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Drone Bee
- Joined
- May 7, 2013
- Messages
- 1,251
- Reaction score
- 51
- Location
- Yorkshire Wolds
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- enough (but all insured!)
as per title really, Beginners First Year prep for Winter.
I've just finished and taken off, MAQS strips. I'm left with
National Brood Box
National Super
Queen Excluder
both above broof and a half.
National Super with some stores.
Roof with kingspan on crown board.
At this point in time, I've read many books, BBKA , FERA, and these forums, as to what to do next for winter, but also noted keeping disturbance to a minimum, or is this later in the year, when all is done and sealed up!
I also been recommended, to move the super (half) under the brood box, leave the existing crop super in pace, or take off existing crop super, and then put empty super (extratced already) under brood box, and leave crop super in place.
so over winter, there would be
super (extracted and empty)
brood box (existing)
super (existing)
make sure queen excluder is removed.
I've also read about the bees moving up, with queen so understand the significance of removing queen excluder, but does this mean in the spring, I'll end up with bees in the super again (e.g. brood and a half) - this was only done because this swarm which arrived filled the bb with stores before queen started to lay, and it has been difficult for a yearling to inpsect both boxes.
so much prefer the idea of single BB if possible, next year.
and then there's hefting, assessing stores, should I do this now, and really tear down the hive, open up, split the boxes, and remove and check all frames.
I have scales, so could just lump brood and half onto scales and weigh?
I'm just concerned, that me messing with my only single hive, I could damage the queen, with all this re-arrangement. e.g. move empty super under brood box etc (as bb and half is heavy to lift on own!)
and then there is feeding, which I assume, do if low on stores, and I understand the ratio of 20-25kg of stores, approx 2kg stores per frame.
but feeding can only be done, if active, and not all winter....and then there's which feeder type (i have all types available - contact/miller etc)
so, advice and comments welcome as always.
Just about to start a winter theory course next week, but I'm fearful time is ticking on, weather is not so good at weekends, nights are getting darker, and it's really only weekends, I'm now getting to do this maintenance, unless I take a day off work, when the weather is good.
I've just finished and taken off, MAQS strips. I'm left with
National Brood Box
National Super
Queen Excluder
both above broof and a half.
National Super with some stores.
Roof with kingspan on crown board.
At this point in time, I've read many books, BBKA , FERA, and these forums, as to what to do next for winter, but also noted keeping disturbance to a minimum, or is this later in the year, when all is done and sealed up!
I also been recommended, to move the super (half) under the brood box, leave the existing crop super in pace, or take off existing crop super, and then put empty super (extratced already) under brood box, and leave crop super in place.
so over winter, there would be
super (extracted and empty)
brood box (existing)
super (existing)
make sure queen excluder is removed.
I've also read about the bees moving up, with queen so understand the significance of removing queen excluder, but does this mean in the spring, I'll end up with bees in the super again (e.g. brood and a half) - this was only done because this swarm which arrived filled the bb with stores before queen started to lay, and it has been difficult for a yearling to inpsect both boxes.
so much prefer the idea of single BB if possible, next year.
and then there's hefting, assessing stores, should I do this now, and really tear down the hive, open up, split the boxes, and remove and check all frames.
I have scales, so could just lump brood and half onto scales and weigh?
I'm just concerned, that me messing with my only single hive, I could damage the queen, with all this re-arrangement. e.g. move empty super under brood box etc (as bb and half is heavy to lift on own!)
and then there is feeding, which I assume, do if low on stores, and I understand the ratio of 20-25kg of stores, approx 2kg stores per frame.
but feeding can only be done, if active, and not all winter....and then there's which feeder type (i have all types available - contact/miller etc)
so, advice and comments welcome as always.
Just about to start a winter theory course next week, but I'm fearful time is ticking on, weather is not so good at weekends, nights are getting darker, and it's really only weekends, I'm now getting to do this maintenance, unless I take a day off work, when the weather is good.