10 for 10....so far

[Aroc]

Warmed up a bit the past couple of days.  Thought it would be a good opportunity to check the hives, feed them if necessary etc.

Looks like we are 10 for 10, with the addition of the observation hive that was pretty small but that one is still going ass well. 

The clusters were on different places.  A couple were on top and those are the ones that we feed as they went through the sugar bricks from this fall.  I bought the wife a flir gun for Christmas.  Those hives we didn?t see the cluster we just aimed the gun inside and we could see the clusters heat.  Feel better about getting them through the first part of winter...now the hard part.

If it warms up a bit more I might try the OAV treatment before they start raising brood.

[Ben Framed]

Warmed up a bit the past couple of days.  Thought it would be a good opportunity to check the hives, feed them if necessary etc.

Looks like we are 10 for 10, with the addition of the observation hive that was pretty small but that one is still going ass well. 

The clusters were on different places.  A couple were on top and those are the ones that we feed as they went through the sugar bricks from this fall.  I bought the wife a flir gun for Christmas.  Those hives we didn?t see the cluster we just aimed the gun inside and we could see the clusters heat.  Feel better about getting them through the first part of winter...now the hard part.

If it warms up a bit more I might try the OAV treatment before they start raising brood.

Thats great! How has the winter been so far there in Montana?   

[Aroc]

The weather here is pretty steady.  Pretty cold in November.... warmed up a bit in December to a fairly steady 28-32 degrees during the day.  A couple of days dropped to 10 below zero.

We haven?t really had that warmup that we usually get at least a couple of times by now.  It hasn?t gotten to 30 below yet either.  We usually get that in January or February.

[Acebird]

I think if you took a pole the results would be; manipulating hives in the winter is a bad idea in northern regions.

[TheHoneyPump]

That is good news.  Note that bees usually don?t die in winter. They die late, end of winter, in spring.  What happens is that they do fine until brooding time.  Then consumption skyrockets and they starve in midst of rearing the first brood.
Depending on where you are, if where there is actually a winter, this danger period begins mid February.

I believe you eluded to knowing this in your post in saying: - getting through first part of winter ... now the hard part -

I do not open any hives between Halloween and after St Patricks day.  Checking consists of observing general entrance activity and sign. Sometimes a smack on the side of the hive while listening for a response buzz.

[Ben Framed]

That is good news.  Note that bees usually don?t die in winter. They die late, end of winter, in spring.  What happens is that they do fine until brooding time.  Then consumption skyrockets and they starve in midst of rearing the first brood.
Depending on where you are, if where there is actually a winter, this danger period begins mid February.

I believe you eluded to knowing this in your post in saying: - getting through first part of winter ... now the hard part -

Mr Claude, once things get so bad in the hive, (depleted), that late in winter , what is a good plan to restore the consumed stores in the far North? For instance, where I live in North Mississippi, its 57F even as we speak, my bees are out of their hives forging. There is really nothing to speak of for them to find of adequate quantities so I am open feeding pollen (Ultra Bee), and they are all over it.  This is my first winter and Im hoping that these rare (warm enough) days of forging with the aid of ultra bee,  will help sustain them through the late winter critical time which is to come? Pollen patties for y'all that far up north when its late?
Thanks, Phillip

[blackforest beekeeper]

won`t this coax them into breeding`?

[Aroc]

I think if you took a pole the results would be; manipulating hives in the winter is a bad idea in northern regions.

No real manipulation here.  We just crack the quilt box and replace any sugar bricks that need.  We are usually in and out in less than a minute.

[Ben Framed]

won`t this coax them into breeding`?

Good question, blackforest, maybe so. The night time temperature are in the 30's F For the past few days, in my area, the temperature variy, most of the Januaries and Februarys are usually any where from the low 20's to rare days like today. What I am doing is going on the experience of others, who are in a similar region as my on, and I'm (hoping) for the best....  Being this is my first year, you can bet that I am taking notes and will use this first winter as sort of a guide for seasons to come.
Thanks Phillip     

[blackforest beekeeper]

won`t this coax them into breeding`?

Good question, blackforest, maybe so. The night time temperature are in the 30's F For the past few days, in my area, the temperature variy, most of the Januaries and Februarys are usually any where from the low 20's to rare days like today. What I am doing is going on the experience of others, who are in a similar region as my on, and I'm (hoping) for the best....  Being this is my first year, you can bet that I am taking notes and will use this first winter as sort of a guide for seasons to come.
Thanks Phillip   

I know of absolutely 0 beeks in Germany using Pollensub. Used to be a big topic with our great-grandfathers (not in winter..... These days no more.
Also candyboard for christmas (or in winter). It just isnt done any more. bees are fed up till September, then maybe emergency feeding in March/April, when spring comes around. If it can be helped, enough feed stored in late summer till they find nectar comes spring again.

If the bees get flying weather around here (none in sight), soon they will find pollen from hazel.
right now its snowy-wet, further up its deep winter.

[SiWolKe]

I confirm this.

First warm weather in march is food check time and if they are low, some put a sugar syrup bag on top of the frames or place some dry sugar, moistened a little bit.

In late fall weight is checked and once again end of february.

[blackforest beekeeper]

If I have to emergency-feed (2018 e.g.), I use syrup (made from sugar). In some near future I want to store honey-frames for that purpose, but I guess I am not wealthy enough....
I would have thought, moistened sugar they would starve on, if they cant fly at that time.

[van from Arkansas]

SiWoLKe,  Wall-E is a lucky fella, if I interpret your apivar correctly.

BlackForest, in winter I use fondant placed on winter boards.  I can remove the hive lid, add fondant if needed and not expose the frames or lose much hive heat. Burlap is added for condensation next to the fondant.  The fondant is placed downhill on the winter board as my hives are sloped.  So if a freak warm day appears and fondant melts, the hives are OK.  Melted fondant will not run into the frames with my sloped hives.

Hive Slope:  my hives are set level then a 2X4 is added to bottom back of hive creating the necessary slope.  With this slope, rain is seldom a problem on my screened bottom boards.  Slope Works well for winter. In the past, a level hive on mine was killed with syrup draining on the winter cluster.  My mistake.
Blessings

Do you folks Forest, SiWoLKe, have issues with Small Hive Beetle?  Yes, subject change.  I hope this does not cause problem.

[TheHoneyPump]

I confirm this.

First warm weather in march is food check time and if they are low, some put a sugar syrup bag on top of the frames or place some dry sugar, moistened a little bit.

In late fall weight is checked and once again end of february.

Ben(Phillip), this is above the answer to your question.

Spring survival preparations are done in the fall.  Hives are left some honey and fed syrup until target weight is reached.  That?s all.   Bees are on their own from then on. In mid to late March, when winter?s clutches release, weight is checked.  Light hives are fed just enough to get to first forage flows at end of April.

There is no emergency feeding.  An emergency need means the beekeeper missed the mark in the fall OR a strain of genetics (bees from elsewhere) that are not suited to the local climate.

[SiWolKe]

Do you folks Forest, SiWoLKe, have issues with Small Hive Beetle?

Not yet. I expect them anytime. I think they are already around but not recognized yet. My hives are free of them for now.

When I was newer to beekeeping I fed as an emergency sometimes, I was not able to evaluate the situation. They did not need it. Only once they took the sugar.

Some more picts: Emergency feed in march, following Michael Bush?s advise from his website, on one picture you can see they already started a lot of brood, the condensation moistened the sugar in the top feeder box.

One picture is the configuration I now use. A top feeder with insulation material, embedded the top feeder box where I can feed anytime without opening the hive. Put on is the wooden lid with ventilation plus a metal lid.

   

[Ben Framed]

quote author=SiWolKe link=topic=51900.msg461721#msg461721 date=1546803875]
I confirm this.

First warm weather in march is food check time and if they are low, some put a sugar syrup bag on top of the frames or place some dry sugar, moistened a little bit.

In late fall weight is checked and once again end of february.

Ben(Phillip), this is above the answer to your question

Spring survival preparations are done in the fall.  Hives are left some honey and fed syrup until target weight is reached.  That?s all.   Bees are on their own from then on. In mid to late March, when winter?s clutches release, weight is checked.  Light hives are fed just enough to get to first forage flows at end of April.

There is no emergency feeding.  An emergency need means the beekeeper missed the mark in the fall OR a strain of genetics (bees from elsewhere) that are not suited to the local climate.
[/quote]

Thanks Mr Claude,
Phillip

[blackforest beekeeper]

"emergency" feeding.
well. it all depends. I tried to minimize the number of frames and feed for wintering the colonies. this works 4 out of 5 years. maybe more often. this way I dont have to remove feed-frames in spring, which would be surplus. 2018 was a quite trying late winter/early spring, is why feed got short.
This fall I fed up pretty heavily, as I thought I`d change my goals....

usually I do give a squirt of very thin syrip early in spring if I am around anyway IF pollen is available and warm temps are at hand.

[SiWolKe]

usually I do give a squirt of very thin syrip early in spring if I am around anyway IF pollen is available and warm temps are at hand.

I think this is a good idea. I had one weak colony robbed because there was pollen available but no nectar. The stronger ones bred up and one robbed the weakest.

[Acebird]

No real manipulation here.  We just crack the quilt box and replace any sugar bricks that need.  We are usually in and out in less than a minute.

Once you crack open a hive the propolise that has sealed it cannot be repaired in the dead of winter.  You just created an emergency situation because now the hive has to consume more to make up for the air infiltration and is exposed to harsher conditions.  Follow the advice in post #13.  Emergency feed should only happen in early spring if you did your homework right.  I would gauge early spring when the bees first start to fly.

[SiWolKe]

No real manipulation here.  We just crack the quilt box and replace any sugar bricks that need.  We are usually in and out in less than a minute.

Once you crack open a hive the propolise that has sealed it cannot be repaired in the dead of winter.  You just created an emergency situation because now the hive has to consume more to make up for the air infiltration and is exposed to harsher conditions.  Follow the advice in post #13.  Emergency feed should only happen in early spring if you did your homework right.  I would gauge early spring when the bees first start to fly.

I?m with Ace.I even wait long if I suspect a deadout. Flir gun is a good idea. If weight in the middle of winter is low and the cluster is on top I would open. This is a real emergency case.
This mistake you make only once though, then you know how much they need next time.

In older times the beekeepers tiptoed around their hives in winter not to disturb the clusters.