Beekeeping | How To Manipulate Frames For Winter

Beekeeping requires manipulating frames, positioning them in preparation for winter.
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[@shadmorgan5491]

Referred to this video from a FB comment David it is warming to see someone else talking frame manipulations as yes, there IS INDEED the secret to broodnest management. However the lesson here begins with a fault in management, double brood boxes for a broodchamber(BC) going into the dearth... a thing reflective of "more is better", so long now known not to be productive. Ran as a single BC over 9/10 switching to 10/10 would have proved a more valuable lesson for new players but hey, I get even talking this topic makes heads spin! Thanks for your time in this. Shad

[@rogerallen1767]

kool i am a begginner just captured a wild swarm quite a new experiance i am watching your vidios they are wonderful

[@aarondlancaster]

Love the multi camera angles!

[@beek]

Thanks Aaron. Trying to add a special touch here and there.

[@brendawydeven2934]

I watched your September tips video like 4 times. Great video. Most I watch more than once. :)

[@janetshields9384]

Thanks!

[@beek]

Wow, Thank you so much Janet for the Super Thanks 👏

[@teresaharrell6017]

i love all your tips. thanks so much

[@beek]

You are so welcome!

[@paulajones6366]

Thanks for the tutorial and your enthusiasm!

[@beek]

My pleasure!

[@98honeybees92]

Thanks for your videos!

[@beek]

Thanks for watching.

[@nancyb7912]

Thank you for all of your videos! They have been very informative.

[@beek]

Thank you Nancy and thank you so much for subscribing!

[@cjscarborough83]

Beekeeping in NY makes these vids crucial. I’m still learning. Thank you for the great info!

[@beek]

Thank you, glad you enjoy the videos

[@pattyihm8099]

So helpful! Thank you for the work that you do for all of us who are trying to find our way!

[@seeinglight]

Good job. Sensible and easy to watch/learn.

[@SortOfaBeekeeper]

Thanks for another great video!!

[@beek]

Thank you so much for being a subscriber.

[@gaylesnelson60]

Thank you DAve, I'm a new beekeeper (since April 2020) and there's so much to learn. You have been very helpful.

[@beek]

Thank you Gayle. So nice of you to say. I appreciate it.

[@jarrodjordan5468]

love how ya really described how to set those frames up in ya primary brood box. I know sometimes people really don't like moving brood frames. there is a very great line or controlled chaos that ya doing. trying to give the hive the best chance at over wintering. gotta kind of flirt with that line of not imposing too much but still give a helping hand. thanks as always for ya content.

[@blaineheckman4901]

Hello Dave, I'm finishing my 2nd year Started May 2021 learned alot and still learning as time goes on Blaine Heckman

[@charlesyoung3884]

What a great graphic for teaching. And the timing is perfect for us in Texas. As an engineer, communication is 90% of the job and your graphic covers that with your explication. I’m confused about mite treatment from different all the rules. We have vapor and strip applications ready to go. Treat when brood is low, remove supers, not when it’s hot, not when you are feeding, and many other guidelines. Golden rod has just stared to bloom in north central Texas. How about a video on mite treatment and timing between hive management including different regions?

[@beek]

Thank you Charles. A video on mite treatment is too extensive. I do have an online mite course that goes into great detail.

[@DonCoe757]

Another outstanding video.

[@beek]

Thanks Donald

[@tonyt.1596]

This is an awesome video. I understand so much more about why to do what I've heard before, that being frame manipulation. Thank you David.

[@cognacdave]

Thank you so much for this information, I am in my first year of bee keeping and it was rewarding to bee able to harvest 2 frames! I kept the other 8 capped honey for them. I hope they last through the winter! I have been feeding them syrup and I plan on buying your honey bee kind soon! Thank you again for your dedication

[@beek]

Thank you David!! My wife's maiden name is Henness

[@oldspice105]

This was a great visual education. love these type of classroom style videos!! :D

[@philipjarrell5666]

I liked ur video very much made a lot of sense thank you for taking time to make it

[@beek]

My pleasure Phillip

[@agnigrammatas6328]

Thank you for your tips I’m from Athens Greece I really enjoy and learn a lot

[@beek]

Hello all the way to Athen Creece!

[@mlm1hopeify]

Great information

[@beek]

Well thank you.

[@sharonhendricks9706]

I really am a visual learner so this helps me to better understand frame manipulation. And why I need more than one deep! Thanks, David

[@beek]

Sharon, you need more than one deep IF you live further North like me, in Central Illinois because I need 40,000 bees, or what is equal to 4 packages of bees plus 60 pounds of resources, and that usually cannot fit in just 10 frames.

[@sharonhendricks9706]

@@beek thank you David!

[@stanleyschafer4232]

Thank you so much David for your tips and suggestions. They are so important to me, as this is my first year with bees. I feel that I have another mentor, thru you. Thank you for sharing your videos with us.

[@beek]

So nice of you

[@pamtewes5276]

Beekeeping on Cape Cod and these videos are so helpful!! Frame manipulation is new to me. Makes so much sense to me. As I experienced last year, bees shift in one direction, and sont go back for honey, I am paying closer attention to frame manipulation! Many thanks! 52 here today. Getting ready to take my syrup off and replace with sugar bricks! Hello Winter

[@beek]

Nice!

[@davidstermer7262]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge of bees,it helps me.

[@beek]

My pleasure David

[@joer5627]

This has been on my mind David. Thank you for the explanation.

[@beek]

Cool!

[@Vlabar]

Perfect timing. I was starting to do this this weekend

[@beek]

Glad to be helpful

[@lovelymillie1967]

I am a new beekeeper, and my bees since to be very healthy. I am in central Florida. Thanks for all you do.

[@beek]

Thank you so much

[@TinyTrailFarm]

Dave, so cool!!!! I have a hive with a couple of brood frames near the outer part of the brood box and as a newBEEkeeper I was thinking I should do what you just demonstrated. Thank you💯

[@councilhousegoldens5705]

Hi David and Sheri! You are my go to pro for all things bees, and I greatly appreciate your videos. I've learned so much. I just reviewed your video about your new horizontal hive from Horizontal Bee Hives. Would you please discuss how you are configuring that hive for winter, please? Thank you both so much!

[@donnettehenderson2447]

Thank you for this information! I just got my bees in May and have so much to learn!!!

[@beek]

So fun to learn!!

[@Kevin_Dyke]

I’m liking these early videos David, can watch them in the mornings before I go to work 😅

[@beek]

It seems like I have a good response if I publish the videos between 5-6am central time. One going out in the morning.

[@mudgewro]

I love this frame manipulation process for winter. I this something you can do through out the warn months as well?

[@dalefriedhoff4098]

Great video! Very good and important information! Thank you!!

[@beek]

Well thank you Dale, and MY GOSH, a subscriber for 6 years. We are practically brothers 😂

[@anthonypirillo9563]

Didn't think about moving frames, as always excellent information. Thank you

[@beek]

Thanks Anthony

[@dustinpotter8312]

Leaving the frame of brood in the top as you came back to it, actually allows for late winter/spring brood rearing and or late fall thermal nectar/pollen storage for the coming brood rearing of early spring. Obviously the vacant brood frames in the lower deep will will allow for a spring surge of nectar and pollen and of course a brood surge. Having the larger amount of stores in a dense pattern in the top will be less taxing for the bees in a chilling/warming see-saw which is what winter often does. Getting over the paranoia of comb checking in early spring can be beneficial for the bees. This year I have come upon a feeding potential in the fall that I can use to carry over into spring to help prevent extended spring thaws leading the bees into a "late freeze gotcha." I have lost a number of colonies to an uncharacteristic thaw/warming and sudden hard freeze. Bees survive in the MIchigan wild or at least we believe they do. Have you seen "Bees in winter" by Ben Harden (National Honey Show: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqDOap93qJKEiJI) Circa 2015? It shows there is scientific data supporting bees are not dormant all winter long in Europe. It is hard getting bored with honey bees as they are always changing up with all the changes.

[@davidm928]

So good! David!! Thanks for the great video:)

[@beek]

My pleasure!

[@stevenmoody-MoodyHivesandHome]

Wow I had never seen anything about those wingless flies. Nature is so crazy.

[@beek]

Yeppers. They represent the milder size of the animal kingdom!

[@bentleyjones5711]

Hi David. I do enjoy your videos and learn so much from them. You have not said much about beekeeping in the tropics. I'm a beginner beekeeper and plan to take one of your courses. God bless. Bentley Jones

[@beek]

Sorry the tropics are out of my league

[@DBarnim]

Super interesting and informative video.

[@beek]

Thank you David

[@susanwehe8270]

Was just thinking I needed something bee!

[@beek]

Cool

[@Max-po5sx]

Thank you sir

[@beek]

You're welcome Max

[@leeroynedsupaul]

Yes what you doing is correct but how I do mine I set the honeframe outside to the bottom box inside then I place the food next then I put seal brood inside then young larvae in the middle so I do mine

[@gulliver1416]

Thanks David for another great video. I and my neighbor a few blocks down are beekeepers. We both have the same problem. It was a very hot July and August plus we had a very bad drought. The queens in my 2 hives and the queen in my one neighbor's hive did not produce much brood over the summer. Another beekeeper who lives about 2 1/2 hrs away had the same issue and re-queened but had the same problem. All of us do not have above 30K bees for the winter and to make matters worse - we all have 4+ empty frames. We are all feeding like crazy heavy syrup and Pro Winter patties in Oct. How do we manipulate the frames with this scenario. We all have winter feeders. How much honey do bees eat in the very cold months of Jan and Feb? Can bees be fed all winter long? And will they form an arm up to the winter feeder? The feeder is divided into 3 sections - wood shavings on the outer sections and the middle is for feeding fondant, patties, etc and has burlap over it. Most of the nectar sources died in the drought. Your help would be so very much appreciated.

[@beek]

Yes I teach this in my online classes.

[@charliegioe3158]

David I’m just wondering I only have eight frame boxes and each one is just one box would you do the same layout and try to keep your brood to the center your empty frames on the ends and mix the brood with honey one and one

[@marypatstevens1305]

Love you David, So if I understand this , you take your queen excluder off in the winter if you have a super on and use the winter bee kind board? This makes sense. Thank you.

[@maysongmountain4918]

Would it be feasible to add a frame of fully drawn comb to the bottom deep if your brood Numbers are low and you are Pollen/honey bound this far along? I noticed my bees have alot of pollen and less places for the queen to lay?

[@blacktalonbased]

Just emailed you to get my prize. Thank you!

[@beek]

Awesome thank you!

[@brendawydeven2934]

I have top bar hives. They were queenless for a bit and had laying worker. They are fixed now with queen but they have 6 frames of pollen . Is that too much pollen. Their bars are 6 frames of pollen, then 7 frames of brood that's being back filled and then full frames of honey. Do I remove some pollen?

[@terrykipp8982]

Why not move the empty frame to the top outside edge and put the bee bread in the center of the brood in the lower box? I thought I remember in a previous video you stated to place the bee bread next to the brood. My husband and I aren't even rookie bee keepers, we have all our equipment, except bees. Just waiting for spring.

[@jaimedemick2630]

💞

[@shegocrazy]

I always worry about killing or losing the queen when shuffling frames.

[@WillieSams]

David will you send me a catalog so I can order from you. I have learned so much buy watching your video. Thank you so much a the first of the month I will donate

[@AdamMach]

Hi David. First of all thank you for amazing job you do. Even I'm from Europe many of your tips absolutely fit our needs. I'm wondering if you could find 5 minutes and take a look at some mobile app for beekeepers that me and my team has developed. If it's ok, let me know so I could send you link, as I don't want to advertise it here :). Anyway thank you for your lessons.

[@beek]

Hi Adam, thanks for using your skills to help beekeepers with your app. Two things I cannot do is open and approve links sent to me through comments here, or download apps from comments here. Alot of fake "Sponsors" try to get content creators to download apps...... But you and your work sound legit. Good luck.

[@richardr616]

Great video. Very informative Problem last time I was in the hives I started a robbing frenzy with lots of fighting even though I was quick. Yellow jackets also were there to take advantage. I actually decided at that point I was done with hive inspections and frame manipulation and was just going to heavy feed Is there I better temperature here in Michigan I should look for to find the girls more cooperative during this frame manipulation? Also when I was in the hives there was little to no indications of laying after Formic Pro treatment. Populations were great but things looked bad. No brood or eggs. Was it to late for the queen to ramp up laying? Thoughts? Thank you

[@timtulowitzky]

Since bees don’t go out under 50 degrees, Do you give bees water in the winter like with your feeder board, with a jar of pure water? If so, what’s the best way?

[@kimmiejoclark6943]

Actually that makes sense. Babies together and groceries nearby. Less work for the bees equals less energy spent.

[@cLeTuS87]

Can you do a video like this for a new package of bees in May/june?? About how to manipulate the frames-my package is off to a slow start after 2 months 🎉

[@beek]

Yes I can. Also your issue could be that your bees need fed. Here's a video I made where I checked on a new package in May, manipulated some frames and determined they need fed. Maybe this is what you are looking for: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWSopmSodpJjibc

[@cLeTuS87]

Great thank you so much David

[@tammypollitt4856]

What do you mean by pollen frames? Bee bread? Is that pollen patties that have on the frames? Do we need pollen frames if we get candy board in the winter?

[@beek]

Hi Tammy, in my other videos I explain this. Try and get caught up 😆 Bee Bread is pollen with other enzymes so it look like wet pollen. There is some protein, like that found in pollen, in the Winter-Bee-Kind.

[@ginapicciolo3228]

I know this doesn't have anything to do with this video but I'm having problems in October with ants! I managed to keep them away by greasing the legs of my stands but it seems that they're bridging and getting through now and one of my colonies absconded. What do you do for ants? Can you please help me? Thank you for all your help. Gina

[@erikaloyd1175]

Do you use a queen excluder?

[@beek]

I do not, Erika. Since I use my Winter Bee Kinds in the winter, no need for them. Thank you so much for being a subscriber.

[@christabeesweet5861]

Thanks good advice. J have a 5 frame hive and it has been that way all summer until now. People say get a new queen. I have a thriving g hive with 2 boxes and honey super. Great queen. The small hive I look at as a pet hive lol, I know I know it should be a bigger hive I hear you saying. This was my first year as a beek and have learned so much. I line it has stayed small and I easier to take care of. The larger one is more work and worth the time. Is it a bad thing to keep the small hive?

[@beek]

If they have enough bees to make it to spring, then that size will be fine. I cannot get by with a small hive here in Illinois. Winters are too long and cold.

[@scoffersrel9835]

Tried to go in to do my inspection for October and frame manipulation yesterday, but the bees were already clustering! This cold snap is messing with me lol. Do I just hope that we have a day above 70 and rush it? Thanks!

[@bluelab5019]

David, I use 14 X 12 frames is my hive body so have no need for double brood. Do you have any advice for single box use that may be helpful this side of the water? Paul

[@beek]

Sorry, I really do not know your seasons or weather

[@brigittegutgesell4162]

What if you don't have any frames of brood? My queen is there but there isn't any brood frames?

[@beek]

I wonder if the queen is in trouble. If your season allows you to replace her, I would.

[@brentkinsworthy4999]

I would have thought that you would have wanted the empty slot with honey to provide insulation. It wasn't until you said that the bees are going to move up during the winter that it made sense to me.

[@jerryhampel3042]

Hi David, I've put in your Burns feeding board couple weeks ago and it works phenomenaly, BUT I opened up the top cover today for refills, and the top cover has developed mold! It has been quite wet here in northern IL lately. Any tips on how to proceed?

[@Melaniealsoomse072]

I have not used that yet as I thought I would wait till winter because here in Michigan Western it has been wet and warm which would cause mold I've been just using the sugar because I know the sugar will absorb all of the moisture maybe you need to try to use some bleach water and make sure you rinse it well to kill the mold let it dry out very good in the Sun and then wait to put that feeder back in until it gets colder 🤷🏾‍♀️ just a thought other than that how have your hives been doing this year with all of the yellow jackets and bald-faced hornets

[@beek]

That bit of mildew is no biggy.

[@Peter-od7op]

Hi at what temperature do you stop feeding sugar water?????

[@beek]

Usually when the daytime highs do not rise above the cluster temp of 50 degrees (f)

[@Peter-od7op]

@@beek how would you no cluster temp

[@carolinecosgrove4835]

I'm in upstate NY. One of my hives, the queen is laying below in the bottom deep. In my other hive, the queen is laying up top. Do you suggest moving the frames of brood below or just let her do her thing?

[@beek]

Thank you for subscribing Caroline. I like moving brood lower, at least as much as I can.

[@bgtrev]

Thanks from a total novice! Here we started late keeping bees and only have one deep on our hives. These on our last inspection were looking healthy, I have my doubts of getting them through winter as we can easily hit -20c or lower for prolonged periods. Most locals here seem to run with only one deep, planning for next year, is it advisable/essential to have two?

[@beek]

Hi Trev, I have no idea where you live, but -4 (f) sounds like you need 2 deeps to me.

[@shannjill]

I’m Indiana. My hive had no brood at all last week. Should I be concerned?

[@beek]

I'm afraid so. Red alert, battle stations.

[@shannjill]

David Burns To make matter worse I think they have nosema. Treated with fat bee man recipe but…

[@debbieherbaugh217]

Are you planning on wrapping your hives, if so how? Thanks

[@beek]

My next video!!

[@kdj444]

When do u stop adding sugar water.

[@beek]

Thank you for being a subscriber Kevin. When temps drop below 50 degrees (f)

[@pmac5621]

What if you have singles or overwintering Nucs?

[@beek]

Insulate, feed and cross your fingers.

[@BlanchardsBees]

Don't small hive beatles also use their antinas to confuse the bee?

[@beek]

Yup, they try and succeed in rubbing antennas with the bees thus causing the bees to feed them.

[@betsyharlow799]

This may be a stupid question but, can I move some frames from strong hives to weak hives? Both capped over honey & brood?

[@beek]

I have no problem doing this in the spring and usually in the summer, but it can be a bit more of a problem in the fall as bees are more protective of their own pheromone. Also, make sure the queen is NOT on those frames AND make sure the strong hive doesn't have a disease that you are moving to the weak hive.

[@betsyharlow799]

@@beek thank you!! B

[@bryanbetournay5557]

✅✅👍

[@beek]

Thank you so much for being a subscriber.

[@colinlyne8688]

Although I like your tutorials, in this instance I cannot accept that we humans know better than the bees!

[@dlawrence7826]

I strongly disagree

[@jonreeves7802]

Dave, love our content. But could you please get rid of the "rushing" sound affects? it is distracting and irritating.

[@beek]

Good to know, thank you.