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Author Topic: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations  (Read 6400 times)

Offline jataylor

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Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« on: September 03, 2012, 10:11:46 am »
This is my first year, so I have lots of questions as I get ready to winter my hive.   I would really appreciate some advice as I prepare for winter here in Northern VA.  Here is a status of what I’ve done so far:

•   I have three 8-frame mediums on a screened bottom board and a standard inner cover.
•   I treated with Mite-Away Quick Strip and have CD cases with CheckMite + for SHB.  I’ve drenched the ground around the hive with GardStar mixed 5ml per gallon water.  SHB is present but under control. 
•   Brood patter fell off this week after Mite-Away, but was expected. 
•   Not a lot of honey or pollen stores-maybe 10 to 20 pounds of honey.  I did not take any honey from the hive this year.  Plan to put some heavy syrup on with Fumagilin-B and HBH this week.
•   The hive has a strong population and frames in the bottom two mediums are fully drawn and covered with bees except the outside of the outside frames.  Frames in upper medium are drawn except the two outside frames and the outside of the second frames in on each side.
•   The entrance is full open.  I plan to install the entrance reducer by the 15th  of September.

My questions:

•   Should I reduce the hive into two mediums and how is the best way to do that?
•   If I reduce the hive, how do I store and protect the drawn frames from wax moths as I would use them to start a new hive with a package in March?
•   Should I feed pollen patties this fall?  I understand that they are big draws for SHB!  So far, it looks like the strong bee population has kept them under control.
•   I plan to use a Candy Board inner cover over the winter and an emergency food source and to help with moisture.  Good idea?
•   I plan to insulate the hive with foam board.  Should I install the slide in bottom insert or run open screen bottom for ventilation?  How best to ventilate for the winter?

Appreciate any advice you can give.  Thanks for your help.

Jerry Taylor

Offline T Beek

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2012, 11:26:29 am »
No offence intended but 'all' of your questions can be answered by using the search engine provided.  Really, it is too valuable a resource to be ignored.  

You've asked for a book IMO  :-D

Since I don't treat my bees w/ any man made chemicals I won't (I could...but I ... ;) comment on that.

Removing honey supers (or any empty boxes and/or frames) encourages your bees to fill any empty spaces w/ honey in preparation for the coming winter and should be done each season.  Generally, bees with 'too' much room perish over winter, especially where they can be severe.  Leave only enough space for bees and honey/pollen.  

As I live in N/W Wisconsin the process has already begun.  I would think you have a bit more time but as I like to say..."All Beekeeping is Local."  

Good Luck to you, and please don't let my response stop you from asking future questions..... That said, I promise you and any other readers; the search engine on this site is awesome and even I still check there first whenever an issue appears.

t
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline adgjoan

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2012, 06:54:58 am »
I would install the entrance reducer. 
Not use Fumagilin-B unless disease is present
Not feed pollen patty in fall.  Do not want to fill the bees guts with solids. Save the pollen patty for early spring.
Leave SBB open all winter.  There is your ventilation.
I would use a candy board or dry sugar on top the hives. Some beeks put the HBH in the candy board.
Not sure if I would use foam board but rather a wind break.  The foam board may hold moisture in.
I would leave all 3 medium supers on the hives.  That is equal to 2 deeps which is  generally recommended.
Do feed 2:1 or 5:3 syrup.  You need to get the hives up to 80-100lbs. Be advised if you put HBH in the syrup you may start a robbing frenzy. 

Good luck!

Offline jataylor

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2012, 12:34:31 pm »
Frankly, I was very put off by T BEEK's response and didn't come back to the forum until today.  I decided to use that "valuable resource" of the search engine to find out some information on "candy boards" and where did it lead me?  Right to my post with a great response by adgjoan!  You can reach your own conclusion.  Thank you adgjoan.  Do appreciate your help.

Offline T Beek

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2012, 03:05:52 pm »
jataylor;  It appears that you did not read my entire response  ;) a frequent occurance around here I'm afraid (see COFFEE HOUSE).  I tried to answer your Q as best as I could (gotta take the good w/ the bad sometimes).

I apologise for any felt offense.  :imsorry:

(ie) "No offense intended"  was how I began my response to your op.  You're hardly the first poster sent to the archives for answers and won't be the last.  I even suspect that you may eventually do so yourself....after seeing the same Q over and over and over and...well, you get the idea  ;) 

What would have happened if I tried to offend? :-D

Old proverb;  "Not everyone who craps on you is your enemy and not everyone who digs you out of crap is your friend."
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2012, 06:13:23 pm »
JA,
Try not to be thin skinned when asking for opinions.Your sure to always get some you do not want. We have many keepers doing things different ways .
Tbeek has had success in his way of doing things. It may not work as well for someone else. As he stated he did not mean to offend.
And the advice of removing honey supers and letting them backfill the brood area with winter stores is spot on. Too much empty space can make a viable colony perish over the winter.
As far as the entrance reducer,I would be looking more for mouse guards. A beehive is a cozy place for mice when bees are in cluster.

As afr as the search feature,use the one right above where it says shoutbox at the top of the forum pages. It has advanced search features that bring up more than just the most recent post with your search term in it.


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« Last Edit: October 12, 2012, 06:33:20 pm by buzzbee »

Offline samsungpizza

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2012, 10:50:10 pm »
Thanks for pointing out the other search feature. Never noticed it before.

Offline Vance G

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2012, 11:13:17 pm »
Good thing Finski didn'tanswer JA or he would have suicided!

Offline oblib

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2012, 11:19:05 pm »
Good thing Finski didn'tanswer JA or he would have suicided!

 :lau: so true

Offline duck

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2012, 10:49:02 pm »
rofl

Offline Finski

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2012, 04:05:29 am »
Good thing Finski didn'tanswer JA or he would have suicided!


heh heh heh. What ever.  Great country, great tolerances.

Try to find an experienced beekeeper nearby. This gang is a bigger danger to your bees than winter.

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Language barrier NOT included

Offline T Beek

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2012, 08:15:21 am »
Best ever Quote from Finski (who posts his expertise from Finland); 

"Try to find an experienced beekeeper nearby."

Can't argue w/ that.
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline JackM

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2012, 12:45:55 pm »
Good thing Finski didn'tanswer JA or he would have suicided!

Too funny, too funny
Jack of all trades
Master of none.

Offline Finski

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2012, 12:55:00 pm »
.
Oh boy,.......

Bees have in America CCD and beekeepers have CHD *)









*) collapsed humour disorder
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Language barrier NOT included

Offline jataylor

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2012, 03:48:26 pm »
It is a weird sort of fun to come back and follow the reply threads!   :-D

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #15 on: October 19, 2012, 04:39:16 pm »
Who says bee keepers don't have a sense of humor.  I got some pretty good laughs from this thread   :)

Offline D Semple

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2012, 05:04:43 pm »

Try to find an experienced beekeeper nearby. This gang is a bigger danger to your bees than winter.
.

Good line!     X:X   X:X



Offline buzzbee

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2012, 09:05:01 am »
.
Oh boy,.......

Bees have in America CCD and beekeepers have CHD *)









*) collapsed humour disorder
.

 :)

Offline wadehump

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #18 on: October 21, 2012, 09:14:30 am »
Ask 10 beeks a question you get 20 answers. It is a locality question so take all with a grain of salt.

Offline Finski

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Re: Questions on Fall and Winter Preparations
« Reply #19 on: October 21, 2012, 10:52:30 am »
Ask 10 beeks a question you get 20 answers. It is a locality question so take all with a grain of salt.

Yeah. And one stupid can ask more than 10 wise can answer.

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Your locality means that you stand in front of out door and think "me America".

I went to New Zealand beekeeping forum to tell how oxlic acid work on bees.

First they wrote to me that there is no good from oversees.
Then they invented that I write against NZ law when I write about oxalic drippling.
Then they found that oxalic acid was in allowed stuff catalogue.

I wrote that you may use oxalic on false swarms. Next moderator invented that false swarm making is against NZ law.
Somebody wrote that it means as treatment against AFB, not swarm prevention.


Yeah. It was the most funny gang I ever have met. Nothing good from oversees!!!!  And I have learner much from Australian and US  reports.

.So local, so local....

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Language barrier NOT included