But you can't know if you can't see and I'm reluctant to inspect frames this late in the year with strong winds, cooler temperatures. Mind you it was 16oC yesterday which isn't too cold to have a quick look. I get the impression however they are generally less happy about being inspected at the moment regardless of temperatures but that's only a suspicion.
Stores are capped before the frame / hive is full of stores so I don't understand your comment?
Also, surely the hives shouldn't be full of stores otherwise where does the queen lay to produce winter bees?
you keep more feelings than bees.
After 49 beekeeping years I know quite well what I am doing.
There are two things in feeding hives in Autumn. Otherwise it is easy: just give them so much as they take dring one week.
Two things:
- all hives do not want to take syrup with speed
- some has so much brood that they cannot store.
Or three
- hive allready has pollen and honey when you feed them - how much...
It helps if you look with bath room balance the weight of the hive. You put the balance under onother side and weight "half hive".
My two box hive is really full when weight is 30 kg. 25 kg is enough but no idea to take a risk.
When some hives are full, 28 kg, some have only 18kg. - and note, half hive.
It means a lot more feeding. You may look inside, what is going there. You learn when you look. Bees stand a quick looking. Dont take brood frames up. It is enough when you see how much they are.
If the situation is so that you cannot feed because of brood, put a super over the brood box and fill the super for winter. Gradully bees emerge and they fill cells but it is slow.
