Winter Prep

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Can anyone recommend a source for a refractometer? I assume the cheap eBay ones are not worth the money?

On the contrary - they're well worth the money

 

[A.Bumbler]

Depends on your brood configuration going into winter: single National deep? Double? Langstroth? 14x12 National?

Depends to some extent on colony strength: boxes rammed with bees? Still foraging?

Depends also on your totting of stores on board nearer the time (which is a long way off).

They are mostly brood and a half which go through winter as such. I meant uncapped part filled with nectar. I have tried to keep them in airtight boxes before but they have fermented so can’t be put back in the spring.

 

[Rhyolite]

Depends on your brood configuration going into winter: single National deep? Double? Langstroth? 14x12 National?

Depends to some extent on colony strength: boxes rammed with bees? Still foraging?

Depends also on your totting of stores on board nearer the time (which is a long way off).

Currently I have a national brood, super, brood and super stacked from combining

So I would like to reduce down to double brood or brood and super for winter. I hadn't intended to take as much honey that could be available if I remove two of the boxes so was thinking I could use the full frames next year?

 

[Patrick1]

Why not keep it simple, take all the supers off. The ones that are not suitable to jar up put back on the hive in a multifunction crown board that allows frames to be laid inside they will take it down and store in the double brood box, nice and neat

 

[ericbeaumont]

mostly brood and a half which go through winter as such. I meant uncapped part filled with nectar

Why not keep it simple: follow the recommendations in posts 8 & 9.

 

[ericbeaumont]

hadn't intended to take as much honey that could be available if I remove two of the boxes so was thinking I could use the full frames next year?

Why not keep it simple: extract the surplus honey and store the empty supers.

If you really don't want to eat or sell it, feed it back to the DBB colony.

If you must store it, bear in mind that honey is hygroscopic and full frames must be stored in a dry environment or frozen, and sealed to prevent access by moth or mouse. Not worth the risk in a wet winter.

Use the full frames next year? Simple to leave enough or feed enough in autumn and give fondant in early spring if needed.

By next year you'll have more and wished you'd extracted this lot.

 

[Patrick1]

Both 8 & 9 require extra work, 24 is tried and tested and without fuss.

Maybe I read the problem wrong, I thought there was to much uncapped honey and that they wanted to leave some for the bees, just trying to avoid the messing about with leaving suppers on for the winter, both options, leaving it above the Q ex and with no Q ex are a nightmare, the simplest way is above in a multifunction crown board.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why not keep it simple, take all the supers off. The ones that are not suitable to jar up put back on the hive in a multifunction crown board that allows frames to be laid inside they will take it down and store in the double brood box, nice and neat

I've made just those for top vaping, some are just the same others have a polycarbonate top.

 

[Patrick1]

How does top vaping work and when do you do it ?

 

[italic63]

Can anyone recommend a source for a refractometer? I assume the cheap eBay ones are not worth the money?

Ali Express...selling same cheap ones found on eBay and in most online stores at a fraction of the price if you're prepared to wait 5/6 weeks for delivery.

 

[Erichalfbee]

How does top vaping work and when do you do it ?

Crownboard on top sublimox through the hole at the back. Don’t have to block the entrance this way though I do shut off the omf. After harvest, boards left in for duration of treatment. Four vapes five days apart

 

[TomH]

Crownboard on top sublimox through the hole at the back. Don’t have to block the entrance this way though I do shut off the omf. After harvest, boards left in for duration of treatment. Four vapes five days apart

Thanks, useful info. Forgive the silly question, but when would look at the mite drop on the inspection tray? The following day, or just before you do the next vape?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks, useful info. Forgive the silly question, but when would look at the mite drop on the inspection tray? The following day, or just before you do the next vape?

24 hours