how much is enough??

[beesleybees]

hi guys,

still being a relatively new beek, im unsure what the ideal situation is with regard to stores for the winter

All my hives a nationals. I still ahve a few hives bring in the last of the HB but once this has finished, i intend to let them keep the ivy that is beginning to flower

now, if i take the supers off some of my hives so that they begin storing stores in the broodbox, Im worried there too many bees for just a brood box alone. Can anyone clarify whats should be done here?

In a single national broodbox, what am i looking at as the best senario for stores to get bees through winter. Should all 11 frames contain 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 stores on each frame?

also, i know that overfeeding a colony can cause issues with the queen not being able to lay fully. so how much space do i need to leave for here to lay

i dont think ive explained myself properly here but basically i want to know how i know the bess have got enough stores and that the queen has got enough room to lay

 

[Finman]

.
You have 10 hives. You should allready know these questions.

First you should reduce the wintering space so that bees are like porriage in the box.
After that you tart to feed.

Winter cluster will be ame ssize as brood area which produced winter bees.

 

[enrico]

The queen will go off lay now, they will reduce bee population to the correct amount for winter. They/you need to get the bb filled with stores. That simple, leave it too late and stores will be in the wrong place, syrup will have too much water left, bees will have too much space to keep warm. Etc. etc.
E

 

[Hawklord]

The night time temps have certainly started to come down to single figures so will be taking supers off on the next fine day. At which point I'll calculate how much stores in they brood box and how many empty frames. I will then place an empty super under the brood box, just in case they need more room, they can then build comb on the bottoms of the frames. Next I'll put the empty feeder on and return at night to feed. I'll be making sure they have 35lb of stores each.