👌 LATE SPLITS, REQUEENING & RIGHTSIZING YOUR BEES FOR WINTER

[@hamburghoney]

It got down to 35 degrees here last night, so we are done with all splitting for sure. We have 80 right now and will probably combine a few and have 70-75 strong hives. Take your losses in fall!

[@altaylor293]

We've had less than one inch of rain since the first of August. Right sizing is essential. Good points. Brian and Bruce mentioned double deeps. Are those 8 or 10 frame hives?

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

@@altaylor293 Hey Al! Hope all is well down in TN! Brian and Bruce run 10F equipment. This drought is something else. The golden rod isn’t producing nectar, wells are going dry, creek bottoms are barren. Worse drought since 1847 here. Bees are sucking down thick feed just to subsist.

[@framcesmoore]

I enjoyed your chat; I like 2 deeps and sometimes 2 deeps and a med. I do not worry about how much they eat I put candy boards on top of every one of my hives. I like the configuration because of spring easy management less swarming. they go into winter strong and come out strong and in that I get lots of honey if the weather treats me and my bees right. the candy has hive alive in it and ultra bee in it they do great. I insulate the tops as well I check the candy every month. I have also found they my bees bypass their stores and eat my candy they really like it. they do great with the management I now do. before I had a tremendous loss not now. I also treat oa for mites several times in nov and dec. my loss is the queens they were great and sometime in the winter she petered out. I do my first major treatment the day I pull my suppers and that is in june. This year I tried Airguard on some and used several treatments of oa on others. I start trickle feeding the same day or week I pulls the suppers. using 2 gal buckets. we go into a long dearth I also give them pollen patties for the rest of the year there is nothing here for them. I do this so the queen will not shut down. if they go into winter strong, they come out alive and strong. I do no late splits, and I combine small weak colonies as well. I want to graft I have everything I need to do this but good eye site and the time. but now I am retired so going to try and graft again next year It would be such a blessing to be able to do so. I bought 700.00 worth of queens this year I have got to get that together. The price of queens and shipping is very risky the mail people just do not take care of them, and they are damaged, and u lose your money I also use 8 frame boxes.

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

@@framcesmoore hope your bees have a great winter!

[@aaronparis4714]

It will be a 10/10 we’re I’m at I am just amazed how you guys can do things so late in the season

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

To be fair late splits isn’t for everyone. We still have 45+ days of flying weather here and are often out in a position to get the most out of every single one.

[@abeeforallseasons]

In southern ontario. Noticing a LOT of late season swarms and swarm cells from crowding. No choice but to split them up.

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

Seems like there is still alot of swarming going on this late here too. Rascals dont stand a chance with this drought and future food scarcity.

[@aaronparis4714]

I would never take a chance and split a hive in Ontario this late lol I’m in Nova Scotia and I don’t see them making it threw winter not enough time to build up most them bees you split are summer bees and are gonna be dead by winter

[@abeeforallseasons]

@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns I've got the opposite problem here - these are July nucs that have built up very quickly and are throwing out swarms like it's Springtime. Hopefully with support they'll make it through!

[@jasonseaward8506]

Im also in southern Ontario but this is my 1st year with colonies so they are small and im gonna have to overwinter in singles. Ive been debating which configuration to set them up in. 2 single 10s, or two 5over5 nucs and im scared to make the wrong decision lol

[@denb7181]

I am in Michigan Upper peninsula and I would do the 5 over 5 they do seem to do better in the nuc"s for me

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

I know how hard it is to make a call sometimes. Is there anyone in your local area that has successfully overwintered bees that you can reach out to? If they’re virus free and fed well I think you’ll be ok. You might consider insurance feeding in top w fondant.

[@NaturesImageFarmGregBurns]

Nice!

[@jasonseaward8506]

​@@denb7181thank you for your input, I always appreciate when someone shares their experiences. I'll probably be doing the 5 over 5

[@jasonseaward8506]

​@@NaturesImageFarmGregBurnsI do have people around me that have said that they overwinter in singles but I'm really scared lol. I definitely plan on putting those hive alive fondants on them once it gets cold and I've been steady feeding them syrup. Their mites are very low, when I did the shake, there was only 1 mite but I've been seeing capping/uncapping behavior where I actually saw them investigating the pupae once they are uncapped and even saw a pupae that was partially canabalized so I know mite levels are low I think virus levels are very low but I feel like I'm going to make the wrong decision and lose them. We have the same saying here about ur weather, "if you don't like it wait 5 mins" so our winters are usually fairly warm but we always have a cold snap but the temps are always up and down like a yo-yo lol, and I really don't want to lose what looks like really good VSH genetics. I'm so glad I can gather as much information so I am eternally grateful for everyone's help and input.