Its only when we get say 2-3 weeks of nightly 40's  and then a real cold
> front moves in and nights are teens  and days are 40's....  about once
> every 3 years.
>

This is the reason for my original post, the question of how long and what
temperature. Everything else is already in the books- the small colony and
the like. But what is not there is the problem of the strong hive that eats
its way to the top and what are the dynamics that starve it out.

The temperature seems straight forward, less than 43F which is about where
the bees no longer leave the cluster at all. The problem with that
temperature is it is internal to the hive. So a caveat has to added- cloudy
days to remove sun heat. The the question is how long? Two days seems to be
the tipping point.

So the answer I have is cloudy days with day time temps below 43F for more
than two days and bees at top of frame.

As I said in the original post, the question was academic for two reasons.
First they should have had adequate stores to begin with and second, if you
feed your bees on the margin, like two deeps vice three, then insure you
have supplemental feed at the ready and directly over the cluster.That
takes care of the problem. Plus, the charge to beekeepers for successful
overwintering has been the same for decades- healthy queen and lots of
healthy bees with plenty of stores and adequate ventilation.

It has been an interesting topic for me as it reinforces :All beekeeping is
local". Here in Maine we had "nights are teens  and days are 40's" just
four days ago for well over two days.

Our local problem is we do come out of winter with some warm days in late
March, but get cold again sometimes within the killing criteria in April.
This year has been exceptionally hard on feed because of a dearth in the
fall, warm early January, then cold, then warm February then cold early
March, then cold late March and a cool and cold April.  A yo-yo of
temperatures.Anyone with three deeps did fine, Those with two had to feed.

I left my sugar boards through it all but some put on syrup in March. I am
looking to see what happened to those who shifted to syrup early. Our State
Apiarist recommends no syrup until night time temps are above 40F, which
puts daytime temps in the 60s.. Probably a bit overkill but prudent.

Learned a lot about different approaches in different locations but Charlie
re-affirmed the conditions needed to starve them no matter how strong the
colony if it has hit to top of the "chimney" and there is nothing there to
eat.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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