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  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: Meredith Friedrick <friema16 AT gmail.com>, Orange County Bees <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Full hive
  • Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2015 14:54:35 -0400

Meredith,

The article <here> talks about feeding and when to stop. The temperature doesn't have anything to do with it. As long as you are using some sort of in-hive feeder, such as a top feeder or division board feeder, the sugar syrup will not freeze in our mild climate due to its density and the residual heat from the cluster.

The articles <here> and <here> give tips for ensuring winter survival. The first article mentions the 3 things that have resulted in zero winter losses for me over the past few years: 1) treat for varroa mites (which you have done), 2) feed generously (which you are doing) and 3) cull weak hives in the fall rather than futilely trying to overwinter them (which it appears that you do not have a need to do). If you do those three things, you are covered -- anything else you do is either 1) icing on the cake (such as installing mouse guards), 2) unnecessary or 3) potentially harmful. Unless you drift into the 3rd category (potentially harmful), you will be fine. The secret there is to Keep It Simple and stick to tried-and-true practices that long-timers use.

Once your hive is heavy from feeding, put your feet up and relax until March, but do lift the hive from the back periodically through the winter to make sure it is still heavy and feed if it isn't.

In answer your specific questions:
"Should I remove some frames from the super and replace with new ones?" This will only help if you have already-drawn comb. Bees will not create wax and draw out foundation this time of year. I wouldn't bother -- let them pack the existing frames with sugar syrup "honey". They will eat enough to create laying space when the queen starts laying again next January.

"what do I do to be sure they stay alive but not terribly prolific?" You are already doing it, as described above. Don't over-think things and don't worry. Unless you have special needs, don't feed pollen in winter -- the bees don't need it until very early spring, and at that point they normally get all they need from maples.

Randall

On 10/15/2015 3:29 PM, Meredith Friedrick wrote:
I am a newbee and this is my first fall preparation for winter.  I inspected my hive today (I have one hive with a deep and a medium.  There are tons of bees and the super is 2/3 full of capped honey.  The deep has everything -- honey, capped brood, open brood and pollen.  To my unexperienced eye, my hive seems healthy (my mentor helped me do the sugar shake about 6 weeks ago and I had very low mite count, I believe 3, but treated the hive with Api Life Var the recommended three times).  My mentor also felt that my hive was healthy.  I have been feeding with sugar water for about 8 weeks now and will continue to feed until the temps go down to freezing.  
OK, that said, how should I make sure my bees have enough room (without too much room) to continue to store sugar water/honey for the winter.  Should I remove some frames from the super and replace with new ones?  If so, how many should I do at a time?
After the last OCBA meeting and the discussion about feeding pollen, etc., I came away a little confused.  If I don't want to encourage lots of brood through the winter, what do I do to be sure they stay alive but not terribly prolific?
I also plan to make and use a quilt box.

Thanks for any advice.

Meredith Friedrick


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  • [ocba] Full hive, Meredith Friedrick, 10/15/2015
    • Re: [ocba] Full hive, Randall Austin, 10/16/2015

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