Hello All,
While at the KHPA meeting local beeks asked if I would share at times what I
am doing . Today we went to six locations of new hives made in spring. Those
hives were solid bees a month ago ( two deep boxes) . Now you can at least
see the frames as many old forager bees are now gone and most have stopped
brood rearing.
We go through the top box which had frames with foundation. Bottom box was
all drawn comb. Any frames which were not drawn out we pull and replace with
fully drawn frames. When you winter in the northern tier you always want to
go into winter on drawn comb. You could leave a frame with foundation on the
very outside but I pull all not fully drawn. We also pull frames of pollen
from the winter cluster. Bees need honey to cluster over. We also fed hives
still light .
We went to using a spacer on our hives when feeding pollen patty or applying
formic or thymol . The first year we pulled all off and I placed on pallets.
However when they are returned in February ( Missouri bees) then the base
seal is broken so the last couple years we have wintered with the spacers
on. ( with great results).
I use migratory tops. So now I wonder if I could easily use candy feed or
perhaps a homosote board .
I have found loading the hives and moving is not a problem with the spacers
on and makes feeding pollen patties very easy in February when we start
spring feeding before apple pollination.
Do others on the list winter bees with spacers on?
My spacer is a inch and half. What size homosote board would you suggest Mr.
Spear for me? Can you suggest a place I might purchase homosote board in 4
X8 sheets? Also what size hole would you recommend I drill in my spacers
for a top entrance?
I fought using a spacer at first because of being another piece of equipment
but now I think might be an improvement for commercial beekeeping over
simply a migratory top in winter.
comments:
bob
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