In a message dated 97-12-22 06:10:59 EST, [log in to unmask] (Walt
Barricklow) writes:
 
<< I need some help on this one.  Last fall I put on an additional deep hive
 body, to reduce the chance of
 swarming. It is my understanding that through the winter, bees will move up
 in the hive. So far winter
 here is low 40s to 50s in the south.  I want to take out one of the deep
 supers, and thought that the best
 one would be the bottom, as the bees will mostly bee in the top two deep
 supers by late January. I do
 not want to split the hive or requeen, just get the bees ready for spring
 in two deep  supers. I thought
 early in the morning when temps are lower might work.  Ive never tried this
 before, so any help will be
 greatly appreciated. >>
 
   Walt, I've been moving bees and working bees this past week, with no
problems. Generally I move the hives when as cool as possible (early morning),
and work inside the hives at midday. Anytime the teperatures are above 50, you
don't need to worry about opening a hive, if it is reasonably strong, and you
don't leave brood frames exposed to the cold for more than the few seconds it
takes to look at them.
 
   In sorting out your boxes - a rule of thumb:  Never leave empty combs above
the bees. Honey above bees is fine (and necessary!), it will hold and store
heat, as well as provide food energy as the bees move up. But whenever there
are empty boxes above the cluster, you have a lot of wasted heat, which rises
into the empty space and is dissapated. This will cause the bees to decline
rapidly.
 
   For the same reason, hives should not be in a location where they are
exposed to strong winds. It usually is not a problem early in the winter, but
we normally get a lot of wind in February and March. Their struggle to heat
their homes really takes a lot of feed, and they will often decline visibly
after just one or two storms. We are trying to get all of our bees back out of
the fields and into sheltered locations, but many spots are too wet to be
accessible.
 
    Empty space can be left below the bees, if you think they are likely to
expand quickly in the spring. They do not have to heat this space, so this is
not a problem. However mice may easily get into this unoccupied space.
 
   Any hive that does not have a good cap of honey over the brood nest right
now is being checked for queen problems, then fed. Next month we start feeding
everything, whether it seems to need it or not.  The feed will be repaid in
additional strength in the spring.  Our winters are not as severe as northern
winters, but they definitely are a factor to contend with, in our management.
 
[log in to unmask]     Dave Green  Hemingway, SC  USA
The Pollination Scene:  http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
 
Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop    (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles)
http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm