It is currently 51degrees here in North Mississippi, after a long day and night of rain. My bees are all over my provided pollen-sub. That is the reason I have it available to them most of the winter months even though they do not fly many days due to even colder weather cycles, and we have many colder days for sure. They should have adequate supplies of pollen stored for the long winter for their survival as they worked so hard for during the summer months. I do not want them to just survive, I want them to prosper. I feel that when pollen is brought in, even in the winter months, this (may) stimulate the colony to raise more winter brood than without sub, that otherwise they would not attempt to do?? I do know that in the dearth time in the later summer months, the bees will slow down brood raising to almost nothing, depending on the colony. I experienced this very thing this past season, I actually wondered if some of my hives had went queenless with the drastic halt in brood. I found they had not went queenless. When the goldenrod kicked in they were booming once again with brood. Therefore I continue to take Davids advise, along with our own Mr Live oak and I make available open pollen feeding throughout the winter months, Just as I did my first winter. I also provide a liquid feed for them to give both ingredients needed for brood raising, I feel it takes both to stimulate the hive? I agree with David, my bees came out of winter last year stronger than they were going into winter, As I had made late fall splits, going into the winter months with only 7 weak, jusd split nucs. Coming out with 7 booming strong nucs.
Food for thought, I have heard and read we should place our hives facing south to avoid the bitter north winds. I have found by observing there is an even more important reason in my area, that my hives should face south, The southern facing hives are active much earlier in the morning before the ones facing a direction that the sun does not hit the opening side of the hive. It seems the sun's warmth at the opening seems to stimulate the bees to fly much earlier in the morning and again, later in the evening, giving them a crucial advantage in taking advantage of working hours, especially in the cold, short days of winter? This practice gives them a distinct advantage of prospering.
Phillip Hall