A Subarctic Beekeeper

A Subarctic Beekeeper: A Very Warm Mid September Check in

It's been too warm. Daytime temps have been going into the 80s-90s in the direct sun. Bees are out foraging but we've been in a pollen dearth for over a month. They are HUNGRY! Due to planting for them, they've got some blossoms but not enough. Also, we are having some blooms come up that should have been done months ago. So, I've been feeding them dry pollen, pollen patties, fondant and syrup to cover allllll of the bases. Due to requests, I've started making videos on YouTube so people have a visual of the beekeeping practices I'm describing. Thank you so much for following. Come check out the YouTube videos at @ASubarcticBeekeeper. Take care of yourselves, take care of your bees. Ukraine is winning.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Those Damn Mites

Yet more info on varroa mites. Including the long list of the viruses that this creature spreads, and how we help them spread from hive to hive. Who knew the males were white and stayed in the comb? I sure didn’t.  Gotta go drench the bees. For more information on A Subarctic Beekeeper and Happy Creek Farm, visit our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (yes, Twitter) pages under Happy Creek Farm. Thanks for listening.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Mid June Hive Checks

A play by play on mid-June hive checks. We’ve had weird rain and thunder squalls that have helped with all that provides natural sources of nectar and pollen in our environment. The bees are doing their things. The red queens are still cranking out the brood. We’re just good stewards who provide them with what they need in order to maximize colony build up before winter. This includes addressing any problems including DWV, mites, nosema etc. For more info on A Subarctic Beekeeper please see our IG an FB pages under Happy Creek Farm. We’re also on Twitter. Thanks for listening.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: May hive checks, feeding and red queens

Spring is not yet here. Almost. Still waiting for green up and pollen explosion. Checking hives that have overwintered from last year. Seeing good results from changes made in temperature of hive pod and feeding.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: My bees survived winter. Now what do I do?

In early spring our overwintered honeybees are the most vulnerable. Many who overwinter successfully find that they lose their colonies in the spring. In our neighborhood, here’s why and what I do to help. 

Late March: Moving bee hives out of the bee barn. Outside temps still freezing.

Daytime temps getting up to the 40°F range mid afternoon. However, in direct sun they’re getting into the 60°F. Time to pull out the bees and get them in the hive pod for cleansing flights. 

Early March: Hive checks and adding fees

The bees have been in the bee barn since late October 2023. I want to do another round of hive checks and add feed because it could be another month before they can be moved outside. 

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Late January 2024, heading to -47F

It's colder that cold. Had to layer up and check on the bees in the bee barn before our temps drop again. We've already had over a week with temps in the -40F range. The warmest has been -21F and that was today. Wanted to take some updated infrared pic of the hives to check to see which colonies are still kicking and where they are in the hives. Also, took samples for varroa and nosema tests and for an experiment to wake the dead (bees). Video of that is on FB page. Finally, added wool blankets over the poly hives for extra protection as our outside temps continue to hit bottom. Thanks for listening.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Summer 2023 and now it’s winter again.

It's been awhile since the last podcast. Head injury has jacked up my brain some so that being in the sun, hot temps and being on a screen ( to name some) have been difficult. This is a recap of the summer that has, thankfully, just passed. Winter is good. Everything slows down a little. More to come.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Old Timer Interview with subarctic beekeeper, Steven George: Part 1

This is Part 1 of an interview with respected subarctic beekeeper, Steven George. Steven has been overwintering his honey bees in our subarctic environment and our harsh climate for many years with great success. Hear how he prepares his bees, encourages late season egg laying, winters his bees and keeps them alive through the spring.

January Checks of the Hives in the Bee Barn

Have to check how the hives are doing. Our winter has been exceptionally warm and we've had some power outages, so I need to make sure they're OK. I haven't been checking on them very often and I want to make sure they still have enough stores. I also want to do some tests for mites and nosema.

Beekeeping in a Subarctic drought

Beekeeping in a Subarctic drought. 

Feeding The Bees: Pre and Post Nectar Flow 2022

North of Fairbanks, Alaska, we went from a long winter into summer. We have to feed our bees pre nectar flow and then again when the nectar dearth arrives in order to prepare them for overwintering. Discussion on what we feed our bees and why.

A Subartic Beekeeper: May and the snow is still here, feeding the bees, visit from National Honey Bee Survey

It's one of the coldest Mays in the past 30 years. We still have snow. There's a bit of pussy willow pollen but no nectar. Feeding the bees is crucial. Upcoming visit from National Honey Bee Survey people.

A Subarctic Beekeeper -Doing a necropsy on a winter dead out

Many of us lose hives during the winter. Ironically, the time that's the most precarious for overwintered hives in the subarctic is at the end of winter. In this podcast I go over how to do a necropsy on a dead colony to find out why the colony died, so we can make changes to prevent it happening again.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Why Hives Lose Warmth in Winter - Thermodynamics Part 2

Quick and easy breakdown of thermodynamics and an explanation of how to retain warmth that comes off the cluster. 

A Subarctic Beekeeper:Building Hive Pod & Some Thermodynamics 0322

On building a small outside structure on deck to shelter hives and keep them warm in freezing temperatures, but still allow for cleaning flights during warm spells.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Late February no cleansing flights since October and adding pollen patty for spring survival

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Mid February Colony Checks - Opening the Lids

A Subarctic Beekeeper: February sound check of bees in the bee barn

A Subarctic Beekeeper: December hive checks outside temps down to -40 F below

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Late mid October - Bees in the Bee Barn

A Subarctic Arctic Beekeeper: Start of October More Sugar Boards and More Mites

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Late September II -Pivoting

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Late September Snow is Coming, Adding Sugar Boards

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Reducing an OWC Hive From 2 Deeps to 1 for Winter - Late Sept

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Taking two deeps down to one for winter and checking mite boardswk 2 Sept

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Adopting colonies, integrating new colonies, feeding and winter prep - September

A Subarctic Beekeeper: August rain, winter prep and hive inspections 0821

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Late July - Colonies make new queens 0721

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Bee Mistress not Beekeeper and Evaluating Colonies for Winter Prep 0721

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Hive One Inspection and Pulling Honey Frames 0621

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Lost Colony and Preparation for New Queen 0621

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Treating for varroa

A Subarctic beekeeper takes the listener along while treating her hives for varroa mites.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Checking on colony health after splits and introducing a new queen 0721

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Checking hive health after splits and adding a new queen - July

A subarctic beekeeper checking split colonies for overall health and preparing to add a new queen.

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Checking on colony health after splits 0721

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Hiving a box of bees and order of frames in hive

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Combining queenless nuc with another colony 0621

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Hive number 11 0521

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Looking for mites in all the right places 0521

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Moving the hives and adding deeps 051621

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Treating for Varroa Mites 051321

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Hive Inspection and a Surprise 050521

A Subarctic Beekeeper:Tucking in the Bees 042521

A Subarctic Beekeeper: New Bees, Queens, Mites and Orientation Flights 042321

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Telling the bees and mosquito sprays 041221

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Morning and moving frames from last year 041721

A Subarctic Beekeeper: Bees at the entrance and Arctic queens and daughters 040221

A Subarctic Beekeeper: All Hives on Deck 040921