Has Winter started Yet ?

[JohnnyD]

Just wondering....I only have one hive, we had a bit of a warm spell until this last week, bees were out foraging, but seemed to have stopped now, its dropping to 4C in the evening now. Is it time to take off all but one super and swap the brood and super round, then fit mouse guard ? Can i just check, i do take the queen excluder out when i swap the brood/super round? and is leaving 1 super on enough ?

Thanks

JD

 

[enrico]

Yes yes yes QE off !one super is plenty, the brood is plenty provided it is full! Just because there is a box doesn't mean there are stores in it!
E

 

[REDWOOD]

Just wondering....I only have one hive, we had a bit of a warm spell until this last week, bees were out foraging, but seemed to have stopped now, its dropping to 4C in the evening now. Is it time to take off all but one super and swap the brood and super round, then fit mouse guard ? Can i just check, i do take the queen excluder out when i swap the brood/super round? and is leaving 1 super on enough ?

Thanks

JD

Hi, one full super is not enough on it's own, you need to remove all empty supers and heft the hive. It's a bit late for syrup feeding now so if hive feels low on stores then feed fondant. Do not disturb brood this late in the year as it can do more harm than good. I'm glad you removed the queen excluder

 

[enrico]

Hi, one full super is not enough on it's own, you need to remove all empty supers and heft the hive. It's a bit late for syrup feeding now so if hive feels low on stores then feed fondant. Do not disturb brood this late in the year as it can do more harm than good. I'm glad you removed the queen excluder

I differ, one full super is plenty as long as there are stores in the bb and why wouldn't there be!
E

 

[JohnnyD]

I am about to do all this today as it is sunny So i have to disturb the brood and remove the queen excluder, should i have done it earlier? They were still foraging 2 weeks ago in our indian summer ?

JD

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am about to do all this today as it is sunny So i have to disturb the brood and remove the queen excluder, should i have done it earlier? They were still foraging 2 weeks ago in our indian summer ?

JD

I would have done it earlier - queen excluders came off with me a month or so ago - once you have taken off your harvest you should then start thinking about winter. Get your Apiguard done then put the super with stores on underneath the brood box and take the rest away (should have gone pre Apiguard) so that they can re-arrange the stores to suit themselves and feed if required. - bit late for feed now but if you have a super full of stores that should be plenty.

 

[drstitson]

"Is it time to take off all but one super "

about two and a half months late in my book!!!!

what did you treat for varroa with, when and what hive format at that time?

likewise QE off once all supers for harvesting removed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have supers under and they were moved six weeks ago, post MAQS but before feeding.
As for winter .........ask the wasps!!
They are around in small numbers early in the morning even at 4/5 degrees and just walk into the reduced two bee space entrances. Some do get out satiated as I see them fly off rather than try to regain entry. When the hive becomes more active such as in today's sunshine they are seen off.
Next year my traps will be out from July to end December!

 

[sharonh]

You have left this all very late.
I know we had good weather ( Indian summer) and bees were busy. Would have been a better idea to have done it with good weather.
Why don't you just take of Q excluder, and leave super above brood now.
Now that the bees are getting quiet and less active, you will disturb them by all you suggest.
Unsealing brood box from floor etc, when bees have all sealed up for the winter.
Take of Q excluder, leave super above. Put your mouse guard on and insulation, then leave well enough alone unless they need fondant.
Sharon

 

[Heather]

You have left this all very late.
I know we had good weather ( Indian summer) and bees were busy. Would have been a better idea to have done it with good weather.
Why don't you just take of Q excluder, and leave super above brood now.
Now that the bees are getting quiet and less active, you will disturb them by all you suggest.
Unsealing brood box from floor etc, when bees have all sealed up for the winter.
Take of Q excluder, leave super above. Put your mouse guard on and insulation, then leave well enough alone unless they need fondant.
Sharon

Totally agree.. far too late. Bees have already sealed boxes to insulate for the winter and you are about to break down all that work messing them about.
Best of bad job - QE off put back together and leave. Next year , reboot the hive to winter configuration in Sept. Mouseguard on- do during the day as a mouse may already have investigated, but less likely to be there if bees active.
Good luck and maybe spend winter doing a bit of reading.

 

[BILL.HEARD]

I think you need to be more in tune with the various seasons and the requirements of a bee colony at any given time, this all takes time to learn but you can get a lot of information from reading some good Bee Books.

 

[peteinwilts]

whether there is enough food or not in only a super is relative to the number of bees in the hive.

I performed a couple of three way splits this year in Supers as I did last year.
Due to crappy weather in August, despite gentle feeding they never went up to the brood box.

Last year the colony's were quite happy in their supers over winter and had a good amount of stores, although had to supplement their feeding in April.

We in the western end of the M4 corridor seem to be in a bit of a microclimate thanks to the warm winds blowing up the Bristol channel and I often perform tasks a lot later than others.
Apart from the very large colony's overwintering in a B+1/2, my supers came off when medication started in mid September.

Did you medicate? if so, keep any stored honey and give it back to the bees when\if you split of have NUC's.

If you are not sure how much food is enough food, PM me and I am happy to pop by. I am just on the other side of the motorway and pass through Chippenham twice a day.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

whether there is enough food or not in only a super is relative to the number of bees in the hive.

I performed a couple of three way splits this year in Supers as I did last year.
Due to crappy weather in August, despite gentle feeding they never went up to the brood box.

Last year the colony's were quite happy in their supers over winter and had a good amount of stores, although had to supplement their feeding in April.

We in the western end of the M4 corridor seem to be in a bit of a microclimate thanks to the warm winds blowing up the Bristol channel and I often perform tasks a lot later than others.
Apart from the very large colony's overwintering in a B+1/2, my supers came off when medication started in mid September.

Did you medicate? if so, keep any stored honey and give it back to the bees when\if you split of have NUC's.

If you are not sure how much food is enough food, PM me and I am happy to pop by. I am just on the other side of the motorway and pass through Chippenham twice a day.

Pete: as a newbie I appreciate your constructive and helpful posture towards the OP and fellow-micro-climateer. We are a bit the same in London UNTIL the high-pressure Easterlies. Then we cop it, but no sign yet.

 

[peteinwilts]

Pete: as a newbie I appreciate your constructive and helpful posture towards the OP and fellow-micro-climateer. We are a bit the same in London UNTIL the high-pressure Easterlies. Then we cop it, but no sign yet.

all good plans have a backup plan.

if the meds don't work because it is too cold, the oxalic will get them

if they don't take syrup because it is too cold, then they can nosh on fondant all winter

I wish the easterles would come to allow the bees to bed down for the winter. These mild November\Decembers do no good, particularly if there is a late spring