Winter feeding during cold weather

[Finsky]

I feed my hives for winter very late, at last moment. (Many things tend to be undone with me  if I do not have in use last moments. )

1# LOOK INTO THE HIVE TO LEARN. YOU MAY OPEN THE HIVE NEAR FREEZING POINT. JUST SEE AND LEARN YOURSELF.
HIVES ARE INDIVIDUALS. DON'T CRY FOR ONE HIVE. KEEP EXTRA HIVES TO COMPENSATE WINTER LOSSES AND QUEEN LOSSES.

Good weather is if day temperature is  about 15C-20C.  So night temp is about 8C-10C. Robbers are vivid and bees are figting whole days.

Cold weather is if day temp is about 10C and night 0C -5C. This brings some difficulties. Some hives tend to go into winter rest and they stop working. Feeding process slows down because bees retreat from feeding box and go to ball to keep colony warm. Night makes syrup cool and it is slow to warm up by during day.

After feeding bees need warm hives 2 weeks that they cap the syrup frames.

What I do avoid cooling hives and syrup during feeding:

* entrances smaller
* Start in the morning and pour warm syrup into feeding box. Box is over the colony and it gives warm to syrup box bottom.
* Give some honey into sucking room that they are interested in feeding.
* Keep entrance small that you have some ventilators all the time.

* 2 news paper sheet over the feeding box. It insulates some from cold air and wind.

IF AFTER ALL bees do not take syrup,

* Pour directly into empty combs
* Fill empty combs pouring directly cell  in oblique  position
* let syrup drain  extra away and put into beebox
* put syrup box under the winterin box and bees lift syrup upstair.

IN HARD CASE

Colony is small and you have time too few.

* pick  capped frames from other hives and fill the box of stubborn hive
* put capped frames on sides and feed the centre full.
* take capped honey frames from store

DON'T USE HONEY in syrup because it invents robbers. Just to start feeding.

FEED CELLS FULL; otherwise bees do not cap them

ORDER OF FRAMES

foundation - capped - pollen- empty frames to be filled - pollen - capped -foundation

If pollen is against side walls, it tend to catch mould.
Foundations help air circulation and prevent moulding.

Bees eat pollen when they process syrup and make wax for cells and cappings.

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[buzzbee]

You are right Finsky,there is no moment like the last moments!!We have all been in that situation.
How long will the bees work on capping the combs if you fill them with syrup? (Until what outdoor temps?)
You are probably more experienced in cold weather feeding than most since you have such long winters!
How much weight will 1 comb of syrup equal when it is capped? Is it same weight as honey when cured?
Thanks,Buzzbee

[Finsky]

How long will the bees work on capping the combs if you fill them with syrup? (Until what outdoor temps?)

You need not care about that. More important is that feeding starts brood  raising again and the last brood need 3 weeks time to emerge and then hey should get out to empty their feces. The last brood bees normal dig away and carry out.

Finally bees tranfer food from periferia and fill the centre from where last brood emerged.

How much weight will 1 comb of syrup equal when it is capped? Is it same weight as honey when cured?

Fat Langstroth comb has 2,5 kg food/honey. You need not know their weight, but syrup as store is same stuff as sugar.

You need not know much things when you feed hive full of sugar, just feed them untill they stop.

[Cindi]

Finsky, further clarification, you say this:

 >ORDER OF FRAMES
Foundation - capped - pollen- empty frames to be filled - pollen - capped -foundation
If pollen is against side walls, it tend to catch mould.
Foundations help air circulation and prevent moulding

You are speaking of 10 frame deep bodies?
1 foundation frame - 1 capped honey - 1 pollen - 4 empty frames to be filled - 1 pollen - 1 capped honey - 1 foundation

This is not understood by me.  That does not leave very much food for the bees. 

I have witnessed this mouldy pollen frame in my first year of beekeeping.  I did not understand the order of frames and I had a pollen frame on the outside, it was a pretty messy by the end of wintertime.  Mistakes, lessons learned.  Have a wonderful and greatest of days.  Cindi

[Finsky]

You are speaking of 10 frame deep bodies?
1 foundation frame - 1 capped honey - 1 pollen - 4 empty frames to be filled - 1 pollen - 1 capped honey - 1 foundation

This is not understood by me.  That does not leave very much food for the bees. 

You may use your brains or imagination........ 8-)

You have capped frames when you put the hive in winter position. capped honey may be 25% or 50% . You have food there so much as you leave after extracting.
Capped honey in cold parts means that bees tend to cap them last  - bees fill the centre of box.
Then pollen that they get it in spring. Pollen frames have usually over 70% space for syrup

So food frames are 8/10. Pollen  produce heat too to hive what they eat it.

When bees start to raise brood in spring, over half of food stores are normally left. Pollen is situated near brood area.

After cleansing flight it is hurry to chek, what is food situation in each hives and then you even frames. Take from rich and give to poor like Robibn Hood.



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[Cindi]

After cleansing flight it is hurry to chek, what is food situation in each hives and then you even frames. Take from rich and give to poor like Robibn Hood.

You mean beekeepers should check immediately when bees perform cleansing flight to see if hives have enough food, take from strong colonies to give to weaker colonies. Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi