more winter preparations

[mocko]

Hi All,

I had a few question I'm wondering if you can assist me with?

1) When placing my mouse guards, do I remove the whole entrance block? when approximately do they need removing

2) I have been feeding 2 of my colonies (4 and 5 frame NUCs to full brood box in July) 2:1 feed for the past month. One of the colonies has 6 and 1/2 fully capped brood frames and the other has 7 and 1/2 fully capped frames.

How many frames will be required to get these lot through winter? The silly queen is still making drones but the brood nest is much more contracted as you'd expect but these are italian/greek cross bees after all!

3) Do I need to insulate above the crownboard over winter? if so then what should I use?

Many thanks in advance

Andy

 

[region2]

1. yes | spring
2. dunno
3. I do - 1" Celotex in the roof all year 'round

R2

 

[Hairy Beaver]

1. yes | spring
2. dunno
3. I do - 1" Celotex in the roof all year 'round

R2

Could you use the celotex with a 4" roof?

cheers

 

[region2]

Mine are standard 4" roofs - I cut the Celotex to fit in the roof against the top with small cutouts for the 2 vents - foil reflects heat in/out as necessary and stops interstitial condensation (that's condensation that forms in a material when the dew point is reached - eg. half way through fibreglass quilt...).

R2

 

[Flatters]

Mocko what mouse guards are you going to use? If they are the metal ones with punched holes then if the bees are still bringing in ivy pollen they will lose a lot using these guards. Same in spring when they start to forage.

I use a wooden entrance block but nail panel pins in every 8mm. There seems to be less lost pollen with this.

50mm Kingspan insulation. Cut out section in middle to top up fondant. The section that is cut out fits back in to insulate.

 

[mystil]

At our local association apairy, they leave 3/4 of a full block in (leaving a little gap at the side of the entrance) and the hole left they cut one of the mouse guard strips to fit.

Personally Im not sure I want to completely leave the entrance open over winter with just a mouse guard on due to the cold as they are on OMF.

 

[itma]

...
I use a wooden entrance block but nail panel pins in every 8mm. There seems to be less lost pollen with this.
...

Is there a method of keeping the spacing even that would make this easier for those as ham-fisted (and untrained and inexperienced) as I am when it comes to carpentry?

 

[Cazza]

Personally Im not sure I want to completely leave the entrance open over winter with just a mouse guard on due to the cold as they are on OMF.

I think you are worrying unduly. The bees come to no harm in cold weather.
Cazza

 

[oliver90owner]

Is there a method of keeping the spacing even that would make this easier for those as ham-fisted

Drill pilot holes first? But if you are ham-fisted with a drill, there is little hope for you!

Having a pillar drill or drill stand would certainly help.

Doing it manumatically: a few tips.

Practise on a piece of batten until your skills improve sufficiently.

Hold the nails with a pair of pliers, rather than your fingers.

If you get them in the right spot they are easily staightened with a pair of pliers.

Draw lines from both sides of the batten, with your finger as a guide for distance; sliding down the side of the wood will get a line parallel to the side, and doing the same from the other side (the same distance) of the batten will make finding the centre-line easy.

Mark positions for nails and use something sharp to make an indent exactly where each nail needs to go.

Using a 'pin driver' may be better than trying to knock them in with a hammer.

Don't try this with a wood that is too hard.

Hope that helps.

Regards, RAB

 

[mocko]

Could anyone answer my question (no 2) please?

So I can leave the entrance block out covering with the mouseguard?

Thanks

Andy

 

[Vergilius]

In answer to number 2, you want to go into winter with a nat box full of stores - so that would be 11 frames. Continue to feed syrup whilst the weather is mild - they will stop consuming the syrup when the box is full. If you run out of time, you can always top 'em up with fondant in mid-winter. But I would imagine that they should be able to fill up the hive easily in time for winter with the weather that we are having.

Hope this helps...

Ben P

 

[Beeline]

Mocko

The answer to your question is yes however, if you are still experiencing a biggish wasp problem as I am (they seem desperate) then, No.

To safeguard against both wasps and mice and have I fixed the mouse guard in front of the entrance reducer, as a temporary measure, until this wasp problem subsides. I've tacked mine on with drawing pins. Hopefully within a few weeks I can take off, remove the entrance block and screw fix mouse guard back on for the winter.

BL

 

[chrismcd]

Mocko
To safeguard against both wasps and mice and have I fixed the mouse guard in front of the entrance reducer, as a temporary measure, until this wasp problem subsides. I've tacked mine on with drawing pins.
BL

Speaking from experience - do not hammer the drawing pins in - use a pusher. Bees really, really do not like hammering round the entrance!

 

[AndreaW]

Speaking from experience - do not hammer the drawing pins in - use a pusher. Bees really, really do not like hammering round the entrance!

What do you mean by a pusher please, I did worry about this.

 

[oliver90owner]

Andrea,

Any thing including a hammer big enough so you dont need to actually hit the drawing pin!

Seriously, I use a file (rasp type) handle, which has a steel ferrule, plus a small neodymium disc magnet (they are really strong magnetically, compared to the older types of alloy) The drawing pin can then be simply positioned on the magnet and pushed in and the device slid away from the drawing pin to easily remove the tool, ready for the next pin. Not many brass drawing pins around these days, most are magnetic.

An alternative is to use the modern plastic/steel pins, but the magnetic tool avoids dropping the drawing pins if wearing gloves.

I never normally use anything other than drawing pins for securing mouse guards.

RAB

 

[Erichalfbee]

2) I have been feeding 2 of my colonies (4 and 5 frame NUCs to full brood box in July) 2:1 feed for the past month. One of the colonies has 6 and 1/2 fully capped brood frames and the other has 7 and 1/2 fully capped frames.

How many frames will be required to get these lot through winter? The silly queen is still making drones but the brood nest is much more contracted as you'd expect but these are italian/greek cross bees after all!



Andy

That seems a lot of brood to me.
7/8 frames of stores for 3/4 frames of brood for winter. Does that sound about right?
In which case if she doesn't slow down and or the winter is a warm one you will have to feed fondant?
I'm sure somebody who knows better will be along soon

Actually do you mean frames of stores or frames of brood?
If stores then that seems OK

 

[mocko]

Eric - thats capped stores sorry! Glad its not brood!!

Andy