Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: mat on July 21, 2005, 09:23:04 am

Title: bilding strength for winter
Post by: mat on July 21, 2005, 09:23:04 am

Which bees will be wintering. Is it bees from eggs layed starting in late August or September? How many frames of brood should I have for the good strength for winter?

Title: bilding strength for winter
Post by: Miss Chick-a-BEE on July 21, 2005, 09:49:41 am

I think my queen was still laying in October, then slacked off much more after that. But I've never opened my hive in December or January.... so wouldn't know what it's like completely. But I know I get brood (all stages) in Febuary.

Beth

Title: Brood in Fall and Winter
Post by: Joseph Clemens on July 21, 2005, 10:19:16 am

Here in our parts my hives often have their strongest populations in January/February. I don't believe they ever stop raising brood. Certainly simplifies the problems of Winter losses. Our Winter rains and subsequent wildflower bloom often inspires December/January swarming.

Title: bilding strength for winter
Post by: mat on July 21, 2005, 10:49:44 am

Here in Mass we have quite a winter, so I think the queen will stop laying sometime in Nov/ Dec to restart probably in February/March. My point is: the bees which are in the hive now  and the brood will die before winter. Question which eggs will give bees who will be winterising? Is it starting August or September?

Title: bilding strength for winter
Post by: leominsterbeeman on July 21, 2005, 12:19:02 pm

Last winter  at my location - The queens stopped laying at the end of October and started up again in late February.