Beekeeping Formula For How Much Honey To Leave For Winter

Beekeeping is easier when you have a formula to work with, and I have a formal for deciding how much honey you should leave on your hives for winter survival.
Join My Channel Support Team:
/ @beek
I would love to be your personal mentor. Let's face it, beekeeping IS HARD. So many challenges and so many way to easily make a huge mistake. My mentoring community, BeeTeam6 is now offered in tiers. Check it out to see which tier best fits your mentoring needs. www.honeybeeso...
LIVESTREAM EVERY THURSDAY AT 7 p.m. Central Time. Here's the link:
www.honeybeesonline.com/live
KZbin Merch such as stickers and BeekSquad coffee mugs: www.honeybeeso...
Feeding Your Bees During The Dearth Makes All The Difference In The World For Your Bees. Here's the link to our Fall feeding board: www.honeybeeso...
Also, add our additives when you feed your bees: www.honeybeeso...
ULTIMATE ONLINE BEEKEEPING COURSE
✅ If you are new to beekeeping or you keep failing, I strongly recommend you take my Ultimate ONLINE Beekeeping Course. This bundle includes all 7 of my online courses: Beginning Beekeeping, Mite Control, Spring: SurvivAL, Supering, swarms & Splits, Advanced Beekeeping, My Popular Queen Rearing Course, A Day In The Apiary With Me and How To Get Your Bees Through The Winter. Here's the link:
www.honeybeeso...
Subscribe To My Channel Please & Hit My Notification Bell:
www.youtube.co...
COFFEE MUGS: www.honeybeeso...
My FREE Downloadable "Raising Quality Queen Bees" book: www.uaex.uada....
MY INSTAGRAM: / longlanehoneybees
👀Take a look at our book that Sheri and I wrote, Backyard Beekeeping from our website and we will autograph it for you:
www.honeybeeso...
💯OUR ONLINE BEEKEEPING CLASSES:
www.honeybeeso...
Check out my Inspection Guide which you can download and print off to help guide you on your hive inspections:
www.honeybeeso...
DISCLAIMER: Some links in this description might be affiliate links which means if you purchase a product or service using a link I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no extra charge to you. Thank you so much for supporting my channel which enables me to continue to produce more videos for you.
💪BEEKEEPING SUPPLIES I RECOMMEND:
Honey Bandit (Helps remove bees from your supers): amzn.to/3pBPNMx
My Yellow Rubber Gloves: amzn.to/3SZmFLM
Beeswax to add to foundation: amzn.to/3FWfVXY
Refractometer: amzn.to/476TCh5
J-Hook Hive Tool: amzn.to/3KBW8mv
Burlap: amzn.to/3IMU0ra
Microscope Camera: amzn.to/3IkkvDY
======================================
This video was filmed Using:
Camera: Canon R10
Amazon: amzn.to/3K2CUFC
Lens: Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM
Lens: Amazon: amzn.to/44OydZp
Microphone: Comica Wireless Lavalier Microphone, BoomX-D2 2.4G Compact
Amazon: amzn.to/4aAuY9r
🌻FEED YOUR BEES:
Plan ahead for Fall. Feed your bees in the fall by using my Feeding board known as the Burns Bees Feeder. Safely feed your bees from the top. Great way to help you build up your bees of winter physiology. Check it out:
www.honeybeeso...
Feeding Additives:
www.honeybeeso...
Pollen Powder: amzn.to/3Qo35XZ
📬If you'd like to send something to add to the store front to spruce up my back drop, send it to David Burns, PO BOX 254, Catlin, IL 61817
Whoa, you made it all the way down here! Thank you ♥️ Love you

[@beek]

I'm putting in a lot of effort to make this video to help you successfully guide your bees through the winter. In this video, I’ll be sharing an easy formula I've created to help you determine exactly how much honey to leave on your hive for winter-customized to your specific location! Don’t forget to leave a comment below and share how much honey your bees typically need for winter based on where you live. Thank you for watching!

[@TheKeepersHive]

5 pounds of honey consumption per month if not making brood, 10-15 pounds per month when making brood. Single deep, solid bottom board, 2 inch top insulation, no ventilation in SE Pennsylvania. Total winter consumption between 30-40 pounds.

[@beek]

Nice to hear from Pennsylvania!

[@eves8611]

Thank you from NE Pennsylvania. I didn't leave my bees enough last winter.

[@SIBEEMAN]

Staten Island NY with an elevation of 167 feet above sea level. I run 10 frame double deeps with screened bottom boards, bee cozy wraps, no ventilation, foam insulated inner cover and feeder shim for 5 lbs. HiveAlive fondant. Top deep averages 70 pounds of honey. Consumption varies on weather, bees usually eat fondant before all of the honey. They come out of winter with a high population. Thanks David👍🏻

[@beek]

Great to hear how you get your bees through a NY winter! Thanks for sharing.

[@jayglosser2014]

GREAT Video David, glad you paid attention in math class. I live in Western New York, Wyoming County, Town of ORANGEVILLE, elevation approx 1800 to 2100 ft above sea level. We have 6 months of winter weather most years and so about 60 lbs of honey is consumed and I have used 2 wbk boards on each hive starting the first week of January to help the bees through the winter.

[@beek]

Thanks for sharing from New York. I love math!

[@mikethompson2032]

Our winters are about 7 months long. We typically need about 80+ lbs. of honey. I’m located in Colorado at an elevation of 7,000 ft.

[@CareyMartinCO]

Similar, Mike. We are at 7500’. Are you also feeding with WBK or similar? Or only their honey?

[@mlm1hopeify]

Hi. I'm from Bronx New york. I'm also a first-time beekeeper. I'm praying my bees make it through the winter.

[@beek]

Great to hear and thanks for watching. Do you have enough honey for winter or will you be feeding your bees?

[@jonnietaylor3146]

Really liked the cowboy veil!

[@beek]

I like it too. Supports my "cowboy up" phrase.

[@robertofkennedy]

Jacksonville, Florida. Have no bees yet. I can't wait to play

[@beek]

Good for you. You are learning and taking in some videos before you start up. I'm sure you'll love it. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.

[@philippine_phin]

Thanks for this video!! I’m in Central California. Its mid-Sept and temps are still 80’s back to 90’s the next two weeks. This is my second year. Last year I caught 4 swarms on bare frames. They built out 3 deeps each hive and I left it all for them. Unfortunately all 4 hives absconded during winter and later, most of the honey left behind was robbed. This year caught a single swarm and after a slow start they’ve been producing like crazy. My pasture still has tons of clover and neighboring area has tons of flowering trees. I harvested a deep box for over 4 gallons honey. and replaced it on the hive for them to gleam but two weeks later and those empty frames are already about 70% full again!!

[@beek]

Wow, your bee are doing great. Thanks for sharing from California.

[@kylefrench7985]

Great video and informative like always.Thanks so much for your endless devotion. I'm in Logan Utah our elevation is just over 4500 feet above sea level. Winter is very long and very cold and lots of snow. We can see snow from mid October to the end of May. I definitely feed my bees the sugar candy boards. I leave my bees at least 70 lbs of honey as well. David knows what he is talking about. Feed 1 to 1 in the fall for bees of winter physiology!!! Winter be kind candy boards sure are a game changer for keeping bees throughout the winter. Thanks again David!!!

[@beek]

Thanks Kyle from Utah. Glad to hear feeding your bees has made such a huge impact on your bees.

[@victorkulynycz1397]

Will depend on your winter every year is different at my house, you better have some fondant or sugar bricks on standby. I'm on Marylands Eastern Shore and try to leave about 30 lbs of honey on for winter on a deep and 1 med configuration. Hive Alive fondant has saved my hives over last 2 winters 3rd year beek here.

[@beek]

Good to hear. I do believe in feeding bees in the winter.

[@wpankey57]

How fun to have those two as guests. Hopefully, you can have her back again. You guys make a great pair.

[@beek]

Carey and Willa were so fun to work with. It was great!

[@Grampagreybeard]

I leave all my supers on the hives full of honey all winter and harvest honey in the spring. I feed some sugar water in mid to late OCT-DEC if needed "Every year is different". Are winters are cold and wet we might get 10 to 20 days of snow or freezing rain-type weather each year and it rarely drops into the single-digit temperatures January and February are our coldest months and the temperature stays in the mid-twenties to low forties so we have it pretty easy compared to the Northern states, we have zero hive beetles and a low to medium level of mites in this area my elevation is 190 feet. This works well for me and my bees here in NW Oregon.

[@1954hoser]

Im in michigan at 710 above sea level,, currently i have 10 frame two deeps and a super and a feeder board with two qt 2to 1jars and pollen patty. will feed until end of oct. bottom brood box is full(80lb) 2nd brood box only half full,maybe 30 or 40lb. super is empty for now. depending on the weather end of oct i will stop liquid feeding and put newspaper on feeder board with 25lbs of suger and piece of 2in insulation on top cover board. I have a cozy cover but havent decided on using it yet?? this is my first yr doing bees,watching these videos and in two local bee clubs have helped so much! keep buzzing on :)

[@beek]

Thanks for watching, and I'm glad to hear your strategy for feeding your bees for winter.

[@framcesmoore]

Ha David I am in Virginia. city my dearth is from June to march now i am having a little pollen coming in but not enough to do anything for the bees. I am feeding buckets 2 gal every 7-10 days and pollen using caulk tube. I do this till it gets cold where they cant drink any more. then i remove the bucket and add my candy it is 10lb per hive and i check it every month and add more as needed. my bees do great with what i am doing. my hives do have some stores but they by pass there stores and eat my sugar they are like teen age boys they love it. enjoyed your video and look forward to the next. have a blessed day.

[@beek]

Thanks for sharing. You're doing a great job feeding your bees.

[@KurtisLukasik]

Thanks Dave once again your video has made me decide on the right path to control hive beetles. I saw the traps and the evidence shows they work. My hive here at home I have seen a few beetles but not the last time I inspected it. I did purchase some traps and will definitely be using them.

[@beek]

I do like those traps. Doesn't get them all, but trapping any is a great thing.

[@patrickstevenson17]

Willa did a great job with the camera recording you.

[@beek]

Yes she did, and you did too!

[@CareyMartinCO]

Biased, but I agree! We ALL did a great job! I wish you could see how proud she is! ❤

[@patrickstevenson17]

Thank you

[@davehendricks4824]

Well that answers those questions I had. Thanks David!

[@beek]

Glad to help and thanks for watching!

[@michellemiller1986]

I’m in NE Ohio. Last year I had a single deep make it through winter along with a double deep. I didn’t pull any honey from either hive, didn’t feed and didn’t treat for any mites. I’ll have to tell you how this year goes since we’ve more than tripled our hives and have had to feed every single hive - definitely more dearthy than I expected.

[@beek]

Thank you for sharing.

[@brianbennett4374]

Great 👍 info thanks David and Sheri 😊

[@beek]

Thanks Brian.

[@aaronparis4714]

That’s smart I like that I’m in Nova Scotia Canada we need 80 pounds max and a fondant Pattie 😅

[@beek]

That's a lot! Thanks for sharing and for feeding your bees in the winter there in Nova Scotia.

[@sherryday2062]

Just south of Bloomington indiana, winter be kinds in addition to second deep half full is my plan

[@ellendavidson2129]

9:30 pm NE Nevada, 5,870' elevation near the Ruby Mtns I'm using 2 deeps and a med super and find that really sets me up for Spring build up and gets me through winter if I use 2 lbs of pollen patties ans a couple of sugar cakes ! 😊

[@beek]

That's great to know from Nevada!

[@PaulsBees]

Surrey, southern England. 20kg (44lb) required for winter. Elevation: sea level. Nb: I also provide supplemental feed (fondant) to make sure they have enough. Last winter was mild. Bees brought in a lot of stores in early new year. Challenge for me is this time of year. It's still warm and we're in a partial dearth. So the bees are already eating through their stores. My target is 20kg of stores by end of October.

[@beek]

A mild winter does make it a bit easier.

[@apatriot1762]

I’m m in Tampa Florida, I don’t think we have a “winter” worth being concerned about. I’ve always been fine keeping just one medium super on each colony from Dec-Feb

[@beek]

There you go, if it works it works.

[@miketroyani2500]

I typically leave 2 deeps and 1super for winter but I live in south Louisiana where we have a much shorter winter. Winter is only about two months here but something is almost always blooming except maybe after when we have a hard freeze and the frost burns up the little wild flowers. But then I'll feed for a couple weeks with a pollen feeder or syrup feeders or both.

[@beek]

Good to hear from you Mike in Louisiana.

[@jayglosser2014]

David, you need to create a chart with regions - deep south, south, middle, north, upper north, Canada, New England, etc. Then have average amounts (lbs) per hive size. Use AI

[@beek]

Yes, Dr. Zawislak and I are working on a book together to include just what you've mentioned.

[@ernielightning3218]

SE Minnesota. My 10 year old son asked me if I knew anyone who could teach him how to keep bees. I had to think on that one for a minute ha ha. Any thoughts on making a kid’s video for aspiring bee keepers?

[@beek]

I'm going to answer this tomorrow on my Green Chair Answer Video. I love the idea!

[@ernielightning3218]

@@beekI’ll be sure to tune in!

[@ernielightning3218]

SE Minn again: I usually overwinter with three deeps which generally allows for more resource storage and a larger brood nest area in the fall. Might add about 15-20lbs of a sugar brick on top just in case the girls go straight up instead of laterally when it’s really cold for several weeks. However! I’ve lost hives when the brood is still in the middle box and we get a cold snap early on. Girls are so protective of the babies that they can’t get up to the food! Makes me a little sad when that happens!

[@CareyMartinCO]

Count us in on participating in this. You already know that I’m a huge supporter of kids in beekeeping. It all started as a homeschool project at our house a few years ago.

[@Ittiz]

I'm in central new england, and my bees made it through with a single 5lb bag of sugar as feed. It was a double deep and I didn't know exactly how much they weighed, but I figured their stores were low going into winter. That was my 1st year if it wasn't obvious.

[@beek]

Always good idea to give them a bit more than they have stored. Thanks for sharing from central new england.

[@filipvernica258]

Hi David, I have a question for you. We can use Apiguard for two or three times ? and the second question is what ; what I/we , should do with the frame after we treat With Apiguard ? keep in the hive ? And we can take Honey to eat next year , and use it?! I’m talking about medium frames. Thank you.

[@beek]

All very good questions. Please ONLY refer to the label or the company's website Q&A to follow their label. Here's the link: www.vita-europe.com/beehealth/wp-content/uploads/Apiguard.pdf

[@orlandotorres5979]

Hola Mr. David comment more about slide the box over and not drop on top. God bless

[@Meadsapiary]

I'm in N.Illinois. last year was my 1st winter and what ever they stored in the single deep brood plus the 10lbs of sugar on the candy board was all they got and none of my 8 colonies finished the sugar. Some barely put a dent in them and some still had 20% left when April arrived.

[@beek]

Thanks for sharing how you feed your bees.

[@Meadsapiary]

@@beek These incidently were also first year hives all of them. And as we all know, every year can be different. It will be interesting to see if my method of success will continue from 8 hives to 23. With the exception of about 14 days, last year was pretty mild. My bees flew at least 4 days in every month.

[@tomgc4609]

how much gro

[@brendajenkins5264]

Coastal North Carolina... Onslow County

[@beek]

Thanks

[@homercampbelljr5489]

Located in Rochester Indiana About 785 Elevation Run to deeps w 10 frame one super

[@beek]

Thanks JR

[@MikeMcDaniel-y1i]

I need , pollen, honey,bee bread, winter be kinds😊

[@beek]

About how much, do you think

[@tomgc4609]

my bee to much die😂😂 sir

[@LaFontaineHoneyBees]

I’m in the Pacific Ocean North west half mile from the ocean lot of wet and cold and rain and clouds , first time beekeeper did a lot of research my advantage I read and speak Russian so and English also been reading a lot of books in Russian and very good Russian scientist from last century has awesome book called the biology of bees name Taranov it was written from 1920s - 40s with many other scientists there it says: Bees will use more resources in the winter when population is low to heat its core and less if there a lot more bees in the hive very good book

[@beek]

Oh my gosh, these old books are ABSOLUTELY the best! In my opinion, they are better than some of the new scientific articles being published today. Taranov came up with a great swarm control method, which I'm sure you've read about.

[@LaFontaineHoneyBees]

@@beek Thank you for your work I love your videos. You’re the greatest beekeeper. I watch your videos every time you have new video in English you’re my favorite. I also watch a lot of Russian old beekeepers doing their work in Siberia and using Taranov method. I will do it next year in spring to control swarm.🐝🐝🐝 also he has his own very good queen isolation cage. He adds little thick wood on the bottom of the cage he said if you have metal bottom it’s not very good for the queen’s belly she won’t be good after being in there. Interesting they add fir oil and pine oil, mixing it with wood shims and put it in a hive to make Varroa confused with smell I tried it too it works good with combination Oxalic vapor !!!

[@MikeMcDaniel-y1i]

I live in michigan

[@beek]

So how much honey are you feeling you must leave on for winter Mike?

[@MikeMcDaniel-y1i]

60 to 70 pounds

[@klerindtervoli3307]

can u please write in kg.

[@e.l.1303]

11.67 lbs (5.29 kg) of honey per month when bees cannot forage

[@KurtisLukasik]

For kilos divide by 2.2 (5lbs = 2.272 kilos)

[@tomgc4609]

I am from nepal Mount bee keeping fourm

[@stanrobinson1420]

I’m in Thomaston Ga. It is in middle Ga. 18:03 18:04

[@beek]

Great to hear. How much do you leave on for your bees for your winter in Ga?