Newbee help prepping for winter

[beeginner]

I got my first nuc last spring.
They have been building up and I now have one brood box with one super that's about a third capped. I didn't harvest any honey as I wanted them to have it all going into the winter.

I have just finished treating them with apiguard, but now I'm realising I probably should have taken the super off. At the time I didn't think it mattered as I had no plans to harvest that super, but now I'm thinking there might be an issue with apiguard contamination in that super even into next year?

No sure how to rectify this mistake.

I live in Northern Ireland

Any advice appreciated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the super will be fine to use next year, as long as they use all the honey that's there now over the winter, but a whole super for winter stores is a bit excessive.

 

[ericbeaumont]

apiguard contamination in that super

The combs & super will be fine but the honey contaminated. Get them to clear it out: put the super under the BB - called nadiring - and bees will bring it up around the brood nest. Make sure to reduce the hive entrance to one or two bee-spaces if you do this, to enable bees to defend the stores easily.

Remove the empty box in early spring and use as usual.

How heavy is the whole hive? Lift the floor an inch at the back with one hand.

 

[beeginner]

The combs & super will be fine but the honey contaminated. Get them to clear it out: put the super under the BB - called nadiring - and bees will bring it up around the brood nest. Make sure to reduce the hive entrance to one or two bee-spaces if you do this, to enable bees to defend the stores easily.

Remove the empty box in early spring and use as usual.

How heavy is the whole hive? Lift the floor an inch at the back with one hand.

I am just in work now but will lift it in a few hours and get back to you.

How heavy would it need to be?

 

[ericbeaumont]

How heavy would it need to be?

Winter weight: it would be difficult to lift under the back of the floor with 4 fingers. Should feel nailed down.

Ivy or HB may be coming in and if it is, wait a week or so and check again.

Don't switch off because it's up to weight, because a warm November & December may see brooding continue and stores deplete.

Usual rapid decline in stores is early spring when laying starts in earnest, and that is the time to heft weekly and add fondant as necessary.

On the other hand, if in spring there are plenty of unused winter stores on board and no space to lay, you may need to remove a frame occasionally and replace with drawn comb or foundation.

In other words, there's no fixed recipe and you must read & respond to the colony weight, the income and the weather.

 

[beeginner]

Winter weight: it would be difficult to lift under the back of the floor with 4 fingers. Should feel nailed down.

Ivy or HB may be coming in and if it is, wait a week or so and check again.

Don't switch off because it's up to weight, because a warm November & December may see brooding continue and stores deplete.

Usual rapid decline in stores is early spring when laying starts in earnest, and that is the time to heft weekly and add fondant as necessary.

On the other hand, if in spring there are plenty of unused winter stores on board and no space to lay, you may need to remove a frame occasionally and replace with drawn comb or foundation.

In other words, there's no fixed recipe and you must read & respond to the colony weight, the income and the weather.

So I was able to lift it with 4 fingers, it wasn't impossible and required an effort. My feeling is it might be a bit light.

We have ivy all around the garden that's flowering.

Feed 1 to 1 syrup or leave it?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Feed 1 to 1 syrup

2:1 at this time of the year, nadir the super and wait a week or two before thinking of feeding

 

[beeginner]

2:1 at this time of the year, nadir the super and wait a week or two before thinking of feeding

Thank you.

And when the super is empty take it away and let them overwinter in a one brood box hive?

 

[ericbeaumont]

ivy all around the garden

Nice, although to make a weight difference bees will fly a mile and more to get it.

 

[ericbeaumont]

when the super is empty take it away?

You can do, or leave until spring.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And when the super is empty take it away and let them overwinter in a one brood box hive?

personally, I would leave it underneath, acts as a baffle against draughts, and if they are piling in the stoes it gives them space to move down to whilst they organise the winter nest

 

[user 819]

My hefting method is with three or two fingers, if it easily lifts with two then they are light. I heft with the roof off as I don't use pol roofs but insulated wooden ones on top of an insulated crownboard/eke.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I heft with the roof off

it doesn't really matter - as long as you are consistent

 

[user 6228]

25mm + Kingspan above the crownboard?

 

[ericbeaumont]

25mm + Kingspan above the crownboard?

25? Go for a 100!

 

[Garry R]

Cheaper still is 2 roof size squares of 25mm polystyrene stuck together with a few blobs of gorilla glue cut from a big sheet at about £12 from wickes and cover one side with tinfoil for reflection of heat using non solvent spray, A sheet makes loads of them. Pop it in the roof with foil to the crownboard side. Works a treat. I leave them in all year round stuck to the roof. Helps the bees no end and saves on stores.

 

[user 819]

it doesn't really matter - as long as you are consistent

For me it makes hefting a tad lighter, but yes consistency in the method used is required to make judgements.

 

[user 6228]

25? Go for a 100!

if you like but the top 75mm wont be giving much benefit

 

[beeginner]

Fab. I have that done.

My floor is solid at the moment, that's how my hive came. Should I be going into winter with an open mesh floor?

 

[pargyle]

Fab. I have that done.

My floor is solid at the moment, that's how my hive came. Should I be going into winter with an open mesh floor?

At this stage I would not be changing floors ... as long as the top of the hive is sealed to prevent through draughts it won't make any difference whether you are using solid floors or open mesh ones.

What you don't want is an open mesh floor and gaping holes in the crownboard and ventilation in the roof.