Autumn feeding regime , KISS please

[Nordicul]

Hi All,

It's twenty years now since i tried and failed to get my first hive through the Winter.
Now I'm facing into that challenge again and would like to succeed this time...so would my girls.

So far I'v nurtured two bought over wintered Nucs through the Spring and Summer challenges...Chalk brood, Varroa, Drought Robbing and building them up.

Biggest hurdle now is the novelty of it all, I'm not sure what they should be looking like going into Winter.

I understand I should have about 40 lbs of stores and to feed them up to that level. When I finished Apiguard treatment 25th August my estimation of their existing stores was approx 20lbs.
This was based on estimating the various fractions of the frame sides with capped honey in it, then adding it all up.....maybe I could find a more accurate way , possibly using a luggage scales?

Similarly how much brood should I expect to have going into winter?

I knew I would have to feed them syrup and have started on this, 2 sugar to 1 water as syrup, they are each just about finishing 5 lbs of sugar syrup. (They had been very slow to start to feed following Apiguard, though they have been busy bringing in pollen and possibly have a nectar source) I had originally thought I would keep feeding until they stopped taking it , however now I've read that there is a danger that the Queen might have no where to lay and there will be insufficient bees to over winter.!

So what is the best regime to get the balance of feeding them up without impacting adversely on the brood.. Continuous feeding or something else?
Should I be regularly inspecting to monitor the balance of stores to brood, and when should I stop opening up to do this?

Nordicul

So much to learn, so many questions.......all answers gratefully received.

 

[Beefriendly]

There is no universal answer.
Each hive is different.
If unsure about queen laying space take a look and see what is currently going on, it will do no harm.
I am currently bringing hives back from the heather, some of the brood boxes are very light, some are very heavy.
I will take a look and assess on a hive by hive basis what feeding may be required.
There is no rush (unless NO stores), it's early days. We haven't even got into autumn yet.

 

[john t]

you can always place a block of fondant on the top bars as insurance , just inspect now and again and top up as required until spring arrives

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

AS important as feeding them in good time, to get your bees through the winter and strong in spring, you need to ensure you knock varroa levels right back to ensure your winter bees produced over the next few months aren't compromised.
Poorly bees are poorly bees however well you feed them.

 

[Beefriendly]

AS important as feeding them in good time, to get your bees through the winter and strong in spring, you need to ensure you knock varroa levels right back to ensure your winter bees produced over the next few months aren't compromised.
Poorly bees are poorly bees however well you feed them.

More important than feeding, but don't neglect it.

 

[Murox]

.................I understand I should have about 40 lbs of stores and to feed them up to that level. When I finished Apiguard treatment 25th August my estimation of their existing stores was approx 20lbs.
This was based on estimating the various fractions of the frame sides with capped honey in it, then adding it all up.....maybe I could find a more accurate way , possibly using a luggage scales?

Similarly how much brood should I expect to have going into winter?

I knew I would have to feed them syrup and have started on this, 2 sugar to 1 water as syrup, they are each just about finishing 5 lbs of sugar syrup. (They had been very slow to start to feed following Apiguard, though they have been busy bringing in pollen and possibly have a nectar source) I had originally thought I would keep feeding until they stopped taking it , however now I've read that there is a danger that the Queen might have no where to lay and there will be insufficient bees to over winter.!

So what is the best regime to get the balance of feeding them up without impacting adversely on the brood.. Continuous feeding or something else?
Should I be regularly inspecting to monitor the balance of stores to brood, and when should I stop opening up to do this?
.

Read through this thread as well
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43073

 

[Nordicul]

Hi All,

Thanks for all advice and pointers, and I am beginning to realise that there is no one answer fits all, however I think I'm on the right track.

Both hives had been fully treated for varroa ( months course apiguard) and I'm not seeing any drop now.

I have tried to get a much more accurate estimation of existing stores by using the luggage scale technique. Weighing brood box ,plus contents ,plus crown board ,plus bottom board ...deducting the separate weights of each..... Left with stores weights only. Presently today these are 13.35kg (29.43lbs) and. 14.3kg (31.5lbs)

Today both were Q right have bias , though not a lot, avg. 2-3 frames...(Q's had been slow to start laying following Apiguard) There is space though hard to quantify among the nectar/syrup filled cells and capped honey. Frames had good covering of bees and are pulling in a lot of pollen.

So now with a more accurate weighing setup should I continue to feed up to 40lbs?
Do I need to keep opening them up to inspect, if not when should I stop?

Again all answers gratefully received.

Tia Nordicul

 

[deemann1]

The ivy flow is here they will finish the stores themselves
You can always add some fondant later on for reassurance

 

[Beefriendly]

The ivy flow is here they will finish the stores themselves
You can always add some fondant later on for reassurance

And when you have no ivy flow?
Like the area where I live.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And when you have no ivy flow?
Like the area where I live.

Let them eat cake

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[Beefriendly]

Let them eat cake

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

yeah, I'll put out the skeleton frames after I've done my heather honey extraction...should be mayhem