The Georgia Beekeepers Association just released the info for our upcoming Spring Virtual Conference on the 20th of February.

https://gba17.wildapricot.org/event-2710133

All are welcome and the price can't be beat for the topics covered.

I have wanted to do this for years and have just never pulled the trigger.

I belong to two bee clubs. This year has been terrible for the clubs. I’ve been into beekeeping for several years and have several hives. Anyone in Southern Indiana that needs help getting started let me know. I know a lot but in the bee world I don’t know squat. If I can’t help you I can get someone who can.

I was talking to my mentor bee keeper , he tells me that some of the Ontario bee keepers , are finding a lot of dead out hives already , this winter. I have five hives , checked , them. They all appear to be ok. Will keep an eye on them , Lots to learn, It is a great hobby, I have had mine 4 years, had good luck , with them. old243

I recently restarted in person meetings for the club I currently head up. Zoom is great but the club was dying with only four bothering to sign in. It was a steady decline the longer it went online. Already tripled attendance in just two in person and actually added three new members.
The only good news is with no meetings we haven't spent a dime all year so the bank account is good.
I'm starting to prep for next month's beginner's short course.

Is there still trouble with hives dying off?

Not the CCD of media hype but, yes, we have somehow come to accept roughly 30% annual loss as somewhat "normal".

I know nothing of bees, but luckily I have a man less than a quarter mile from my house that apparently has some because he’s my honey dealer. He keeps the “local” small stores stocked and if they’re out I just pop in at his house. I’m a true believer in a regular honey intake to keep allergies and other sickness at bay.

My brother tried to start a hive this year. Bought a package of bees and put them in the hive box. The crazy things kept re queening themselves, a month and the queen would be gone and queen cells started. After a few times of that he found them queenless and ordered a new queen. She didnt survive a week and they started their relentless re queening again. Well the hive didnt make it, their numbers got so low they that the hive was robbed out during a warm spell a week or so ago. He is going to start again in the spring.

Had that happen in one of mine a few years back. The only working theory I have on that is that it is some sort of negative feedback loop. The original queen was probably a poorly mated early queen and they rightly decided to supercede but supercedure queens aren't as good as a swarm queen plus the reduced brood from the original triggers another supercede, cycle and repeat. At least that's the closest thing to making sense to me.

What type foundation you run Warrior? I learned using embedded wire.

Wired wax up until a few years ago. I'm old enough to remember when duragilt was new. Tried it then and swore I'd never put plastic in a hive ever again. A few years ago I was gifted a case of double waxed acorn frames. It sat in storage with no intent to ever use the stuff. Then got overwhelmed with swarm calls and had no choice.

I still don't care for the full frames as they have to much flex but I do like the way they draw it. Slowly changing over to acorn foundation.

That makes sense to me. He said he is going to start 2 hives in the spring and probably install 6lbs of bees in each. Tried to get him to just buy a couple nucs instead but he didnt want to go that route.

I have 3 singles and one double that appear to be doing good, and still buzzing. Its -12 here. I am hoping they get buried in the next snowstorm.

I remember the duriguilt as well as pasticell. My mentor said the bees didn't like the plasticell and wouldn't draw it. I was using a couple pieces of glass when embedding the wire to keep it straight.

I should add that I have been using the yellow acorn waxed foundation in wooden frames and they draw it out good if in a flow, or feeding regular. It holds up good in the extractor. Never tried wiring wax foundation. sounds like a PIA

Bees only draw comb when needed for storage or brood. Sometimes they wont draw it if not needed for space. Then they tend to lick the wax off the acorn, so adding extra wax on them is a good idea.

Embedded wire is a real PITA at times. We used electric to heat the wires but keep on too long would cut the foundation clear through. Never did try the short strips as starter strips though.

Wiring wax is tedious but I still enjoy it. It goes easier if you have the set up to do it with an electric embedder. I got my start as a 12 year old "bee louse" for a neighbor. Mr Estis had a desk dedicated to frame work the frame board, embedder, little drawers for all the nails and eyelets. I spent many a winter afternoon after school in his shop cleaning frames and getting them ready for spring.

Your right on that. And it needs to be right the first time, no do overs. I make sure the frame is pushed hard to the board then time on the embedder switch is one, two and done.