Ovwrwintered Capped Syrup Stores in National Brood Box

[DonkeyDonz]

A quick enquiry re correct stores required to overwinter a summer nuc recieved, now housed in a 11 frame national brood box.

I have been feeding with Invertebee syrup for the last month, they have on inspection yesterday, 6.5 capped frames of stores and intermittent brood over 3-4 frames amounting to 2 frames of brood.

Yesterday, I added an eke above the brood box (in preparation for additional fondant over winter) and then placed the rapid feeder (in an empty super) back over this.

Assuming they need 20kg of stores to survive the winter, am I okay carrying on offering syrup until they stop taking it, then adding fondant and removing the rapid feeder until spring?

I calculate they currently have 14.95kg of capped stores, although there is uncapped stores on every frame.

 

[ericbeaumont]

How full is the box with bees? If a nuc is upgraded later in summer but fails to build, perhaps during a nectar dearth when the beekeeper fails to feed, it may be better to downgrade them back to a nuc.

6.5 capped frames of stores

A DN holds about 2.3kg (see link) so yes, you have about 15kg. It's still warm in East Sussex so I'd carry on feeding until they stop, by which time the weight will likely be up to the magic 20kg.

By the way, do not rely on that figure; it is not a scientific amount that will guarantee survival. For example, warm Autumn weather may encourage brood laying (and so stores consumption) perhaps into winter. Easy enough to identify shortage by regular hefting, and to give fondant.

https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/ass...s/Fact_19_Preparing_your_hives_for_winter.pdf