🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[5Australorpasaures]

They should be fine, large numbers going into winter doesn't always equal winter success.

A full super would be plenty, and you can leave the bottom deep on. As spring approaches, they will move down.

Large numbers of bees going into winter is a double edge sword. It warms our hearts but the risk of blowing through the stores and starving is increased. I can't remember if they consume more because the cluster is warm or cold. I know of hives dying out having stores of honey on either side of the cluster. Usually in the spring standard practice here is to flip the deeps after locating the queen as the top super shows signs of eggs and brood rearing. It's all a judgement call.

 

[drstratton]

Let me revise what I was trying to say. I want to see the queens lay enough eggs so that they go into winter with bees of strong winter physiology. I'm not worried about them starving as we plan to feed through winter.

We are making new OAE pads sometime before we leave on Wednesday. We will test for mites when we get back home. Hoping the levels are 0 to none...lol

We're supposed to have a mild winter, but it might also be a wet one. I'm very hopeful for next spring. Doing everything we can to get them there.

 

[drstratton]

Large numbers of bees going into winter is a double edge sword. It warms our hearts but the risk of blowing through the stores and starving is increased. I can't remember if they consume more because the cluster is warm or cold. I know of hives dying out having stores of honey on either side of the cluster. Usually in the spring standard practice here is to flip the deeps after locating the queen as the top super shows signs of eggs and brood rearing. It's all a judgement call.

I'm learning that everything is a judgment call in beekeeping.

So you flip the deeps in the fall?

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I'm learning that everything is a judgment call in beekeeping.

So you flip the deeps in the fall?

No, I don't flip in the fall as the stores are above in the fall, winter bees are being brooded now in the bottom. I flip in the spring as the queen will start laying up top in the spring.

 

[drstratton]

No, I don't flip in the fall as the stores are above in the fall, winter bees are being brooded now in the bottom. I flip in the spring as the queen will start laying up top in the spring.

Gotcha, thank you!