Settling em down for winter in Tassie

[dING]

ok left a supa full honey on each hive

brought em all down to 3-4 ideals high

Blocked of 50% of entrances to help keep em warm

Wot have I missed ????

All suggestions welcome

[Anybrew]

Hi Bud, sounds good to me.  I am new to this, but have sited my hives so that they get good sunlight/warmth for most of the day and I also placed a cover on top of the hive lid to hopefully insulated them from frost.
My bee's weren't occupying the supers so I reduced them to crowd them up to be warm I hope.

Cheers
Steve

[dING]

OK with that I suspect from the times I have been in Dubbo you have more severe frosts than we do

But we do get frosts

My hives are in position to catch the morning sun

Havent wrapped em with anything cause none of tother bee keeps here do

They reckon leave em alone from now until autumn equinox

Then start feeding em to get em started ready for the honey flow

Feed = 50% sugar 50% water

[AllenF]

2 to 1 ratio for fall feeding.   1 to 1 will stimulate brood growth.   2 to 1 will let them pack it up for the winter.

[dING]

2 to 1 ratio for fall feeding.   1 to 1 will stimulate brood growth.   2 to 1 will let them pack it up for the winter.

That was the idea to stimulate brood to build up numbers

Hopefully to be ready for a major honey flow

But if it will be similar his year it will a  be a minor disaster

Honey production is down up to 80% on the leatherwood this year pretty grim for some Beekeeps

[Anybrew]

Hi Ding, even here mate the so called flow didn't really happen.  I expected a good supply of honey but got a very average one.  It was a very wet spring and summer here.
The frost here in Dubbo are very heavy I thought in Tassie they would be worse but as you say not so.

Cheers
Steve

[dING]

Never seen a frost here but am only a couple hundred meters from the sea front (bass straight)

But it should be noted that since retiring 10 odd years ago

Never get out off bed in the morning till 8.30 ish

Bin through Dubbo many times and was \ am amazed at the heavy frosts

Ride through on a motorcycle every year or so

And reckon the early morning ride Dubbo-Moree is the pits its bloody freezing

You could say cold even

[Anybrew]

Yeah good onya 8.30 haha I wish..wow A couple hundred metres from Bass Strait I like that, I spose you eat mutton birds as well.  Tassie is a beautiful place I always plan to ride down there but it just hasn't happened yet.  I went for a ride on Tuesday morning to Narromine and froze my butt off I had the heated grips on high and still couldn't pick my nose for half an hour.
It is a crap ride from Dubbo to Moree for sure and a crap drive which I will be doing next month to see the oldies at Bundaberg.
Cheers
Steve

[dING]

Tis simple to get to 8.30am rising time

Ya just gotta live long enough to retire

Wot ya ride gotta gsx1400 suzi her

[Anybrew]

I ride a gentleman's motorcycle ding, a BMW 1150GS.  After having it for 8 years I will keep it as it still puts a smile to my dial.
The suzi 1400 would be a good solid bike with heaps of torque.
cheers
Steve

[dING]

Well Bee-ing a Beekeeper it goes without saying that you are a gentleman

Used to ride a Beemer myself till 5 years ago when I bought the 1400

Next time I am up that way will give ya a hoy and maybe we can go for a ride

[Anybrew]

Well ding that could Bee a plan mate.

Cheers
Steve

[Lone]

What is winter beekeeping like in the southern parts?  Do they fly at all or snuggle up?  Is it anything like the american wintering we read about on the forum?  Do you need to feed and then not disturb, and how do you set the hive up? 

Lone

[Geoff]

Can set a thermometer at 13 deg. C by the bees  Lone, 12 and a bit they snuggle up and soon as it tops 13 they are out and about. Fed the bees once ( dont know why), but the ants reckoned it was OK also. Otherwise I have never fed in anyway and they seem to do alright, probably backing up the advice from others that if they are doing alright leave alone.

[dING]

On a mild day 13-15degrees they pop out for a look around

Last time I checked em a week ago there was a few from each hive out n about

Sorta working bringing in a bit of Pollen dunno where they are getting it from tho

But if its colder than that and wet (quite common we get a lot of winter rain) never seem a sign of em

[dING]

Was about 14-15 yesterday checked the Bees

There was a few flying around from each hive

Bringing in a bit of pollen some white some yellow

Dunno where they are getting it from tho

Be another month before they really start to get busy tho