>I got the bright idea to construct a portable hive scale.
We can use the tool we use to move hives from pallet to pallet and a portable scale and did for years. Marking weight on hive top and number of gallons needed to reach the weight I felt needed. More important than finding the hive needing feed was finding the hive not needing feed so we could mark not to feed the hive.
Sugar prices are lower than last year but still at record highs.
A medium super of honey figures out to be around 35-40 pounds so with honey in the bottom might be enough for winter but 60-80 pounds is what is recommended for northern cold winters.
I can not afford to feed my bees a super of honey. I can barely afford to feed sugar.
> Now I would like a good idea of what they should have in the way of winter stores to get through the mild winter here.
In north Missouri bees take a higher amount of stores to go through a mild winter than a winter when the temps stay cold enough in daytime to maintain a loose cluster and not fly. Takes a higher amount of feed to winter in Texas, Florida or California if the bees are flying everyday and no nectar is coming in. Last month in Texas a honey flow was on in the East and hives put on weight and in one case by a Nebraska beekeeper supers were filled.
Bees are still working asters in Missouri but Asters are usually the last flower to provide fall nectar as we have had one hard freeze already.
I am hoping winter will hold off till after Thanksgiving. I do not like to break top seals after Thanksgiving in my area. Three years ago we had the second coldest November/December on record. Was hard on my bees but the bees were ready. Those beekeepers with poorly prepared hives saw big winter losses.
bob
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