good news and a question about planning ahead

[suedavies0117]

my original nuc of bees on 5 frames which came with a unsealed queen cell swarmed and so I ended up with a 2 frame nuc and the original 5 frame nuc both of which were transferred to national brood boxes with feed being given
- a couple of weeks ago there was no brood at all in either hive as the existing brood had hatched weeks ago

last week I saw eggs in the swarmed hive which today has BIAS on one frame and the other frame has stores so I have carried on with the feeder today.

the original hive on 5 frames has one frame of eggs and larvae - no capped brood as yet and three frames of stores

I am happy as this proves both hives are queenright which was a concern up until today

I would like to know if small colonys such as these have a good chance of building up enough strength to go through the winter at this stage in the year or should I be considering possible uniting of the hives in the autumn. I am trying to work out options in advance so I can plan ahead

 

[oliver90owner]

At your altitude, I would be very worried about overwintering.

 

[suedavies0117]

so would you advise combining the colonys to overwinter and if so when should I carry out this procedure?
I plan to insulate the hives with kingspan for the winter and maybe also build a shelter over the hives to give added protection from the wind which can be pretty ferocious here

 

[enrico]

Depends on your location. I would think you will be fine. Depends on forage, how much you feed in autumn, etc etc. I would go for it if they were mine.
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I would think you will be fine.
E

These lowlanders - they get altitude sickness going up a stepladder!

 

[suedavies0117]

so will the small colony sizes be up to viable size by autumn if I keep a close eye on their stores and feed as necessary over the next couple of months?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

so will the small colony sizes be up to viable size by autumn if I keep a close eye on their stores and feed as necessary over the next couple of months?

Yes - you probably won't need to feed until autumn. The original hive has ample stores for now and should be bringing in more with this flow on even though they will now have nursing duties. How much stores in the other?
You should start to see them 'take off' in about three weeks.

I have two nucs with newly mated queens in at Brynmair at the moment - I expect them to go through winter in full hives (even a chance of them being supered before the end of the summer). Okay, a few hundred feet lower than you but out in Lesotho (Ha Makhata) they were keeping bees at 5,000 feet higher than you - no insulation or any nonsense like that and just the stores that they had collected in the (Langstroth) hive.

 

[suedavies0117]

Thanks for the helpful advice, there is only one full frame of stores in the second hive but the bees were drawing out another frame yesterday

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

don't feed them any more now - they will need the space for brooding - at their present size a frame is ample to keep them going until the next inspection

 

[willis944]

Hi Sue,

I'd just see how they build-up over the next few weeks. It can be surprising how quickly a good queen can lay a frame. Still quite early to decide definitely. I like the idea of a 'bee house' or some sort of protection, just remember with the kingspan the hive still needs to breath, so some sort of air flow would be good.

You could always bring them to a lower part of Snowdonia to over winter, because as we know who live here, it's not all mountains and altitude; Oliver. I think he's getting confuse between Snowdonia and Snowdon, but I can't imagine he'd make an assumption about a post and not 'think about it shall we'

As it happens I know where Sue lives and it is a bit high and open to the elements.

Only problem with my lowland apiary last winter was flooding!

Grant

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just remember with the kingspan the hive still needs to breath, so some sort of air flow would be good.

Please, let's not go into the realm of matchsticks, gaping holes in the crown board or vents in the roof - none have a place in modern beekeeping

 

[suedavies0117]

Hi Grant, nice to see someone on here who is part of MBKA and knows the area as well, thanks for the advice, being a new beekeeper is a bit like being a first time mum, panic and over worrying about every little thing, I now have four grown up sons so less panic more OMG moments instead lol

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Four grown up sons - that's your bee shelter sorted!

 

[willis944]

Matchsticks

Please, let's not go into the realm of matchsticks, gaping holes in the crown board or vents in the roof - none have a place in modern beekeeping

Matchsticks: perish the thought!

 

[willis944]

4 sons

Four grown up sons - that's your bee shelter sorted!

And going out in the snow to check the hives

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They can do it when they go out to count the goats

Oes gafr eto!​