How about bees?

[smwon]

I would like to have bees, but the few I have talked to says you can't have honeybee's in Alaska. Is this true or no? If it is, is there anyway to make it ok to have them? Like insulating or putting them in a protective place.

Linda

[smwon]

Nobody have anything to tell about bees?

[Jenny]

I remember when you posted this. I was going to reply but didnt' get around to it. Thanks for the reminder.

First, let me say that we have NEVER had bees, but we'd like to someday. I'm only telling our ideas and the feedback we've gtten from folks who have raised them.

Our idea was to build sort of a little cache for them, only it would have some kind of windows that could let them come and go. We have so many bears in our area (grizzlies and black bears) that having them up high may keep the bears and other critters out. Most folks here don't winter them, and say it's too much trouble. Here's where the different advice comes in. A fellow in South Dakota told us bees don't need to fly during the winter, and that the temperature just has to stay above freezing (can't remember the exact temperature ---maybe around 35 or so?) He keeps his bees over the winter in a back room of his house that stays cold, but well above freezing. Don't know the details, but he supplies sugar or whatever they need to eat, but does not provide a way for them to fly in the winter. When the outside temps start to warm, he takes the hives outside and gets going. He suggested we keep the hives under our house (we're on a hill and have lots of room under one end), and just put blue insulation around them. Other folks have said the same about the temps, but that they must be able to fly during the winter, at least once every 2 weeks. If we got bees, the problem with getting more every spring is that everyone says they're delivered in April/May. That's during break-up and planes can't safely land on the lake, so that's out for us. A couple of folks we've talked to think we could probably do it. They just don't bother with it since it's so easy for them to get new bees every year.

So, that's all I have on the subject. I'd like to talk to folks up here, too, who keep them all winter.

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[smwon]

Thanks for the reply Jenny. That was very enlightening. Sounds like a pain in the neck to keep bees but it would be worth it I think so a person didn't have to buy honey or sugar. If I had to buy the bees every year that that would defeat my purpose, I want to be as self-sufficient as possible.

[Freeholdfarm]

My beekeeping experience is in New Hampshire, which has pretty severe winters, but they are shorter than most areas of Alaska. My ex has had up to twenty hives there, and we have sold quite a bit of honey and used to make hand-dipped candles by the hundreds to sell, also. We had also heard that beekeepers in Alaska were killing their bees in the fall, and replacing them in the spring. However, if they could be kept in a cellar or some other protected area through the winter, I think they would make it. You would need to feed the hive some sugar water. My husband fed his hives in the winter even in NH. Also, while they may not NEED to fly in the winter, if you get a day where the temps are above forty degrees and it's nice out, they *should* be allowed to fly if at all possible, because they need to cleanse (go to the bathroom). There wouldn't have been much chance of being able to do this where we were living, in Tok, but those of you who are closer to the coast might have some days that were nice enough.

Kathleen

[Washkeeton]

My neighbors have hives. I havent ever asked them how they do. They have 2. I have heard a lot of owners here let their hives die in the winter and start new in the summer. To expensive to feed through out the winters. Dont know. When the State Fair comes around again this year I will make it a point to get bee raising information for Ak.

[smwon]

That would be nice Wash... more information the better, I say! ;D

[Terri]

My, has it really been so long since I visited here?

Ah, well.

According to a book I read, the reason so many Northern folk buy packages every year is because it takes so much honey to winter a hive over. Also, the winter losses can be severe.

Lets see, if it takes 100 pounds of honey to winter a hive, and honey right now is going for $4 a pound, and half of the hives will be lost anyways.......See the problem?

Now, bees can winter over well with cold snaps of -10 Fareinheight (The normal winter low in Kansas, usually a 10% loss of hives), but you folks have temps that I cannot give advice on.

I do know that some Northeners wrap their hives making sure there is ventilation both top and bottom, and in my personal opinion anything like bales of hay, a lean-to againdst the house, or whatever would be helpfull. But I cannot say.

www.beesource.com probably has Northern beekeepers on it, and it is the best site I have found so far.

I have had 3 hives for almost a year, now. I had 4 last Fall, but mice got in one before I got hardware cloth on to keep them out. I lost my best hive that way!

[Washkeeton]

Of all things Linda, we went to pick up a new sled for my DD and the folks that are taking the guys dogs, raise bees. Better yet they live less than a mile from me. I hopefully will see them and be able to ask them what they do with their hives. Have offered to teach dog mushing as much as possible to them. As well as have offered to teach to make lines for mushing. Hopefully they will teach me about bees. They also have the goats you are interested in. Just thought you would like to know.

[Freeholdfarm]

My ex doesn't feed honey to his hives in the winter, he feeds sugar syrup. That's a lot cheaper than feeding honey back to them, though he does leave some honey in the supers in the fall. He also saves some pollen during the summer and feeds that back to them in the spring.

Kathleen

[spirit]

What about the problems of mites .Here we have a big problem with mites wipeing out our colonies.We have to use different types of antiobotics to keep them stong.Making and mixing their meds sometimes can be costly. We have no wild bees left.Only bees that have swarmed from a keepers bee boxes.Also wasp are invaders to bees.I had read that the insect populations was high in Akaska to feed the wild birds,ect. Spirit

[1withNature]

My first thought is what do the honey bees do in the wild? Are there wild honey bees in AK? If so, do they survive on their own or do they migrate? If they stay and survive on their own without humans providing for them, then I'm certain a domesticated hive can be kept without great amounts of maintenance.

A friend of mine just started two hives. He belongs to a bee keeper's association. Granted he's not in AK, he lives in Ohio like me, but the information may still be useful. I'll get back as soon as I can with some info.

[salmonberry]

Freeholdfarm,

How does your ex feed the sugar syrup to the bees?

smwon,

Plenty of people around here do keep bees. I've heard on Kenai Pennisula, where its warmer, there is actually a bee keeper's club. I have to imagine that these people are keeping some of their bees over winter, but it does seem to be a crap shoot.

Salmonberry

[Freeholdfarm]

It's been quite a while since I checked in here, sorry!

My ex uses a couple of different things for feeding sugar syrup in the winter. He bought a few feeders specially made for the job -- you'd have to look in a catalog of beekeeping equipment. But he's also used quart jars with a *tiny* hole poked in the lid, then turn the jar upside down inside part of the hive. The bees collect the syrup as it oozes out. I don't know if I'd try that where it was cold enough to freeze the syrup (put more sugar in it, so it wouldn't freeze?).

There aren't any wild honeybees in Alaska, at least not anyplace where I've lived. There are lots of yellowjackets and bumblebees. And I think some other bees, as well.

It would be worth experimenting a bit with a few hives, I think.

Kathleen