Winter maintenance

[Bridget]

Having been waiting for about 3 weeks for a windless, frostless, rainless day I decided conditions though breezy and about 8 degrees were not going to improve any so I did the oxyalic acid thing, and gave the bees some fondant. YouTube is amazing help if you don't know what to do. I was full of confidence after watching several clips of how to apply the dose and was in and out again in just a few minutes. Having not been in the hive since end of October it was a great relief to see all was well inside, lots of bees and lots of stores though the ones away from the bees not touched. Gave them the fondant anyway and positioned it over the seams with the bees in. I did a quick visual check about 30 mins later and was surprised to see a few flying in and out. They must be hardy.
Can anyone tell me when the queen will start producing eggs again? I've read February but that seems awfully soon in the cold climate of the Highland.

[gavin]

A few may fly anyway about 8C but after disturbance you will see more. Sounds like a hive in good shape for the approaching spring. When will there be some forage for them? Here snowdrops give a boost in February or March then the willows are next to get them excited before the cherries and plums get going to fill the gap until the oilseed rape, sycamore and dandelions are out. Maybe things will be quieter on the edge of a pine forest?

The colony will already be sensing the lengthening days and the queen will be getting encouraged to lay some small patches of eggs now-ish. By March, as long as they sense that there are enough stores, it will be full steam ahead.

[Jon]

Most of my colonies have some brood by February.

[susbees]

One of mine's spitting out bits of larvae still a week after OA in the balmy Welsh hills...

[Bridget]

Oh Susbees- what does that mean and why are they doing it. Sorry still only 6 months into beekeeping so it's pretty much a mystery.

[Bridget]

Gavin I have no idea what forage there will be. Our first spring here but I think unlikely there will be snowdrops but I did plant lots of crocus. We have lots of good wild cherry trees around about but in between I've no Idea - I don't even think there is much OSR. It's all pine forests and marshland. I shall have to get planting for next year.

[susbees]

Oh Susbees- what does that mean and why are they doing it. Sorry still only 6 months into beekeeping so it's pretty much a mystery.

It means that this colony (which was a local lateish prime swarm with the only marked queen of the year) had not stopped feeding the queen so she had not stopped laying (and is unlikely to now the days are getting longer). Oxalic acid causes the workers to hoik out unsealed brood which can sadly be killed by oxalic acid. This colony had the biggest mite drop of all after thymol treatment in September so needed doing. And for the records our worst drop after oxalic acid was a hive that had a four week total drop in single figures after thymol. No rhyme nor reason.

[Rosie]

A lot of people claim that queens never stop laying throughout the winter. I know that mine do because I look. I would guess that your swarm probably has some exotic origin. Susbees, do you have an opinion as to its background.

[susbees]

They aren't blacks or near-blacks, looking pretty much like the standard carni-type mongrels around here. A round brood pattern not wall-to-wall and were very industrious...went from nothing in mid July to filling a commercial box and a super and are filling the commercial now...mind not many bees clustering much here.

[Bridget]

Had a look at the bees yesterday ( Friday) to see if there was any varroa fall after the OA trickle on Wednesday. Nothing that I could see -was I looking too soon?
Interesting pattern of debris will try to upload a pic.