Sad little winter cluster!!

[thedozzer]

We have not been able to get into the hives to remove the Apivar strips until today, as daytime temps have been far to cold last few weeks and we have had other commitments.
Both hives are 12x14 poly.

First hive was a little bit feisty as can be expected, but there was a good 3 seams of bees, lots of capped frames of honey/syrup and a nice little hum, popped the strips out, lid back on, in under a min.

Second hive was not such a good sight, no noise when we opened the lid, and just 1 sad little seam of bees huddled in the corner, no reaction to us removing the strips, lots of caped frames of food, just very few bees. not a happy discovery.

We wonder if they are going to make it through the winter if it gets cold, as we're not sure there are enough bees to keep the hive temp up?
Its odd as the second hive accepted their new GM queen much quicker, and built up faster initially, but started to slowdown brood rearing much earlier than the first hive in September, we thought that she was having a brood break early, but we now wonder if she was starting to fail!

I dont suppose there is much we can do, other than wait and see, but we feel really disappointed as it would be our first winter loss.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dummy right down and add insulation on top and close the OMF and pray

 

[thedozzer]

Dummy right down and add insulation on top and close the OMF and pray

Hi Dani, OMF been closed a while, they have 75mm of celotex extra in the roof already,
gather if we dummy down we should fill the space with insulation? they have a poly miller feeder on top, should we take that off?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dummy with insulation and put fondant rolled thinly straight on top bars. You might have to take the poly feeder off if there isn’t enough room for the fondant and substitute it with a crownboard rim down. Then add insulation on top.

 

[thedozzer]

Looks like we may get another warm day next week, will make up some insulation dummy boards & get some fondant strips ready.
I have some vivarium mats from chill growing, i could use one of them inside the OMF to pump some heat in once they have been opened up.

 

[thedozzer]

Update,
spent Monday evening cutting up a large sheet of 35mm polyethylene sheet into frame size pads, ready to dummy down the hive, then this morning was rolling out fondant sausages to fit in the gap of the frames.

we planned to open the hives about 11:30 to give them the warmth of the day to get the hive back up to temp.
With suits by the back door ready, had a quick look and were greeted by about 15 bees at the hive entrance with quite a few doing orientation flights!!

some looked like they were out and about foraging!

We have decided to leave them to it, as ripping the hive apart my do more harm than good?