Preparing for Winter Questions

[40 Acre Bees]

With four new nucs this spring/summer, we are now approaching winter not as strong as we think they should be, so of course now we have a few questions.  Our mite treatment is finished and the fall feeding has begun.  The upper deeps range probably from 40-90% drawn comb with not a lot of stores.  If we are feeding now will the bees still draw comb to fill or will they just fill what they have available.  We are planning on putting two inch feed rings on with fondant for over winter and our next question is - can we leave the second deep on even if the comb is not totally drawn..  We put the 12lb feed buckets on yesterday with 2:1 syrup - on average how long will they last before we have to refill them, and how long should we leave them on.  By the way we live in Nova Scotia Canada and had our first frost this morning.  Thanks in advance for your comments and advice we really appreciate them.

[Perry]

Good morning. I put 1 gallon feeders on some of my doubles (started as nucs) that have a few frames yet to draw out. 2 days and they are empty! Second round went on yesterday.

[40 Acre Bees]

So if the weather holds and we keep knocking the feed to them for another few weeks we may get them built up enough to make it through the winter.  That's a relief that they will continue to draw comb.  By the way Perry even though we got your nuc well over a month later from when we got the first three it has surpassed them with flying colours and is the healthiest of the four:laugh  I feel much more comfortable now we should be able to over winter with doubles, if they keep taking the feed at this rate.    Time to make some more syrup.

[vincent]

I agree with Perry. My doubles which are both mostly drawn take a 12lb feed in about 12-24 hours. I was using 2 gallon ice cream tubs earlier and they lasted almost a week.

[40 Acre Bees]

Two of the hives are still taking it at a rate of 12lbs every 24 - 48 hours and the other two have slowed right down and are  taking hardly any.  I will replace two of the buckets again tomorrow and see where they all are come Sunday.  It is amazing how much they can actually consume.

[Perry]

Come Oct 15th or thereabouts, what they have is all they will have till next spring.

[apisbees]

Will you still put fondant on all of them?

[Perry]

I doubt it. Fondant has skyrocketed in price from $50 for 50 lbs. to $73.71.
I will probably only use it on hives I am very concerned about, and maybe my nucs.

[brooksbeefarm]

Perry, have you ever used the Mountain camp method??

[Perry]

Sort of. I tried it above the inner cover when I first got started with bees. Out of 3 hives, one used it and the other 2 dumped it out in front of the hives.
Fondant is much easier for them to use.

[apisbees]

you could make your own. to bad that new wax melter wont get quite hot enough. It could if the water jacket was sealed and you could get it to be under pressure like a pressure cooker.

[40 Acre Bees]

Put another 2 buckets on the two weaker ones tonight and on the weekend I will replace all four.  When I do this on the weekend that will be 5 X 12 lb buckets on the two and 4 X 12 lb on the other two.  Then our plan is a 2 inch spacer filled with fondant on all four.  Two questions though - Perry will one box of fondant fill four of these candy board like spacers, and with the cool nights should the entrance reducers be put on soon.  Thanks again

[Perry]

It sounds like you hives should have plenty of stores. I would not bother putting that much fondant on to begin with. I only use a small amount, maybe an lp record size patty about an inch thick. If I see them getting into it in January then I keep a close eye on them and add as needed.
If you add the fondant too soon they will just start on it and possibly ignore their stores.
I have reducers on most of mine and only have a few yards left to do. I put them on with the feed as it started to whip up a couple yards.

[40 Acre Bees]

I was looking in some previous posts and in one of them Perry mentioned a loose bag of insulation over the fondant patty.  I would be interested in knowing what kind of bag and what kind of insulation?  If I were to make the spacers  2 to 2-1/2 inches thick, could I just put a 1 inch piece of Styrofoam in the top of the spacer leaving an inch between the Styrofoam and the top cover for fondant.

[Perry]

Those bags of insulation are all that's left of my trial of 10 "bee cosies". I pitched the insulated wraps but kept the top piece. What I did this past winter was cut a circle out of my 1 1/2" insulation and placed my fondant in the hole.

[40 Acre Bees]

So if I make a 1-1/2 spacer -  put 1-1/2 inch Styrofoam in the spacer, cut a 7" circle in the Styrofoam and fill with fondant,  and place over the inner cover I should be good.  Sounds like an excellent idea  Thanks again Perry....  down to the workshop I go.

[Perry]

You don't actually even need the wooden shim. Why bother?

[40 Acre Bees]

So it is OK to put the Styrofoam right on top of the inner cover and then put the the outer cover right over the Styrofoam.  Also I was just up to put the entrance reducers on and the girls are coming in loaded with a bright orange pollen, where would they be getting this in the middle of October. (just curious)

[Perry]

Yup, the Styrofoam will allow the telescoping cover to juuuust leave the upper entrance open.
Aster in all likelihood.

[LazyBkpr]

http://www.outyard.net/wintering.html

    Thats how I do it! 1.5 inch pink foam cut to fit.