over-wintering

[seaninis]

good morning.. i live in the Highlands and have been a regular check on my hive. there seems to be little activity now (they are not by the exit and they are not taking much syrup). i am reluctant to remove the frames and examine what is the best thing to do?? Sean

 

[user 6228]

Keep the wind off the hive and then leave them alone...

one of the hardest things to learn when you start is

when to do nothing

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

good morning.. i live in the Highlands and have been a regular check on my hive. there seems to be little activity now (they are not by the exit and they are not taking much syrup). i am reluctant to remove the frames and examine what is the best thing to do?? Sean

You should have taken the syrup off a long time ago - especially where you are. If you think they still need feeding, just give them a lump of fondant.
Bees will be 'inactive' at this time of year, it's what they do - left alone they will just sit in their cluster with only the odd foray to dump their guts.
The worst thing you can do now is get in there and clatter around in the hive.
As per Derek - just leave them alone and they should be fine.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

good morning.. i live in the Highlands and have been a regular check on my hive. there seems to be little activity now (they are not by the exit and they are not taking much syrup). i am reluctant to remove the frames and examine what is the best thing to do?? Sean

It's been an unusually warm winter so far but in the normal scheme of things syrup feeding should have been completed before about the end of October (subject to various caveats). When the weather becomes colder the bees struggle to evaporate the water in the syrup so they can store it in combs for overwintering food.
If the hives are becoming light, indicating a significant lack of stores to carry the colony through to the spring expansion when forage becomes available then you could apply fondant on top of the frames or above the hole in a feeder board.
Your reluctance to open the frames or otherwise disturb the cluster is correct. Leave them alone until springtime inspections are required.
Experienced beekeepers may occasionally consider a need to look into a colony but I suggest you may not fit into that category based on your posting, so I reiterate my advice to leave the colony intact until spring.

 

[For want of a better word]

The worst thing you can do now is get in there and clatter around in the hive.

Possibly the biggest mistake any new beekeeper can make... at any time of the year!

Take off the rapid feeder if that is what you have the syrup in.. cover the feed hole with a tile/slate... and fit a 100mm block of Celotex/Kingspan on top of the quilt/crownboard.
If you have a Miller of Ashforth feeder on... just put the insulation on top!

And Good Luck !

Yeghes da

 

[Honeybeeco]

Keep the wind off the hive and then leave them alone...

one of the hardest things to learn when you start is

when to do nothing

 

[BrianO]

Hi Sean

All excellent advice, only thing would add, would have your inspection tray in to protect from wind, especially given your location.

Also hav youtreated for Varroa ? With what , When ?