What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Bee’s Knees]

I wouldn't worry, but it seems almost compulsory on here that you need to get your panties in a knot if you get a glimpse of the sun at this time of year. It would help if we knew where you were.
Best way to learn about hefting is to pile on the feed in the autumn so that the hives feel naimed down, then if you keep hefting throughout the winter you get to know how the hives feel as stores get depleted.
Also use the finger trick - if you need three fingers to lift the hive half an inch off the stand, they're packed with stores, only two, they are OK, but be prepared to supplementary feed. Only one finger, get feeding sharpish.

I am in Cheshire.

What if they are WBC hives, I would imagine they are already twice the weight of a National when hefting?

Can I hive really get through a whole winters worth of stores in late autumn just because it’s been a bit drier than normal?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What if they are WBC hives, I would imagine they are already twice the weight of a National when hefting?

That's why ywe don't talk about actual weights, you just need to practice on your chosen hive format so you know what very light, light, OK, heavy and very heavy feels like.

Can I hive really get through a whole winters worth of stores in late autumn just because it’s been a bit drier than normal?

doubtful - unless they weren't properly fed to start with

 

[Bee’s Knees]

That's why ywe don't talk about actual weights, you just need to practice on your chosen hive format so you know what very light, light, OK, heavy and very heavy feels like.

doubtful - unless they weren't properly fed to start with

I gave each hive a top up of 12L of sugar syrup and each hive was pretty full.
They are also on 14x12 so I take it they should have enough stores.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I gave each hive a top up of 12L of sugar syrup and each hive was pretty full.
They are also on 14x12 so I take it they should have enough stores.

I would think so

 

[JamezF]

you need to get your panties in a knot if you get a glimpse of the sun at this time of year.

After three weeks of permanent, unbroken cloud? I did

James

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I suspect @Penninetrader might have been wondering if the donor was in the habit of making timber equine gifts

As they say these days, "Beware geeks bearing GIFs".

James

I recall as a youth reading the magazines in the barbers while waiting my turn for a haircut. One of the young ladies in the centre spread was allegedly from the Mediterranean and the caption said she was a Greek baring gifts.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I wouldn't worry, but it seems almost compulsory on here that you need to get your panties in a knot if you get a glimpse of the sun at this time of year. It would help if we knew where you were.
Best way to learn about hefting is to pile on the feed in the autumn so that the hives feel naimed down, then if you keep hefting throughout the winter you get to know how the hives feel as stores get depleted.
Also use the finger trick - if you need three fingers to lift the hive half an inch off the stand, they're packed with stores, only two, they are OK, but be prepared to supplementary feed. Only one finger, get feeding sharpish.

Nowadays I'm lucky to be able to lift mine at all when full. Using a luggage scale is helpful as they provide a decent handhold.

 

[The Poot]

Not if the science is to be believed ... they need to keep the hive temperature up so tend to use more stores if they are cold ... if you have not got insulation on your hives - good time to get it on and keep it on.

Ah but is the science settled on that?
All hives are poly with additional insulation, but had become lighter over the past week or so. You stated that you could hardly lift yours and mine were like that a couple of weeks ago, but not now. I reckoned that all the flying with little or no return was consuming stores much faster than a clustered colony would. (I suppose I must also bow to the science that reckoned clustering was cruel?)

 

[The Poot]

I recall as a youth reading the magazines in the barbers while waiting my turn for a haircut. One of the young ladies in the centre spread was allegedly from the Mediterranean and the caption said she was a Greek baring gifts.

Oh Mr. John, that’s rude! Mine only had Horse and Hound…..

 

[JamezF]

Ah but is the science settled on that?

I suspect it's actually quite a complex question. The amount of brood must presumably be a factor, but how exactly? Without any brood there's no need for the core temperature of the hive to be anywhere near as warm as it would be if there is brood, but there have also been suggestions that having brood during colder periods assists with thermoregulation.

Neither do I know whether it's a given that if it's sufficiently mild for the bees not to cluster that they will definitely use more (or less) stores than if they did. Perhaps there's some sort of "sweet spot" between clustering and large numbers flying where they consume least stores?

James