Preparing for Winter Questions

[riverbee]

2" pink styrofoam over top the inner cover housed in a 3" 'vent' box (i use these year round) copied tim arheit, honey run apiaries, outer cover over it.  inner cover entrance cut out at about 2 1/2 or so inches. (year round, works for me).

i also use a 1 1/2" shim placed directly over the top deep to put feed in if need be directly on top the frames (patties, not fondant).  so shim above top deep, inner cover, 2" pink styrofoam, outer cover, good to go! 

orange pollen? pumpkins, do you have them? or someone nearby?

[40 Acre Bees]

Well the cool weather is here and the bees have slowed right down on the 2:1 syrup.  My plan is to wrap the hives in early November and add the Styrofoam insulation along with the fondant.  Is it OK to leave the feed buckets on right now as we may still get some warmer days and I was thinking they may still take some of the remaining syrup.  Not sure if they can stay on or should come off.  Thanks in advance for you input........

[Perry]

If you leave them on and they're empty you may find the bees will propolize the screens shut (if you are using that kind of pail). I tried to open them up with a torch and melted 2 lids.

[brooksbeefarm]

Were the lids plastic perry. Jack

[40 Acre Bees]

So I assume as long as there is some feed in them, they may take some on warm days, and they will be OK to leave on.  Thanks

[Perry]

Were the lids plastic perry. Jack

"Were" is the correct word Jack. Who knew plastic burned so well?

[riverbee]

40 acre, here i use 1 gallon pails if i need to feed. two gallon pail for a needy hive this year i neglected and got behind on. any feeding of 2:1 syrup is done before october 15th, don't want extra moisture in the hive for winter months. styrofoam insulation on top went on this weekend, i could have waited another week or two as we still have some warmer days coming on but not much. nights are freezing, with frost on the ground in the mornings. i wrap sometime just before thanksgiving. the bees will propolize the screens on the pails to a certain degree, but i have never had them propolize them shut. perhaps you would if they were left empty for some period of time.

how are the weight of your hives? perhaps the slowdown on the pails could be because they didn't need it?

[40 Acre Bees]

I'm not totally confident they are heavy enough, but between all the hives they managed about to take an average of 45 lbs of syrup and then they slowed down.  I am going to make sure they all have plenty of fondant for the winter and hope for the best.   I am going to remove the buckets this weekend and I will add the insulation and fondant the first week of November.