How much stores for Winter?

[Hawklord]

How much stores should a colony have to over Winter? I know it will depend on the size of the colony and the severity of the weather, but is there an equation to give beeks an idea or is it something that can only be gained by experience? There must be a fine line between losing a colony due to lack of food and causing early swarming due to lack of space through over feeding.

 

[gavin]

Ted Hooper says 40-45lb for a colony that uses one National brood box (so we're talking native and near-native types) and 50-60lb for a more vigorous strain. I've overwintered on less, maybe 30lb.

Buy a 12.5kg block of fondant, cut it right across along its length, open out like a book and slap it directly on a the queen excluder (helps stop it slumping between the frames) and you are more or less sorted for the winter.

all the best

Gavin

 

[Finman]

.
First you limit the hive to winter size. No extra space.

The winter cluster will be about size what brood area was in late summer.

Then take extra room off.

Feed the colony full, because they do not cap cells it they are not filled.

 

[Finman]

Ted Hooper says 40-45lb for a colony that uses one National brood box (so we're talking native and near-native types) and 50-60lb for a more vigorous strain. I've overwintered on less, maybe 30lb.
Gavin

It is a huge amount food in your climate. But when you have uninsulated hives, they spend food 50% more than in insulated box.

In Finland we use on average 20 kg sugar and then yard has about half of hives 1 box Langstroth and another part is 2-box hives. With that food they go from September to May.

If the hive has brood, it keeps higher temperature and consumes much compared to hive which has no brooding. A long brooding time is a good reason to spend more sugar.

 

[Hawklord]

.
First you limit the hive to winter size. No extra space.

The winter cluster will be about size what brood area was in late summer.

Then take extra room off.

Feed the colony full, because they do not cap cells it they are not filled.

My brood was 9 frames last week and is now on 6, the empty frames are not being re-laid but being filled with honey. So Finman are you saying that I should remove frames and reduce to 9 frames?

How much stores does 1 brood frame hold? How much stores does a frame of bees need for Winter?

 

[gavin]

I think that Finman was suggesting that any unused supers should be taken off.

One National deep holds about 5lb of stores. I'd leave them all in.

G.

 

[Finman]

My brood was 9 frames last week ?

It is about one box full. Don't take frames away.

But if we look grudely the hives.

One had 15 frames of brood a while ago . It needs 2 boxes.

One had 8 frames, it needs one box.

Even if they had 5 boxes in summer.


If a nuc had 5 frames, it is good over winter in half box.

Folks speak often that they keep super on. What was the start of hive ?
2-3 boxes in summer and same boxes in winter ir how? Bees need only one box in that case.

The heat only escapes to the empty box and moisture condensates in there.'

The heat comes from cluster and it keeps the hive dry

.

.

 

[Finman]

I think that Finman was suggesting that any unused supers should be taken off.

One National deep holds about 5lb of stores. I'd leave them all in.

G.

That is very important.

A langstroth box has about 20 kg dry sugar. It is enough from September to May in Finland.

Full langtroth frame may have 5 lb honey.