Bee Chronicles Dec 2015

It is nearly Thanksgiving. The temperature has dropped to normal (cool with frosty nights). This may not be good news.

The bees have eaten a significant amount of stored honey in early November during the abnormally warm period. I have been feeding heavily. Did the bees make enough honey to replace what they ate, plus feed the hive?

There will be warm days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. On a sunny day with calm winds I will go through my hives to ascertain the stored food levels.

Do I need to move a frame of honey from a real strong hive to a weaker hive that didn’t put up enough honey? Do I keep feeding to make up for consumed honey? The bees will be slow about making honey from sugar syrup because of the cool and shortened days. But, they may make honey for 2-3 hours mid-day. If the hives are low on food now, you will have to check them more frequently through the winter and be prepared to start feeding extra early next Jan/Feb.

What is the condition of my queens? Are they alive? Are they still brooding? If not alive combine the hives without queens with your weaker hives to create stronger hives. If all your other hives are strong make a super-strong hive. Next spring you can split the hive creating 2 (or more) strong hives, and insert a new queen.

To check the hives for food during the cold months it is best to weigh them. Well, that may be impractical. So you can use the “mountain tilt test”. You have to start practicing now. Lift the corner of a hive and think about how much grunting is required. Write it down. You won’t remember in February. Each time you tilt the hive through out the winter, write it down, heavy, medium, light, uh oh. If you pick up the rear corner of the hive with gusto and it tips over, it is a sign there was not much honey stores.

The best emergency food may be fondant. That is just thick cake frosting. It has moisture in it which makes it more readily available to the bees. In order to eat hard (granulated) sugar bees must gather water to melt the sugar. You can also use candy cane pieces. That may be impractical on freezing days. Make a paste of granulated or powdered sugar and use it as a substitute for fondant.

You can also make the old time “sugar patty” which was a traceo mite treatment. You might just make the patties to treat for traceo mites. They are still around. Using “Crisco” make a paste with granulated or powdered sugar, about like a ¼ pounder, and place it centered over the cluster. The grease masks the scent of the bee and the traceo mite can’t find the bee to get on to.

Don’t forget to pray. By the time the cold sets in that may be the only thing left to do. It is better than just hoping the bees make it through the winter.

Has anyone been using the “new” syrup additives, amino acids and vitamins and minerals? This is in addition to “honey bee healthy”. Next spring we may be able to tell if it makes a difference.

What to do with the rest of your time this winter? Put new hives and frame wood work together. Don’t put wax foundation in the frames until warm spring arrives. You can break the foundation while it is cool. Also, the mice will eat it and you will have to start over in the warm spring. If you have a warm area to work, you can do a lot of painting of the hives and supers. Good paint will add years to the life of the wooden boxes, tops, and bottoms.

HAPPY HIBORNATING