Solid floors
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Entrance block in then mouse guard (really depends on colony strength.)
John Wilkinson
Finman
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Last winter temp was in south finland -5c or higher. Snow was about 15 cm.
Last winter temp was in south finland -5c or higher. Snow was about 15 cm.
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Wasps are very active in my area and I've had to reduce the entrance as they were dodging in passed the guards.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Ventilation without draughts (air-flow).
If the moisture of metabolism cannot escape (or be cleared from the hive) it will be a potential killer. It will cause the area to be damp (and colder), encourage the development of fungal spores (mould growth) and other nasties in the 'closed' environment.
Any excess air movement beyond the necessary amount will have a negative effect on hive temperature.
Yes, it is a balancing act. Finman relies on his bees for an income; most of us do not. In that context, I would prefer my bees to consume a little more stores than the minimum possible, while remaining healthy (and alive, even). For some of us a single colony loss can represent a high percentage loss - quite a lot this year would experience a 100% failure rate if they were to lose one colony. It will happen. Of this there is no doubt, and they old advice of starting with two colonies will be remembered for the future. We all hope that those unfortunate individuals will persevere and learn from their experience and continue successfully into the years to come.
There is no single magical formula to ensure bees survive the winter. If there were, there would be no wintering losses. Problems can arise from warmth (or cold), stores, disease, weather, etc. All we can do is try our hardest with what we are going into winter with. Keeping the bees warm, dry, well fed and healthy are the factors we can arrange before winter. The rest is up to the bees; hopefully they will survive and expand (with a little help from us) at just the right time for the first main flow of next season.
There is a wide range in what is needed each winter - it depends on so many variables. Type of hive, strength of colony, stores, geographical and topographical location, health, length and severity of winter, early forage opportunities, late 'cold snaps' early next spring are the main ones.
So it all comes down to strong, healthy colonies in well insulated hives with adequate ventilation. Ymmv in all, or some, of the above. There is some lattitude allowable and the bees will survive. The best bet is to see what works with a range of beeks in your immediate area and follow the best practice.
If, in those circumstances you (or your bees) fail, you are very likely to be assisted, by those whose advice you followed, in starting again if you are a one-hive beek.
Regards, RAB
If the moisture of metabolism cannot escape (or be cleared from the hive) it will be a potential killer. It will cause the area to be damp (and colder), encourage the development of fungal spores (mould growth) and other nasties in the 'closed' environment.
Any excess air movement beyond the necessary amount will have a negative effect on hive temperature.
Yes, it is a balancing act. Finman relies on his bees for an income; most of us do not. In that context, I would prefer my bees to consume a little more stores than the minimum possible, while remaining healthy (and alive, even). For some of us a single colony loss can represent a high percentage loss - quite a lot this year would experience a 100% failure rate if they were to lose one colony. It will happen. Of this there is no doubt, and they old advice of starting with two colonies will be remembered for the future. We all hope that those unfortunate individuals will persevere and learn from their experience and continue successfully into the years to come.
There is no single magical formula to ensure bees survive the winter. If there were, there would be no wintering losses. Problems can arise from warmth (or cold), stores, disease, weather, etc. All we can do is try our hardest with what we are going into winter with. Keeping the bees warm, dry, well fed and healthy are the factors we can arrange before winter. The rest is up to the bees; hopefully they will survive and expand (with a little help from us) at just the right time for the first main flow of next season.
There is a wide range in what is needed each winter - it depends on so many variables. Type of hive, strength of colony, stores, geographical and topographical location, health, length and severity of winter, early forage opportunities, late 'cold snaps' early next spring are the main ones.
So it all comes down to strong, healthy colonies in well insulated hives with adequate ventilation. Ymmv in all, or some, of the above. There is some lattitude allowable and the bees will survive. The best bet is to see what works with a range of beeks in your immediate area and follow the best practice.
If, in those circumstances you (or your bees) fail, you are very likely to be assisted, by those whose advice you followed, in starting again if you are a one-hive beek.
Regards, RAB
Finman
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Oliver, i do not understand your altenatives. Income or healty hives? do you mean that with 47 years experience i cannot handle wintering and ventilation. Heh!
.
what i have read this forum, many hives are far from healty. One basic is that don't keep too small colonies and don't split colony in spring.
Oliver, i do not understand your altenatives. Income or healty hives? do you mean that with 47 years experience i cannot handle wintering and ventilation. Heh!
.
what i have read this forum, many hives are far from healty. One basic is that don't keep too small colonies and don't split colony in spring.
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My post was to answer a specific question ,as to how these two (experimental colonies) were handled
.John Wilkinson
Finman,
Sorry if I was ambiguous but I was not saying anything other than you look at these things more closely than me. You are more careful that your bees do not consume too much of your resources - money! I was not inferring your bees would not be healthy, just that it is more important that you minimise the stores consumed (while maintaining health). I can be a little less caring about the situation - but only as long as I err on the right side for the bees - too much stores rather than too little. I know that I harvest less than the maximum amount of honey that I could do. I do not care that I operate less efficiently than you, but like you I do care about my bees. Without bees there will be no surplus next year. Things would change if I were to become a bee-farmer!
Re the strong colonies going into winter - I did not want to pursue that avenue with so many around that have no choice as to the strength of their colonies (or colony). I am in complete agreement with you and I greatly respect your knowledge and experience.
I suffered in just my second year, trying to expand too quickly, and lost colonies due to insufficient strength (wasps and winter losses). I learned from that mistake and will not repeat it. With several years experience now, I am confident to take nucs through the winter, something I would not recommend to a first year beek.
I think of you (first) as the commercial beekeeper on this forum (apologies now to the others!!!). I was simply comparing commercial with hobby beekeeping. Again, sorry for any ambiguity.
Regards, RAB
Sorry if I was ambiguous but I was not saying anything other than you look at these things more closely than me. You are more careful that your bees do not consume too much of your resources - money! I was not inferring your bees would not be healthy, just that it is more important that you minimise the stores consumed (while maintaining health). I can be a little less caring about the situation - but only as long as I err on the right side for the bees - too much stores rather than too little. I know that I harvest less than the maximum amount of honey that I could do. I do not care that I operate less efficiently than you, but like you I do care about my bees. Without bees there will be no surplus next year. Things would change if I were to become a bee-farmer!
Re the strong colonies going into winter - I did not want to pursue that avenue with so many around that have no choice as to the strength of their colonies (or colony). I am in complete agreement with you and I greatly respect your knowledge and experience.
I suffered in just my second year, trying to expand too quickly, and lost colonies due to insufficient strength (wasps and winter losses). I learned from that mistake and will not repeat it. With several years experience now, I am confident to take nucs through the winter, something I would not recommend to a first year beek.
I think of you (first) as the commercial beekeeper on this forum (apologies now to the others!!!). I was simply comparing commercial with hobby beekeeping. Again, sorry for any ambiguity.
Regards, RAB
Finman
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Ok!
Ì have about 20 hives and it is a hobby.
But i want to be a good beekeeper and i measure my succes with honey yield. It is a challenge every year. Otherwise i woud be tired to beekeeping 30 years ago.
the most difficult in beekeeping is to find slended pastures after these years. Hive furnitures are such that i can move hives alone.
i have big hives and it makes swarming a nuisance. But to big hives winter makes no troubles.
Ok!
Ì have about 20 hives and it is a hobby.
But i want to be a good beekeeper and i measure my succes with honey yield. It is a challenge every year. Otherwise i woud be tired to beekeeping 30 years ago.
the most difficult in beekeeping is to find slended pastures after these years. Hive furnitures are such that i can move hives alone.
i have big hives and it makes swarming a nuisance. But to big hives winter makes no troubles.
m100
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My post was to answer a specific question ,as to how these two (experimental colonies) were handled
They have been near me too, but the problem has now all but disappeared and I've only seen one or two wasps anywhere near the hives in the past few days.
I was taught that the entrance block needs to be left out over winter so that dead bees that fall off the cluster can be easily removed by the remaining workers - you don't want them struggling through a narrow entrance. Any views on whether debris removal through an entrance block with mouseguard is a significant problem?
Most of my hives have north facing entrances but with relatively good shelter from prevailing winds as they are closely surrounded on three sides by tall structures. When it gets really windy I block off the rear varroa tray slot (mostly Thornes economy varroa floors) with gaffer tape but my entrance blocks won't go back in until the mouse guards come off when there is a good flow on.
In addition, and contrary to what I've seen written in a few books, I've not noticed any pollen from the Ivy being dislodged by the mouse guard - any that did would fall onto the concrete slabs I've stood the hives on.
