trevort
New Bee
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2011
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Norfolk UK
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 4
I wonder does anyone share my concerns re closing down for the winter?
That is, by now most would have expected much cooler conditions, all strapped up, fed and roll on spring!
Thus far I have put 2 brood boxes together expecting to be able to close down to 1 brood box with a super of honey on top.
The combined colonies remain huge, to close them into 1 box would be the wrong thing to do me thinks.
The fly in the ointment as I see it, is as winter creeps on and the colony diminishes in size are 2 brood boxes going to be too much space to keep warm?
Up to now keeping down to one box for winter has not been a problem, I suspect colony size this year for everyone has been noticeably different, ie remaining at high numbers.
I would be interested to hear peoples views on this and what they have done in this and previous years as we approach winter.
Its currently 18 degrees and blazing sunshine in Norfolk!
That is, by now most would have expected much cooler conditions, all strapped up, fed and roll on spring!
Thus far I have put 2 brood boxes together expecting to be able to close down to 1 brood box with a super of honey on top.
The combined colonies remain huge, to close them into 1 box would be the wrong thing to do me thinks.
The fly in the ointment as I see it, is as winter creeps on and the colony diminishes in size are 2 brood boxes going to be too much space to keep warm?
Up to now keeping down to one box for winter has not been a problem, I suspect colony size this year for everyone has been noticeably different, ie remaining at high numbers.
I would be interested to hear peoples views on this and what they have done in this and previous years as we approach winter.
Its currently 18 degrees and blazing sunshine in Norfolk!