Winter preparations should start
Where to start
Seasonal variation form Orkney to Okehampton means the timing of
should will vary, but in late Summer and early autumn begin to get a feel for colony size in relation to hive size and weight. Downsize and cram a colony into a bungalow rather than ask it to rattle around in a cathedral, because thermal efficiency in winter is critical to colony survival.
A colony is likely to survive provided it is queenright, has pollen, carb stores and plenty of bees free of varroa, and provided the hive is dry, fits the colony, is secure from rodent entry and well-insulated above the nest.
The main anxiety for beginners concerns the risk of starvation: I was no different and over-compensated, but became aware that variable factors and colony observation were critical to survival when one year, a colony in a single BB (that had not been fed) came out of winter strongly.
1 Younger queens over-winter more successfully
2 Varroa will compromise winter survival most comprehensively
3 The hive must match the colony size
4 The hive must be thermally efficient
5 Crownboard insulation and a sealed roof achieves 4 sufficiently
Winter stores
Routine advice is that an average UK colony needs 20kg of stores. Start by hefting regularly in late summer after supers are off. Lift slightly with one hand under the back of the hive: if it feels nailed down the colony needs no feed and if ivy is in flow (watch and know if and when it is) hive weight will increase. Repeat fortnightly to gain experience of weights.
That strategy presumes a standard single BB National colony, but a more certain variable will avoid the need to feed and relieve beekeeper anxiety: over-winter on 2 BBs. However, not all colonies are at that stage of development and some will fit a single BB, others a poly nuc, and all may need feeding.
What to feed? Some will leave a super of honey, above or below the BB, some make syrup in the kichen, others buy invert syrup; the latter reduces bees' labour (less water to remove) and is less work (but greater expense) for the beekeeper.
After trying all these options for fifteen years or so I abandoned entirely the messy job of syrup: if not timed right bees may ignore it, or drown and block the feeder slot, and because syrup is heavy the cost of delivery is shocking and it must be carted about and not spilled and watch out, wasps are about!
Feeding fondant resolves much of this palaver: true, it is heavy and not as cheap as bags of supermarket sugar, but we get it from a trade distributor at £17 for 12.5kg delivered without charge. T
his method of feeding fondant works for any colony size and configuration.
Extra to the above list
6 Aim to winter colonies on double brood
7 Feed fondant at any time
Bear in mind old advice that remains sound:
best wintering for bees is bees, and plenty of them. Achieve that by keeping strong colonies (no, much stronger than that), treat for varroa effectively, make them heavy and reduce the hive so that bees are rammed in for winter.
