Yes I have come to really like this type of bee. Very resourceful and nice to work with. The Italians make me nervous that they are going to eat through all their resources and I’m going to have to feed like crazy to get them through, which is exactly what I’m doing now
Knowing you are coming to the end, really want to see next year how these hives make it through the winter. Our winters are much more severe, but I may just attempt a few minis just to see, though I think I will go with deeper combs. Hopefully next two days being the last snow of the winter, fingers crossed, can't wait to get started.
I’m very curious to see how these hives go through winter myself. I’m hoping they do well of course. But if not they are not hard to start again from scratch as I have done this season. Either way I will have drawn comb to work with. Maybe the cluster size will simply be too small. Time will tell
I'm doing the same thing. We can compare notes. Maybe you can do a couple quick peaks through winter without peeling back the plastic inner cover which might release too much precious heat.
Awesome looking long mini! Do you think it's nectar foraging or robbing based on the comparison? Curious what such a small workforce could do on either front.
I would say it’s nectar foraging. There are a few random trees flowing around town and there’s very little robbing going on in my yard. My impression is that these black bees are harder working and forage at lower temperatures than Italians. They surprise you with what they get done with a modest size workforce
Beautiful looking black Queen there, those Italians are great brooders but those black carnie types are really great survivors. Very good progress ❤
Yes I have come to really like this type of bee. Very resourceful and nice to work with. The Italians make me nervous that they are going to eat through all their resources and I’m going to have to feed like crazy to get them through, which is exactly what I’m doing now
Why in mini box ?
Are they not live in a big hive or box?
I use these mini hives as queen mating nucs. I’m just trying to set these up to get through winter.
Knowing you are coming to the end, really want to see next year how these hives make it through the winter. Our winters are much more severe, but I may just attempt a few minis just to see, though I think I will go with deeper combs. Hopefully next two days being the last snow of the winter, fingers crossed, can't wait to get started.
I’m very curious to see how these hives go through winter myself. I’m hoping they do well of course. But if not they are not hard to start again from scratch as I have done this season. Either way I will have drawn comb to work with. Maybe the cluster size will simply be too small. Time will tell
I'm doing the same thing. We can compare notes. Maybe you can do a couple quick peaks through winter without peeling back the plastic inner cover which might release too much precious heat.
That beautiful bee. See how my bees are
It funny how I live through your videos in the winter because it’s spring down under!!!! Thanks!!!
During the winter I’ll have all you northern hemisphere guys playing in my ear while I’m in the workshop getting ready for next season
Awesome looking long mini! Do you think it's nectar foraging or robbing based on the comparison? Curious what such a small workforce could do on either front.
I would say it’s nectar foraging. There are a few random trees flowing around town and there’s very little robbing going on in my yard. My impression is that these black bees are harder working and forage at lower temperatures than Italians. They surprise you with what they get done with a modest size workforce
@bennybeekeeper the Carniloans also have a slightly longer tongue so they can draw out nectar from deeper down inside flowers compared to Italians.