What's expected at this time of year?

[simonforeman]

I have seen comments in other posts of what size the brood nest should be at this time of year... what would the experienced beeks expect in terms of amount of frames of bias and amount of frames covered in bees including frames of stores...

I know all will be different but as a general guide to us newbees going into our first winter.

I'm sure my hives are strong with what I have but will wait for the responses before commenting on my hives.

Also it's going to be in the 20's the next couple of days so going to do 1 last inspection on my 4 hives so I can rest easy over winter that I have done all I can for them. They have been treated and fed and also now they are working the ivy and zinia flowers in the garden.

 

[REDWOOD]

Yesterday most of mine are on 4_5 frames of brood with hives bursting with bees, took the last of the supers off as Ivy has just started flowering.
I live a bit further south than you so mine will be a bit later going into winter

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Leave them alone

 

[Jonnyl]

That's what im going to do, nothing. They've been fed and the ivy is on the cusp of blooming. Won't take the roof off again until fondant time. Fingers X

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[simonforeman]

Is fondant time around Xmas?

 

[Jonnyl]

Thats what ive been told but to check for stores by hefting regularly in the meantime. Thats the awkward bit for me though as i don't have the experience to know exactly what's light and what's not. Trial, error, hope.

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[enrico]

Make an empty hive up with no bees. Try lifting one side of it. That is what a starving hive feels like. Now go lift one side of your hives that are being used. They should feel really heavy in comparison. Put a cup hook into each side of the floor. Buy a piece of chain and a cheap set of luggage scales. Hook the chain over the cup hooks and using the luggage scales in the middle of the chain see what the actual weight is. Test every week just to get a feel of things. Actual weight is luggage scales reading X 2
E

 

[Jonnyl]

Thanks Enrico. I'll maybe have a go at that method. I have a spare hive hopefully to use next year and the present hive feels very heavy as it is just now. Well it should as only last week they took down 12.5kg of syrup to add to the stores they already had. Hopefully ivy will top them up further.

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[Murox]

There is not really a particular "time" to feed fondant as such. Its a way of giving food to stop a colony starving when its too cool to give syrup and you do not want to over excite the bees and encourage laying. Some people only ever use fondant the year round, there of course plus and minus points to that. Some people will put a slab of fondant on now as a belt and braces approach, other wait til say January. All situations vary, just don't let them starve.
Browse through this http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/feedingcandy.html and you can get bakers fondant from here https://www.cake-stuff.com/edibles-...-bakers-fondant-icing-emergency-bee-food-p863

 

[simonforeman]

Thanks for the replies... I have already got 2 x 12.5kg of fondant ready for when it's if needed. I live near Peterborough so got from Friers Pride for £12.95 per 12.5kg

 

[Walrus]

I've always been advised that it's much better to give them enough syrup before Winter so that fondant is very unlikely to be needed. If you use a poly feeder (Ashforth) you can leave it on to benefit from the insulation.

If you had honey this year you should know how heavy a full super feels. If you are on single brood box it needs to feel a bit like two full supers, or more, which is pretty heavy.

 

[Bakerbee]

Im sure i read somewhere.
If you can lift one dide with one finger=starvation
If you csn lift one side with two fingers=need feeding.
If you can only barely lift with three fingers=all good.

Well i cant lift my bb atm with both hands, theyre still taking syrup down so fingers crossed theyre ok. Not that ive seen alot flowering yet there must be some ivy starting as my hives are very busy.