how you split the beebarn? How do you manage the 1+1/2 frame design?
Love this video! For your spacer boards, you might consider StarBoard (used on boats). It can be expensive and is a "man-made" product, but it might solve your issue. Won't swell, warp or rot. Can't wait to see the plans, I'm switching this year to the frame size you've made. My boxes are not insulated yet, but I will be working on a similar system this year. I am starting my 2nd year beekeeping and both of my hives thrived thru winter. I"m in Central Virginia. Thanks for your videos, looking forward to more!
Great news for all your hives 🥳 it makes so much sense how you have improved your hive that they would thrive. I'm so glad that you use scientific methods to back up your findings to show others that your improvements are working Less myths, more science! 👍👍
YAAY! Happy beekeeping dance!! What was so interesting to me was how little stores the bees consumed. I suspected they would definitely survive and do well in the insulated hives (I was rooting for you!) but the fact that they ate so much less, and are brooding so much earlier than normal for MA (We routinely have brood in February in KY where I am)....you are possibly in for a SLAMMING honey season and you might really have to do something to prevent lots and lots of swarms from such healthy populations. It could turn out for you long term that hives like these are a great economical solution for beekeepers - more hives survive, using less stores, and potentially (maybe) produce more honey and more splits for selling as nucs. Higher front end investment for longer and better usage, less beekeeper labor and higher rate of success. Please keep making videos -- super interested to see how they work year-over-year.
Jim, some of these comments create interesting ideas. I have been following you and Etienne Tardiff these past couple of years. Besides insulation I'm also interested in CO2 accumulation, open bottom boards that Etienne uses & your moisture situation. Maybe putting propolis on crown board would work. Also wonder if bees need moisture that accumulates. Please post your design. Winter will soon return here in Minnesota. I'm ready to begin incorporating
I live in Maine and love watching your channel. I have had high losses in past years. I insulated my hives this past winter and took some more of your suggestions. So far all my hives are alive!
Keep doing what you are doing, something is working. Love your design, modifications will be great. And I would just like to say, your ending to this video says it all, onwards and upwards.
With all of those resources still in the hives I will be interested to see how you handle swarm pressure if they don’t use that before brood production. I write this as a “good problem to have” sort of point. This may move your spring management calendar for brood rearing and swarming backwards. Good luck!
I’ll steal resources and replace with empty frames if they are still honey bound in a couple weeks. I can save the frames in a freezer and feed them back during our inevitable summer dearth.
I have been following your videos since last fall. Everything you have said and done so far has made sense to me. I am located a bit north of you in Central Maine. Thank you for sharing your experiments and knowledge. I don't know if you are aware, but you have gained some attention in the bee world at large. I have even seen you mentioned in a technical seminar. (I did not say what one because I am not sure if that is proper etiquette here.) I would love to test your hive in western Maine in the Mt Abraham area.
Congratulations that your hive build and your pre winter treatment was a success!!! I constantly enjoy you content and look forward to whatever you set your mind on.
Glad to see your Hives made it through this year. This was my third year and the first year my hives made it through an upstate NY Winter, 6 for 6. 2 things I did different. I did not insulate my hives other than Burlap above the inner cover. And I believe the biggest difference for me was throwing the strips away and going with a Oxalic Acid Vaporizer. Whatever it was, like you, my Bees are Booming! Good Luck!
Jim, In 2019 I started watching beekeeping videos and came across your page. I started at season 1 and have watched them all. You are one of the reasons I even considered getting into this. You put alot of effort into every video that you upload and it shows. I look forward to every time you post because I know it will be of high quality. Thanks for everything you taught me and I appreciate you're time sir!
Very nice! Great job, Jim! I truly appreciate your insight and humble approach to bee keeping! Your videos definitely helped me quite a bit in getting prepared for my first year bee keeping! I too, had 100% survival rate here in Minnesota this year-now we just need it to warm up! Thank you for all that you do!
I love what you are doing. I will be retireing from my electrical career this coming July. I started with 2 nucks in June of 2019, both surving a South eastern Quebec winter (usually 6+ feet of snow until mid April). First time harvesting from hives was last fall 2021 (I harvested from only 10 frames from 4 colonies, total of 10 frames). I had some issues with not being home to catch my swarms. Last summer I tried some splits and ended up with 6 colonies from my 2 original colonies (one didn't make it as they didn't make a queen), so I went into the winter with 4 pretty strong colonies, and 1 6 frame colonie, I really didn't think it would survive but to my surprise, so far it has, although it didn't look too strong last week when I opened to give them sugar. Sorry for the long comment. but I want you to know that I am learning so much from your video content and am going to do my best to try to construct your style of hives and try them out on half of my colonies, likely only in summer 23 but, Just wanted you to know that you are helping so many of us out here. Thank you so much.
Hi, Jim. I'm so impressed on how good all the hives did overwintering. I'm curious about the mold; never heard anyone talk about it on the frames. Do you do anything about the moldy frames or do the bees clean them up when their numbers start going up even higher? Just asking. I learn so much from your videos. Thanks so much for sharing the triumphs as well as the failures for us beginners.
*Here's an idea!!* For your follower/divider board replacements - I recommend homasote moisture (wicking) board. This will accomplish 4 goals: (1) NOT warp. (2) Wick moisture. (3) act as a thermal mass to flatten out thermal fluctuations (you can test/prove it with the broodminder data). (4) The rough surface is ideal for the bees to propolize - like the rough inside of a tree cavity - which studies have shown is beneficial the bee health - a place for bees to store a pharmacy-worth of propolis. Keep up the great work! 'Hope you pick my idea! :)
Your bee barn is 90% there, I like the improvements. One tip that can help your problem: 1. Create a propolis tincture and paint all the wooden surfaces inside the hive including the frames. This will greatly boost the mold and virus resistance inside and will make the bees healthier and more productive.
LOVE THIS!! I've missed your videos and then, there was a swarm in the neighborhood and one of our local beekeepers made sure they were safe. I knew it was time to get back to bee videos for the 2022 year.
No hate here Jim! I absolutely love you videos. I have followed you since 2020 but admit going back to the beginning and binge watching. I have learned so much from you and can’t thank you enough for the content you put out. If I had the skill, I would build a bee barn. Love them, love the content!! Keep it up! Ps, the mic drop was epic!
Congratulations on the outcome of the first overwinter! Still some bugs and improvements to be considered, but I have learned a TON about hive fundamentals and health following this journey and greatly appreciate you putting this out there Jim! Going to be an exciting Spring!!
I have received so many comments about my bees eating more because I heat my hives and every spring I come out of winter with tons of bees and surplus resources in the hives.I can verify your data. The bees don't sit around and snack they just socialize and hang out. Because they don't have to work as hard to maintain hives temps they have no need to consume honey. I can also say, from the two bee barns I have installed so far they are maintaining very consistent temps between them which tells me the bees are choosing their temp and are able to maintain the temp they choose. The heaters haven't come on since I put them in the bee barn as far as I can tell. Great video and great tabletop at the end. You have some moves!
1) Pseudoscorpions ua-cam.com/video/y1zdancXRDg/v-deo.html They live in symbiosis with bees, eat varroa and hate moisture. 2) Tom Seeley ua-cam.com/video/T7CB8E7jKBc/v-deo.html He is beekeeper, scientist and just a cool guy. 3) Leo Sharashkin ua-cam.com/video/Sdr1iRrjA5I/v-deo.html He spend $0 for bees and $0 for chemicals.
Love that you're pioneering a new solution to an old problem. One question I've been thinking about since I first saw your bee barn videos was how the added insulation would affect varroa mite population. I read somewhere that insulated hives save time for bees on heating the hive and therefore provide more time for cleaning, resulting in less varroa mite. Curious as to whether or not you've experienced the same.
Omg just saw yor video as I've been away and missed the premiere day as I usually do. I've been watching from season 1 so thats probably why I feel like a proud parent watching this. Jim I never had a doubt about your barn bee hive design but seeing the results and hearing it in your voice made my day. I really can't wait to see your video on VBB ver 2 as Ill definitely build at least a couple for my apiary. Again so proud to see this video!
So happy to see your hives come out of winter so strong! I was devastated for you when so many losses happened for you last season. You are still my inspiration, even though my bees didn't even make it to winter, one was dead before July, probably something happened to the queen, my second hive was small, but still alive until November, when I realized their hive was being over run by yellow jackets. They stole their food stores, as well as the brood they had. I want to try again, maybe with just one hive to be sure I can handle it, and see how things go from there. Do you have a place where someone could find specs on how to build your hive design? I would like to give it a try!
I love your content and your hive design. Please keep the innovation coming. Some day when I have time I’d love to copy your hive design. I live in upper ND, and over-winter on site in double deep 10 frames with an insulating blanket and candy board. Depending on the winter, my losses vary. Thank you for making this info public.
I’ll be really curious to see the results of your first mite counts. I’ve read various articles that reference studies that indicate higher humidity levels and/or CO2 levels may have a role in helping to control mites. While your results won’t have any scientific basis, they will indeed be very interesting for sure given your bee and brood concentrations.
I didnt have any dead outs this winter although I did have 2 NUC's with low populations but they were not that strong going into winter so I have combined them, I had a swarm last week that went straight to my swarm trap box, I got an SMS from my neighbour telling me there was a giant black cloud of bees in my garden but by the time I got home there was just a couple of dozen on the outside of the trap and a handfull in the tree that the box was fixed to but as the outside temperature began to fall they were all in the box. I am so pleased with myself as it is the first time they have gone to my swarm trap
I think right after Memorial Day those bees are going to have you very busy!! It is a good idea to take out some full frames and give them empties. They are going to pile up with honey and get real swarmy. I am always shocked and amazed how fast things start to happen when that flow is on. For me it's always Mother's Day week when the swarmy time happens. Have a great season. It looks like you will have your hands full!!
Yup. They’ll appreciate full frames of honey in August when the dearth is in full swing. I’m definitely going to put a lot of that in the freezer. I just need to make up some more frames. I’m all out of blanks and I can’t just place an order… need to finish the workshop and fire up the table saw again.
My kids and I watched as we had lunch. They were so excited for you when you hit 12/12 queen right hives. 👏 This is all super exciting. We had a good giggle with you dance at the end. You earned it! Do you have an estimate on the r value of the bee barn? Wondering how it compares to pre-made insulated hives like Apimaye. I know you did the barn because you already had standard hives and have the talent to build. Curious: since you are seeing such strong numbers, early brood production, and other signs of being ahead of typical schedule…do you think your bees may feel the urge to swarm early due to their hive conditions? Keep up the great work. I look forward to a “what’s next” video, 2.0 plans, and watching your awesome year!
It’s about double the Apimaye insulation. R-13 sides and R-30 on top. There will be swarm pressure earlier, but I’m not too worried about swarming. The brood boxes are huge and they will have lots of super space. If they go, they go. Not a big deal to me.
Jim, Great video. After last year losses I also insulated my 4 new hives and the top cover here in Virginia. All hives have lots of brood and like you lots of honey left over. Looking forward to bee barn v2.0 and your frame information.
I’m glad to see all the hard work and planning has paid off. And you are excited for your success. I have the apimaye hives over in NY. And they are awesome to use. When I looked at my bees I put in mite strips. I seen a few with mites on their backs. Just had some larva starting. Great 🌸🐝 videos. 👍👍🍿
Excellent news! I'm so happy so see the hive experiment was successful. All of your hypothesis paned out and yes, you've got some moisture on your wood but, nothing that can't be fixed. I look forward to seeing your upgrades and I plan on building my own "bee barn" type hives this year. CONGRATULATIONS
I watch a lot of bee keeping videos. I don't know why, I just find them fascinating. Congrats on your success! I was heartbroken last year when you lost most of your hives. You really seem to have nailed it this year! Most of the bee keepers I follow are located in the south so it's awesome to see a northern bee keeper get your hives through the winter this successfully. And... it wasn't a warm winter. Great job!
Your colonies definitely overwintered very very strong. And you are absolutely right the bees will eat more honey when their hive is cold to generate more heat. So a warmer hive means less resources used. And I absolutely love the ending to this video 😎
You are an EXCELLENT beekeeper - you learn from your mistakes - like all of us should! Your consistent desire to refine your skills is a lesson ALL beekeepers should come away with from your videos - I give you 5 stars I've been keeping bees for over 10 years now and you set a wonderful example. The haters will hate - DON'T for a second let them hold you back. Congrats!
Not going to lie, I have been waiting on pins and needles for this video. After last year, I was so dreading the spring check! But look at you, they're all there, all Queen right, all banging! I am so happy for you, I'm so happy for the bees, and the haters can eat it! Hoping for a summer of me content, and barn content. Keep doing what you're doing!
I also made changes to my hives this winter (Wisconsin) after losing all of my hives two years in a row. My added insulation top and bottom, along with screened quilt boxes using burlap covered with wood chips has helped. Five of seven hives are bringing pollen in. Thrilled! Glad to see your success!
Jim - I have two hives in Westminster, MA. One is doing just ok, the other, however, is thriving, like a mid-May hive. They have eggs, larva, and capped brood. They overwintered in two deeps, and I just added a medium because they consumed all of the sugar board and have started building comb in the space and it was full of larva. Very strange.
I was hoping to get into my hives today but the rain got too heavy. Tomorrow is going to be cold, but Monday looks promising. I’m expecting to add supers to a few even though I’ve never even considered a super in April before. I’m worried the hives are already so full of honey that they will need somewhere to put whatever they forage in the next couple weeks. Crazy times up here!
I think your lack of knowledge to start is part of what has made you such a great bee keeper. You didn’t go into it with all these things pounded into your head over years of bee keeping. You approached it with an open mind and ran with it. Honestly my favorite bee videos on UA-cam. Keep doing your thing.
Please read about pseudoscorpions. They hate moisture.
ua-cam.com/video/y1zdancXRDg/v-deo.html
If heat is not lost, bees are warm, They do not have to work as hard (vibrate wing muscles) to stay warm. Also with a single entrance, Co2 rises and they go into torpor so very little eating. For a beekeeper, you couldn't ask for better proof that an insulated, single entrance hive works. Thank you again, great video, very informative.
Thanks, Ross!
Why would CO² rise? Just curious...
@@frogsurfer4403 bees exhale. With a small entrance, the carbon dioxide will build up and with the cooler temps will help induce a state of torpor. The bees metabolism slows down and they eat less and use less energy. I'm no expert but I think this is why fat body bees survive the winter. (I think it is kind of like a bear fattening up before hibernating for the winter) Search Bees and Torpor. I'm sure there are a few articles out there that can explain it better than me.
@@frogsurfer4403 CO2 is heavier and seeks lower areas. H20 vapor is very light and rises.
I have read a study that mites have a “higher mortality rate” in a non vented hive. ie: only a reduced bottom entrance. I’m two years into keeping and it just seems so obvious to me.. the bees are constantly closing gaps and sealing off airflow. Closer you get to nature the better things will get. Bees don’t need burlap to soak up moisture. It’s not complicated. Moisture isn’t that difficult to understand if you just use your nothing . Love seeing your success getting down with common sense ! Keep up the good work my friend.
Etienne and Jim once again vindicated on the science of insulation and energy consumption! Yes! This is amazing on every level! Honestly though, I think the overwinter success is more a testament of your mite treatment techniques than anything. The early spring start and overabundance of food stores is a testament to the hive design! The haters can SUCK IT! Congrats, friend!
What an awesome start to the year. As someone who started watching in like 2020 and could see whole years fly by in a handful of videos, the clear takeaway from THIS video is that even the WEAKEST colony in March 2022 is about what a strong colony was in March of previous years. I can't wait to see how the bee yard does this summer and how you modify the Bee Barn with the lessons you've learned the past 12 months…
Howdy Jim. . Last year I was also in the group that had lost everything. Was really a sad day. I've truly enjoyed seeing you come up with these designs and watching them overwinter has been GREAT ! ! Keep on keeping Jim. .
Jim, nice as always to see new content. It is also nice to see you are seeing the same thing I get out of my insulated hives. I had two colonies overwinter in a 7 frame setup, each one went into winter with three STRONG frames of bees and 4 frames of honey... and they came out of winter STRONGER than 3 frames and of the 4 honey frames 2 were not touched at all and the other 2 still had about 25% of its honey left. Insulation makes all the difference in resource use! In addition to your comment of your hives being 2 months ahead....here in KY I estimate that my insulated hives are consistently a full month ahead of wooden hives. Insulated hives are going to change beekeeping forever
I will never put bees in an un-insulated box again. Year-round insulation needs to become the norm.
@@vinofarm I agree. Just need to tweak a few more thoughts.
I lost two of two hives this winter. I will insulate my hives from now on.
Happy to see you 12 for 12. I'm patiently waiting for the plans of your barn. I've seen a few other people take your design and tweak it which is good for everyone because it gets figured out quicker.
YESSSSS!!!! GO BALBOA!!!! LONG LIVE BALBOA!!!! I was here and started following you when you brought those hives home from your neighbor. couldn't ask for a better hive report. super cool! hit the like button folks!
Love the mic drop at the end! And remember, if you have 3 beekeepers in a room, you are gonna get 4 different opinions! Keep on experimenting, you are helping the rest of us out!
Those hive look amazing and are going to kick off with a BANG! (watch out for swarming 😊) For a good spacer design I recommend you look up Richard Noel. He uses foundation-less frames filled with a foam board covered in a thick layer of paint to prevent the bees from chewing them away. Wax dipping the plywood spacer boards is also an alternative.
I did heavy insulation too, and as of the beginning of March I'm at 5/5 Hives alive. Too cold for an inspection in Canada still but its looking promising :D
Wax dipping the plywood spacer boards might induce the bees to draw out comb on it.
A well deserved dance I say!
Insulated hives always seemed to be something that was just common sense since they'd hole up in tree trunks in the wild. Don't know why people would think warm bees would eat more honey, when they're cold they're basically shivering non-stop throughout the winter and that obviously would use up more energy than just sitting around if it's warm.
Jim, You do not have too much honey in the hive. Once they start brooding up they will go through the honey so fast. Had a hive come out of winter with over 60 lbs. of stores, had the same concern you do now. The hive was so light by the time the flow started that I felt bad because they almost starved and they might have been a little hungry just before the flow. What I saw on your frames was there was enough space for brood and room below to expand, it looks good. My one comment on the design is that you should have 2X the insulation on the top then on the sides, that would solve your moisture on the ceiling problem. I agree bees can deal with the moisture and dead bees get wet after they die; just like wax moth move into dead colonies. Just have to get the condensation to happen on the walls and not the top. A solution that I would like in 2.0 is to make the frame standard so you can make splits to sell bees. I was thinking just stucco on the outside walls, yes there will be a cold spot where the boxes meet, but I will be standard and that is where the excess moisture will condense. Get the mites under control early, before you get your supers on. Best of luck. T.
Jim, I am seriously happy for you man! I could see how devastated you were last year, you made some changes and its paying off! Congrats!
As someone who has always used insulated hives... I'm not the least bit surprised. 😜 Bees aren't supposed to use most of their winter stores until they start brooding in spring.
Another question for you: when your bees start booming like they did last year, how are you going to deal with swarming? Are you just going to let them swarm away? Or will you rehouse and sell them?
The “Vinohater dance” at the end says it all! Congrats Jim! Great job! Looking forward to watching another year of growth in your bee yard!
Yaaa I like the dance 🕺
A little dab’ll do ya!
I have a question Jim. Some of your custom frames are medium over deep, and some are deep over medium. Is this by design, and if so why does it matter?
So the gaps wouldn’t line up all across the brood box. I didn’t want all the filler comb to overlap if they made it wider.
@@vinofarm Good strategy. I would have never thought of that. Great vision, Jim. You know what I like about your Bee Barns? EVERYTHING! With your know-how, I can see you fixing the mold problem this year, no problem.
Jim, for your spacers what about using something like HDPE (cutting board material)? It is food grade and will never warp.
Exactly. I’m already sourcing some of that!
My first thought would be to seal the plywood with wax, but the bees would start drawing comb on it pretty much immediately. My second thought may sound crazy, but how about something with a non-sticky surface, either as a complete spacer or laminated on to it? The bees will probably hate PTFE as too non-sticky though.
The ending. 😂 Well deserved. You trusted your beekeeping knowledge and the hives are thriving! I can’t wait for more videos. Also I enjoyed the barn videos if you have more of those coming.
I tried something new this year with one of my hives in terms of insulation and I totally agree with you. It makes a HUGE difference. Like you! I noticed a massive difference in terms of less honey being eaten through the winter and a huge colony coming out the other side. With that being said, when I tried to share this sort of info with people on a couple of Facebook groups and got absolutely slated for it. It’s kind of tiering because a large portion of beekeepers in the UK are very opinionated and closed off to any new ideas or feedback.
Ha ha… try making UA-cam videos about insulating hives for 6 years and wait for the comments to roll in. A lot of people are unreachable, but I don’t really care about them. I’m not trying to convince anyone to change their ways. I’m just trying to inspire and think outside the box. People obviously notice and if what I do helps them, it makes me happy. I watch others and get inspired. I’m just trying to share it forward.
Vino Farm I absolutely love your videos. You’re always trying new things and you keep an open mind and try to be as analytical as possible. You’re also very good at explaining your thought processes so there are quite a few things I’ve picked up from you and implemented on my own hives.
For what it’s worth, I’m grateful for you and your content.
It's official, it is the Vino Farm videos that I anticipate the most. Great video, great news, great results. Well done. I'm really looking forward to news over the summer, and the improvement to the bee barn. With that level of winter survival, it looks like you will be having to deal with some swarms this year!
The ending of this was completely unexpected but absolutely perfect. Great job
I've been watching since your loss last year and through your determination of building a hive like they would in the wild. I started laugh crying in happiness when you said 12/12 lived. The amount of honey left over is also Huge! It shows that they had surplus for the winter which aids in the winter and early spring survival! I am looking forward to this hive build being the new hives of the future
The cold (and wind!) here over the past winter was vicious. It's been a long time since I've seen such temperatures, even for here. It's still windy and chilly here today. My daughter was complaining about it at lunch time...
Been watching for awhile now. I'm super happy that your bees are doing so well. It is awesome to watch you learn and grow then spread that knowledge to others. Hope things keep trending up :)
Loved the ending Jim. 😆 I also lost my hives last year and made lots of changes and was thinking of doing the same as you just to one hive then you did it and with style. Way to go and keep the videos coming and keep the thick skin for g to be hater’s. 🐝 thanks Jim
Thanks!
If I may recommend... Apply a layer of 2 part resin to the sides and bottoms of the boards that got moldy (when you replace them, of course). it will make them impervious to the condensation. 2 part resin is often used for table tops and counters so it is food safe. It is hard as hell so the bees can't chew it or anything. So happy for your success...
Fantastic result Jim! Well done. Your findings on honey consumption and hive heating could be a game changer. Keep the videos coming.
Lol…love the victory dance at the end! Fitting!! The quilt boxes, burlap, wood chips, moisture boards, upper vents are such an antique and poor solution for wintering bees. Insulation is a great product!
I laughed so hard, Jim! That dance was to die for, especially on top of your fantastic bees! Success! I am super interested in your fix for the mold and also bottom moisture. I know there are beekeepers who watch you to learn and save their hives. The bee barns are now a thing thanks to you! Congratulations! Here's to another fine year!
Congratulations on 100k. It’s been amazing since 4000… so happy for you Jim
It’s absolutely astonishing to see how far ahead your bees are, Jim! Normally the difference between your hives and the Southern beekeepers I watch is in terms of months, and right now, you only look weeks behind. I doubt bees are in my future, but I’m definitely going to make sure our CSA and community gardens are familiar with your ideas.
I’ve been watching you for a few years now, and from what it seems like, it’s as though the insulation allowed them to be more comfortable through the winter so they didn’t have to fight to stay warm and keep the hives warm. Like people if you’re cold you’re going to need to eat more to maintain heat, but if you’re at a livable comfortable temperature you’re not going to have to eat as much to stay warm.
You needed this win after that devastating loss. I am so happy for you and I hope your bees continue to thrive!!
After keeping a couple of hives for a few years, we had an unusually cold winter here and I lost both of them. I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel when I discovered your channel. WOW! After binge watching (and driving my wife crazy) I did my best to replicate what you have designed and built. I finished just in time before the two new packages arrived. I've never seen hives grow so much in so little time! A BIG THANK YOU going your way Jim!
Jim. Your response to haters, priceless. Your beebarn videos and published science backed literature gave me confidence to insulate my hives. Results? 12 out of 13 survived and like your observation, a whole bunch of excess honey. I had to spin it out and store it. Did you do a video on how you split the beebarn? How do you manage the 1+1/2 frame design?
Tbh one of those frames has everything that a split would need :) add another one so bees have something to do and that the split done.
I know a UA-cam beekeeper in Michigan that's going to hate that ending! 😂 Great video!
Love this video! For your spacer boards, you might consider StarBoard (used on boats). It can be expensive and is a "man-made" product, but it might solve your issue. Won't swell, warp or rot. Can't wait to see the plans, I'm switching this year to the frame size you've made. My boxes are not insulated yet, but I will be working on a similar system this year. I am starting my 2nd year beekeeping and both of my hives thrived thru winter. I"m in Central Virginia. Thanks for your videos, looking forward to more!
I’m looking into several materials. Not afraid of ‘man-made’ things, but sourcing is not easy. And it can be very expensive. I’ll figure it out!
Great news for all your hives 🥳 it makes so much sense how you have improved your hive that they would thrive. I'm so glad that you use scientific methods to back up your findings to show others that your improvements are working
Less myths, more science! 👍👍
YAAY! Happy beekeeping dance!! What was so interesting to me was how little stores the bees consumed. I suspected they would definitely survive and do well in the insulated hives (I was rooting for you!) but the fact that they ate so much less, and are brooding so much earlier than normal for MA (We routinely have brood in February in KY where I am)....you are possibly in for a SLAMMING honey season and you might really have to do something to prevent lots and lots of swarms from such healthy populations.
It could turn out for you long term that hives like these are a great economical solution for beekeepers - more hives survive, using less stores, and potentially (maybe) produce more honey and more splits for selling as nucs. Higher front end investment for longer and better usage, less beekeeper labor and higher rate of success. Please keep making videos -- super interested to see how they work year-over-year.
Jim, some of these comments create interesting ideas. I have been following you and Etienne Tardiff these past couple of years. Besides insulation I'm also interested in CO2 accumulation, open bottom boards that Etienne uses & your moisture situation. Maybe putting propolis on crown board would work. Also wonder if bees need moisture that accumulates. Please post your design. Winter will soon return here in Minnesota. I'm ready to begin incorporating
Oh my stars, most epic mic drop ever. ♥️
I live in Maine and love watching your channel. I have had high losses in past years. I insulated my hives this past winter and took some more of your suggestions. So far all my hives are alive!
@Vino Farm
That was, without a doubt, the best reply to all them haters who also hates science and technology!
Keep doing what you are doing, something is working. Love your design, modifications will be great. And I would just like to say, your ending to this video says it all, onwards and upwards.
With all of those resources still in the hives I will be interested to see how you handle swarm pressure if they don’t use that before brood production.
I write this as a “good problem to have” sort of point. This may move your spring management calendar for brood rearing and swarming backwards. Good luck!
I’ll steal resources and replace with empty frames if they are still honey bound in a couple weeks. I can save the frames in a freezer and feed them back during our inevitable summer dearth.
I have been following your videos since last fall. Everything you have said and done so far has made sense to me. I am located a bit north of you in Central Maine. Thank you for sharing your experiments and knowledge. I don't know if you are aware, but you have gained some attention in the bee world at large. I have even seen you mentioned in a technical seminar. (I did not say what one because I am not sure if that is proper etiquette here.) I would love to test your hive in western Maine in the Mt Abraham area.
Congratulations that your hive build and your pre winter treatment was a success!!! I constantly enjoy you content and look forward to whatever you set your mind on.
I’m very glad you proved the critic wrong.
What a great day for a Vino video. Thanks for the update, Jim!
So glad it worked out for you Jim. After last year man my heart broke for you. Loved the outro.
Glad to see your Hives made it through this year. This was my third year and the first year my hives made it through an upstate NY Winter, 6 for 6. 2 things I did different. I did not insulate my hives other than Burlap above the inner cover. And I believe the biggest difference for me was throwing the strips away and going with a Oxalic Acid Vaporizer. Whatever it was, like you, my Bees are Booming! Good Luck!
Love the ending! Sat here crying laughing!
You're doing great! Keep going!
Jim, In 2019 I started watching beekeeping videos and came across your page. I started at season 1 and have watched them all. You are one of the reasons I even considered getting into this. You put alot of effort into every video that you upload and it shows. I look forward to every time you post because I know it will be of high quality. Thanks for everything you taught me and I appreciate you're time sir!
Thanks again Jim. Soooo close to 100k!!!
Very nice! Great job, Jim! I truly appreciate your insight and humble approach to bee keeping! Your videos definitely helped me quite a bit in getting prepared for my first year bee keeping! I too, had 100% survival rate here in Minnesota this year-now we just need it to warm up! Thank you for all that you do!
BOOM! Fantastic to see all 12 hives coming out of winter already ahead of the game. Roll on the 2022 beekeeping year at Vino 🐝
I love what you are doing. I will be retireing from my electrical career this coming July. I started with 2 nucks in June of 2019, both surving a South eastern Quebec winter (usually 6+ feet of snow until mid April). First time harvesting from hives was last fall 2021 (I harvested from only 10 frames from 4 colonies, total of 10 frames). I had some issues with not being home to catch my swarms. Last summer I tried some splits and ended up with 6 colonies from my 2 original colonies (one didn't make it as they didn't make a queen), so I went into the winter with 4 pretty strong colonies, and 1 6 frame colonie, I really didn't think it would survive but to my surprise, so far it has, although it didn't look too strong last week when I opened to give them sugar. Sorry for the long comment. but I want you to know that I am learning so much from your video content and am going to do my best to try to construct your style of hives and try them out on half of my colonies, likely only in summer 23 but, Just wanted you to know that you are helping so many of us out here. Thank you so much.
Next time I come back and you will be over 100 K (even with the gone with the wind haters). Good job and glad for you.
Hi, Jim. I'm so impressed on how good all the hives did overwintering. I'm curious about the mold; never heard anyone talk about it on the frames. Do you do anything about the moldy frames or do the bees clean them up when their numbers start going up even higher? Just asking. I learn so much from your videos. Thanks so much for sharing the triumphs as well as the failures for us beginners.
*Here's an idea!!* For your follower/divider board replacements - I recommend homasote moisture (wicking) board. This will accomplish 4 goals: (1) NOT warp. (2) Wick moisture. (3) act as a thermal mass to flatten out thermal fluctuations (you can test/prove it with the broodminder data). (4) The rough surface is ideal for the bees to propolize - like the rough inside of a tree cavity - which studies have shown is beneficial the bee health - a place for bees to store a pharmacy-worth of propolis. Keep up the great work! 'Hope you pick my idea! :)
Your bee barn is 90% there, I like the improvements.
One tip that can help your problem:
1. Create a propolis tincture and paint all the wooden surfaces inside the hive including the frames. This will greatly boost the mold and virus resistance inside and will make the bees healthier and more productive.
LOVE THIS!! I've missed your videos and then, there was a swarm in the neighborhood and one of our local beekeepers made sure they were safe. I knew it was time to get back to bee videos for the 2022 year.
No hate here Jim! I absolutely love you videos. I have followed you since 2020 but admit going back to the beginning and binge watching. I have learned so much from you and can’t thank you enough for the content you put out. If I had the skill, I would build a bee barn. Love them, love the content!! Keep it up!
Ps, the mic drop was epic!
Congratulations on the outcome of the first overwinter! Still some bugs and improvements to be considered, but I have learned a TON about hive fundamentals and health following this journey and greatly appreciate you putting this out there Jim! Going to be an exciting Spring!!
I have received so many comments about my bees eating more because I heat my hives and every spring I come out of winter with tons of bees and surplus resources in the hives.I can verify your data. The bees don't sit around and snack they just socialize and hang out. Because they don't have to work as hard to maintain hives temps they have no need to consume honey. I can also say, from the two bee barns I have installed so far they are maintaining very consistent temps between them which tells me the bees are choosing their temp and are able to maintain the temp they choose. The heaters haven't come on since I put them in the bee barn as far as I can tell. Great video and great tabletop at the end. You have some moves!
1) Pseudoscorpions
ua-cam.com/video/y1zdancXRDg/v-deo.html
They live in symbiosis with bees, eat varroa and hate moisture.
2) Tom Seeley
ua-cam.com/video/T7CB8E7jKBc/v-deo.html
He is beekeeper, scientist and just a cool guy.
3) Leo Sharashkin
ua-cam.com/video/Sdr1iRrjA5I/v-deo.html
He spend $0 for bees and $0 for chemicals.
Love that you're pioneering a new solution to an old problem. One question I've been thinking about since I first saw your bee barn videos was how the added insulation would affect varroa mite population. I read somewhere that insulated hives save time for bees on heating the hive and therefore provide more time for cleaning, resulting in less varroa mite. Curious as to whether or not you've experienced the same.
3rd video in following your progress, Loving what i've seen, Message to hatters was golden, Dropped the mic, Subscribed.
Omg just saw yor video as I've been away and missed the premiere day as I usually do. I've been watching from season 1 so thats probably why I feel like a proud parent watching this. Jim I never had a doubt about your barn bee hive design but seeing the results and hearing it in your voice made my day. I really can't wait to see your video on VBB ver 2 as Ill definitely build at least a couple for my apiary. Again so proud to see this video!
So happy to see your hives come out of winter so strong! I was devastated for you when so many losses happened for you last season. You are still my inspiration, even though my bees didn't even make it to winter, one was dead before July, probably something happened to the queen, my second hive was small, but still alive until November, when I realized their hive was being over run by yellow jackets. They stole their food stores, as well as the brood they had. I want to try again, maybe with just one hive to be sure I can handle it, and see how things go from there.
Do you have a place where someone could find specs on how to build your hive design? I would like to give it a try!
I love your content and your hive design. Please keep the innovation coming. Some day when I have time I’d love to copy your hive design. I live in upper ND, and over-winter on site in double deep 10 frames with an insulating blanket and candy board. Depending on the winter, my losses vary. Thank you for making this info public.
I’ll be really curious to see the results of your first mite counts. I’ve read various articles that reference studies that indicate higher humidity levels and/or CO2 levels may have a role in helping to control mites. While your results won’t have any scientific basis, they will indeed be very interesting for sure given your bee and brood concentrations.
I didnt have any dead outs this winter although I did have 2 NUC's with low populations but they were not that strong going into winter so I have combined them, I had a swarm last week that went straight to my swarm trap box, I got an SMS from my neighbour telling me there was a giant black cloud of bees in my garden but by the time I got home there was just a couple of dozen on the outside of the trap and a handfull in the tree that the box was fixed to but as the outside temperature began to fall they were all in the box.
I am so pleased with myself as it is the first time they have gone to my swarm trap
Congratulations Jim. Beautiful to see such amazingly robust colonies so early in the year... Full steam ahead now!
Excellent work!! You have done an amazing job and should be absolutely proud!
See I told you they wouldn't use any honey
Hahaha Take that HATERS! I'm not a beekeeper but I really enjoy all your videos.
Awesome mike drop! Your happiness seeing healthy colonies was infective.
I think right after Memorial Day those bees are going to have you very busy!! It is a good idea to take out some full frames and give them empties. They are going to pile up with honey and get real swarmy. I am always shocked and amazed how fast things start to happen when that flow is on. For me it's always Mother's Day week when the swarmy time happens. Have a great season. It looks like you will have your hands full!!
Yup. They’ll appreciate full frames of honey in August when the dearth is in full swing. I’m definitely going to put a lot of that in the freezer. I just need to make up some more frames. I’m all out of blanks and I can’t just place an order… need to finish the workshop and fire up the table saw again.
Nice. I also understand that high humidity is hard on mites.
My kids and I watched as we had lunch. They were so excited for you when you hit 12/12 queen right hives. 👏 This is all super exciting. We had a good giggle with you dance at the end. You earned it!
Do you have an estimate on the r value of the bee barn? Wondering how it compares to pre-made insulated hives like Apimaye. I know you did the barn because you already had standard hives and have the talent to build.
Curious: since you are seeing such strong numbers, early brood production, and other signs of being ahead of typical schedule…do you think your bees may feel the urge to swarm early due to their hive conditions?
Keep up the great work. I look forward to a “what’s next” video, 2.0 plans, and watching your awesome year!
If memory serves, Jim mentioned the R value in one of the bee barn build videos.
It’s about double the Apimaye insulation. R-13 sides and R-30 on top. There will be swarm pressure earlier, but I’m not too worried about swarming. The brood boxes are huge and they will have lots of super space. If they go, they go. Not a big deal to me.
I’m so happy for you! I’ve learned so much from you (been with you for all your bee vids and garlic vids) I admire your outside the box thinking.
Jim, Great video. After last year losses I also insulated my 4 new hives and the top cover here in Virginia. All hives have lots of brood and like you lots of honey left over. Looking forward to bee barn v2.0 and your frame information.
People think bees are like people and if theres nothing else to do they just eat junkfood all day XD nope thats very much a lazy humanity thing
I’m glad to see all the hard work and planning has paid off. And you are excited for your success.
I have the apimaye hives over in NY. And they are awesome to use.
When I looked at my bees I put in mite strips. I seen a few with mites on their backs. Just had some larva starting.
Great 🌸🐝 videos. 👍👍🍿
please release plans for the build by the end of summer so we can build and be ready for next winter
Excellent news! I'm so happy so see the hive experiment was successful. All of your hypothesis paned out and yes, you've got some moisture on your wood but, nothing that can't be fixed. I look forward to seeing your upgrades and I plan on building my own "bee barn" type hives this year. CONGRATULATIONS
Please end all of your videos like this from now on, that was bee-autiful
Mic drop killed me :D
12 for 12 is a definite “drop the mike” moment! Congrats on closing in on 100k subs!
This is pure joy... thank you for letting us share!
Thank you for sharing your hard won learnings so that we ( and our bees) can benefit. Well done !!!!
Great news! If you need a place to sell off a nuc when those big hives explode let me know!
Amazing. Thank you for building and sharing the bee barn. So excited to try this at 9000 feet in Colorado.
I watch a lot of bee keeping videos. I don't know why, I just find them fascinating. Congrats on your success! I was heartbroken last year when you lost most of your hives. You really seem to have nailed it this year! Most of the bee keepers I follow are located in the south so it's awesome to see a northern bee keeper get your hives through the winter this successfully. And... it wasn't a warm winter. Great job!
Your colonies definitely overwintered very very strong. And you are absolutely right the bees will eat more honey when their hive is cold to generate more heat. So a warmer hive means less resources used. And I absolutely love the ending to this video 😎
You are an EXCELLENT beekeeper - you learn from your mistakes - like all of us should! Your consistent desire to refine your skills is a lesson ALL beekeepers should come away with from your videos - I give you 5 stars I've been keeping bees for over 10 years now and you set a wonderful example. The haters will hate - DON'T for a second let them hold you back. Congrats!
Will there be a 100K subscribers special? The outro is awesome!
I second the request 100k subscriber special, but only if Jim has adequate time to do so.
Great mic drop. We GROW from our past selves. You are doing an amazing job 🐝
Not going to lie, I have been waiting on pins and needles for this video. After last year, I was so dreading the spring check! But look at you, they're all there, all Queen right, all banging! I am so happy for you, I'm so happy for the bees, and the haters can eat it! Hoping for a summer of me content, and barn content. Keep doing what you're doing!
I also made changes to my hives this winter (Wisconsin) after losing all of my hives two years in a row. My added insulation top and bottom, along with screened quilt boxes using burlap covered with wood chips has helped. Five of seven hives are bringing pollen in. Thrilled! Glad to see your success!
Any pics of your winter insulation set up?
@@skyhighactiondrones5453 my reply disappeared, but not sure how to add a photo... sorry!
Jim - I have two hives in Westminster, MA. One is doing just ok, the other, however, is thriving, like a mid-May hive. They have eggs, larva, and capped brood. They overwintered in two deeps, and I just added a medium because they consumed all of the sugar board and have started building comb in the space and it was full of larva. Very strange.
I was hoping to get into my hives today but the rain got too heavy. Tomorrow is going to be cold, but Monday looks promising. I’m expecting to add supers to a few even though I’ve never even considered a super in April before. I’m worried the hives are already so full of honey that they will need somewhere to put whatever they forage in the next couple weeks. Crazy times up here!