Preparing for winter

[Mark Robson]

Hi

I’ve got a 14x12 brood box with a super on it at the moment. Do I take the super off to lessen the available space and if so would that size brood box provide sufficient space for stores to see them through the winter or should I leave the super on? My understanding is they don’t want masses of space going into the winter.

 

[Ian123]

Your 14x12 should provide more than ample food for a colony over winter.
Saying that you will have to monitor and check and feed accordingly. Do not just feed as some do and walk away!
Some colonies will burn through stores late on and this is easy to rectify during the active season.

 

[drex]

Mine appear to be eating away in 3-4 supers. Too busy at mo to consolidate

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Your 14x12 should provide more than ample food for a colony over winter.
Saying that you will have to monitor and check and feed accordingly. Do not just feed as some do and walk away!
Some colonies will burn through stores late on and this is easy to rectify during the active season.

14x12 is ample size for overwintering

 

[enrico]

But wait until winter is closer. Still mid summer

 

[Erichalfbee]

14x12 is ample size for overwintering

Even then it's quite normal for me to pull a frame or two of stores in the spring

 

[Erichalfbee]

Where are you @Mark Robson ?
It would be useful to put your location in your profile
@enrico is in bee paradise where it is still summer and the honey is flowing
I'm in Wales where in common with much of the rest of the UK the season has fallen off a cliff ..... unless you are taking bees to the heather

 

[ericbeaumont]

My understanding is they don’t want masses of space going into the winter

True, so get the bees as strong as you can to match the size of the colony to the box. To do that, treat for varroa soon and if August is a dry nectar month, feed to keep the queen laying.

When I used 14x12 it was never necessary to give stores beyond that one box.

 

[Mark Robson]

Thanks for the advice, very helpful. When I treat for varroa am I right in thinking any honey would only be good for bee consumption? So would it be a good opportunity to take the last of the honey off before doing that and then leave the super off?

 

[Ian123]

Thanks for the advice, very helpful. When I treat for varroa am I right in thinking any honey would only be good for bee consumption? So would it be a good opportunity to take the last of the honey off before doing that and then leave the super off?

Yes….

 

[plain_hunt]

Thanks for the advice, very helpful. When I treat for varroa am I right in thinking any honey would only be good for bee consumption? So would it be a good opportunity to take the last of the honey off before doing that and then leave the super off?

I know everyone says 14x12 is big enough for the bees and stores over winter, but I find with a big colony they don’t have the room to store all they need overwinter, and I always leave a super on, but nadir it, put it under the brood box, and find by the next spring the super is empty with very little stores left in the brood box. I would recommend you look at the size of your brood and bees and judge accordingly.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I always leave a super on, but nadir it, put it under the brood box, and find by the next spring the super is empty

It’s probably empty a week after you put it there.
I used to put honey I couldn’t extract under but always found the outside four frames were too mouldy to save so I try to get the bees to rob the honey down. If they won’t then it’s extracted and fed.

 

[judith.ribenfors]

I've started feeding syrup as very little summer stores. What does anyone do with fondant that has gone hard?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

keep it in a cool/damp place - it will stay soft/soften up again. I have blocks of fondant in the stores that have been there for over five years and they are still soft.

 

[ericbeaumont]

fondant that has gone hard?

As JBM, but also keep it wrapped in the blue film. In fact, to prevent it going hard in the hive over winter, I leave it in the box and saw the block (usually in half) with cardboard and blue film intact, and put the lot on the QX. The box stops it slumping when soft, and bees don't care how it looks.

If all else fails, brief blasts in a microwave will soften it.

 

[judith.ribenfors]

keep it in a cool/damp place - it will stay soft/soften up again. I have blocks of fondant in the stores that have been there for over five years and they are still soft.

Its totally hard now...you reckon it will absorb water from a damp atmosphere? Covered or uncovered?

 

[ericbeaumont]

totally hard now

Alternative is to liquify it in a pan on a slow temp. If you were to unwrap and wait for it to absorb enough to soften naturally, it may be too late to do the job! In which case, buy another for the bees, use this one as a test case and let us know how long it took. Don't let wasps or mice get to it, perhaps put it in a plastic box with a lid that is not airtight.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you reckon it will absorb water from a damp atmosphere

yes, it's hygroscopic

 

[judith.ribenfors]

keep it in a cool/damp place - it will stay soft/soften up again. I have blocks of fondant in the stores that have been there for over five years and they are still soft.

Its totally hard now...you reckon it will absorb water from a damp atmosphere? Covered or uncovered

 

[judith.ribenfors]

Alternative is to liquify it in a pan on a slow temp. If you were to unwrap and wait for it to absorb enough to soften naturally, it may be too late to do the job! In which case, buy another for the bees, use this one as a test case and let us know how long it took. Don't let wasps or mice get to it, perhaps put it in a plastic box with a lid that is not airtight.

I think I'll warm one tubful in the microwave gently, leave another ti absorb moisture under a cake cover and liquify a third in a pan....watch this space!