Winter preparations for your honey bee colonies

[@LizZorab]

Great to see what you do to set them up for winter, thanks for sharing this process with us Tony!

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks Liz

[@lizzieatherfold2293]

So interesting isn't it

[@simplifygardening]

@@lizzieatherfold2293 I love the bees when you learn all about their social lifestyles disease and everything else its very addictive and is the reason why I am now sat at over 30 hives

[@paulrobbo216]

Thank you

[@WuangZemin]

Thanks for this very informative & enjoyable session on bee keeping in close-up . Seems like a lot hard work Tony .

[@simplifygardening]

Just as much work as gardening, You guys have not seen much of it this year

[@mygardenanddinosaurs]

Loved this video Tony. I'm so used to seeing your gardening videos and it is great to come across your bee keeping ones. I have my first hive going into my first winter with it so this is really useful. All the best. Mags

[@simplifygardening]

Glad you like them!

[@Alternativesmallholding]

I really enjoyed this as a change to gardening (which I also enjoy, but a change is nice) This was educational and also strangely calming, I’d love to see more of how you manage the hives over Winter

[@simplifygardening]

There will be another video coming in the final prep for winter. and a full series next year as I plan to complete a few digital courses im in the middle of making

[@elizabethcleland6267]

as am disabled was planing to buy a flow hive where never need to smoke or lift out the slides none get squashed ect just put a feed in for them in winter months of sugar stuff would like to know if anyone you or other Brits have or can advise about them going to place on a very large tree stump 3ft of ground also to bore wholes all way up /down /round it and plant loads fast growing flowers ect so on doorstep as going to have around 40 trees and diff plants growing hoping this will help them me and rabbits

[@simplifygardening]

I have used these hives Elizabeth. They are not very practical in my opinion, These reason being is that bees cant over winter in it you have to remove them for winter, also it block communications, they they do still need to be dismantled to clean out propolise there are loads of issues with them. May I suggest you consider maybe a topbar hive which would be much eaiser for you. there is no lifting other than the roof as the bees grow sideways

[@ThePollaton]

That was really useful to watch. I’m considering going into beekeeping so spending every spare minute watching KZbin clips at the mo.

[@simplifygardening]

Thats great Michelle, Its a fascinating hobby, You maybe interested to know next year I will be releasing 3 courses all digital on beekeeping . First one is beekeeping basics, then how to make your own hives and then queen rearing, Once you master these three you are in control of your own bees without the risk of not being able to rebuild from losses

[@joewalter4]

Nice pal got my bees last year they are out the day for the first time this year. Edinburgh.

[@simplifygardening]

Hey Joe. Yeah they need to get flying I need to go do some feeding as Ive lost a couple of hives near me. I have been hearing reports of keepers losing over 50% of their hives this winter

[@joycehennequin8469]

What a interesting video Tony,thankyou for taking the time to video this,all the very best 🌱 🌱 🌱

[@simplifygardening]

Glad it was of interest Joyce

[@andyobrien3612]

Nice to see some bee videos tony. Any chance you could do a video for a begginer to show how to get started with keeping bees.

[@simplifygardening]

Yes Andy they are planned for spring as I need to finish filming for some digital course i am making

[@garyallen4486]

I know this pod is four years ago but….what are you putting in your smoker?

[@keninlondon2009]

To help limit the spread of disease etc do you freeze the leftover frames before introducing them to another colony?

[@simplifygardening]

No, I dont take them to another aipary or I would then, but bees in their very nature are always walking over eachother even bees from other hives in the colony. I also check every frame for the EFB and AFB and anything else like lavea and stuff

[@patogden856]

Wondering if there would be any advantage to the bees to use either brown sugar or even molasses for extra minerals ? Cheers Pat nz

[@keninlondon2009]

According to the National Bee Unit UK brown or raw sugar contain impurities. White granulated sugar is the most suitable source. www.nationalbeeunit.com see guideline 7

[@simplifygardening]

No Pat, they carboyhdrates are totally different it needs to be cane sugar white as it s a single chained hydrocarbon

[@benrichards9003]

2 to 1 what . Two suger or water regards Ben

[@cqammaz53]

Do you have a queen excluder on the bottom of the box???

[@simplifygardening]

I did Carolyn as this box was originall two swarms and i didnt want the queen absconding.

[@josephcroft4268]

where do you get the metal cover for the hive roof , please

[@simplifygardening]

I use the old sheets for ink printing presses

[@keninlondon2009]

I thought that on the MAQs package one does not feed bees during treatment?

[@simplifygardening]

There isnt a prob feeding while treating its rare that they will take it when treated though but I put it on as i find its better if weather turns bad and they require it, but it never affects the bees at all

[@fannybuster]

Do all the worker bees die during the winter..? and does the Queen survive..?

[@simplifygardening]

No Fanny, the workers live also, so the bees being born now last the winter instead of 6 weeks they last about 5 months, they arent doing a lot so can live longer, all they are really doing is huddling keeping warm and starting the new cluster in the spring. the queen lives through and can live quite a few years unless superceeded or replaced by the owner.

[@dogmandoug1715]

Hiya Tony, could I ask why you changed from gable to flat roofs please. All the best mate

[@simplifygardening]

I prefer the flat roofs, they dont allow you to stack boxes on them when inspecting and also you cant put other hives or tools on top either

[@dogmandoug1715]

Simplify Gardening I thought that would be the case. Thanks Tony

[@joycehennequin8469]

Hi Tony,could you tell me....what is the round black shiny dot on the bees head ! All the best 🌱🌱🌱

[@simplifygardening]

Joyce could you give me a timestamp where this is in the video?

[@joycehennequin8469]

Hello Tony,regards to the question about the black rounded spot on a bee......While relaxing on my plot ,very very close watching the bees collecting the pollen l just noticed this on a lot of them....thought it might of been a third eye.... All the very best 🌱 🌱 🌱

[@Tracys_Little_Patch_of_Dirt]

Would love to see more on your beekeeping. I've got my hive ready. Just need to get a small colony bit late this year now though I think. I'll maybe wait till next year.

[@simplifygardening]

Tracey there are 3 playlists on beekeeping n the channel so have a look through those, hive inspections, harvesting, swarm collection and even builds. I am in the middle of making a digital beekeeping course but I cannot complete it until next year

[@Tracys_Little_Patch_of_Dirt]

@@simplifygardening I would be very interested in the course. We do have a course that starts in April close to me. I'm waiting to hear from them. I have watched tonnes of KZbin videos on it too but still would prefer to do a course as most videos are USA based. Will definitely check out your play list. Might do that now before I get in the garden. Thanks Tony. 😁

[@simplifygardening]

@@Tracys_Little_Patch_of_Dirt I will have plenty more coming dont worry

[@Tracys_Little_Patch_of_Dirt]

@@simplifygardening I've just watched a few of your bee videos. I'll watch more of your bee videos later. Really fascinating stuff.

[@simplifygardening]

@@Tracys_Little_Patch_of_Dirt :) great stuff Tracy glad your enjoying them :)

[@mikedickson6362]

It's very important we take care of bees for a well balanced garden

[@simplifygardening]

Couldnt agree more mike

[@cqammaz53]

Does the queen still lay eggs or slow down in the winter???

[@simplifygardening]

She will go through a period f around 8 weeks where she won't lay anything but it depends how cold it gets, Usually, December and Jan then in Feb will start laying small numbers ramping up into overdrive by April

[@littleaussiehomesteaders6013]

Very interesting, thanks 😊

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks Tracey :)

[@andrewaldsworth191]

What is the best time of year to start beekeeping

[@DarrellCraig]

Early spring is the best but anytime is good

[@simplifygardening]

early spring if possible

[@simplifygardening]

Yes

[@pamstout]

At this time of my life, I don't think I should take on keeping bees. However, I have several acres of meadow and would like to offer their use to a bee keeper. Do you have any suggestions about how I could contact someone?

[@simplifygardening]

Check some of the beekeeping groups on FB Pam and say you have land for an out apiary if someone needs it I am sure you will have your arm bitten off

[@meath01]

I carried out the same on my hives today, few more to do tomorrow, I dont feed yet as we get a hugh ivy flow which is just starting. Just finished the apigaurd varroa treatment too. Bar a hive heft every so often over the coming weeks mine are done for winter. Have you found issue with the MAQS on queen fatalities.

[@simplifygardening]

Not seen any queen fatalities yet Noel. I am hoping I dont get it either but time will tell, with all treatments there is always loss but not the queen so far

[@markshaw5835]

That's was really interesting.. what are u going to do with the 3 boxes u took up?

[@simplifygardening]

They ended up into hives of their own Mark. They will be fed up the same as the rest ready for next year. i am in the middle of making 3 courses for bee keeping which will be digital and need to finish filming next spring for them

[@markshaw5835]

@@simplifygardening I found it very interesting and didnt realise how much went in to it all

[@Taylors_Adventures]

amazing video I am currently trying to set up my hives ready for next year

[@simplifygardening]

Get them ready to go spring early start

[@Taylors_Adventures]

UK Here We Grow I am currently buying stuff doing research and trying to find a place for the bees to be located

[@simplifygardening]

@@Taylors_Adventures excellent

[@james1976-nov]

i never remove my excluder, I'm going to do a autumn check on my hive tomorrow. thanks for sharing.

[@simplifygardening]

There is no need for it now u want the queen to be able to move with the cluster

[@lizzieatherfold2293]

Thanks 🙏 for this

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks Lizzie

[@christineosborne9789]

Hello Tony lovely video. Why are your hives so low that’s a lot of bending. Take care.

[@simplifygardening]

HiChristine. The brood is low as when you have 5 or 6 of these boxes on over the summer they get very tall, Its a trade off

[@patrickwalsh6873]

Hi Tony, have you had any issues with queen failures and MAQS ? I have never used MAQS, so take this with a pinch of salt but - I have read/been told that one of the reasons so many associate it with queen problems is that the direction to apply two pads per box is not correct for the National. It is based on American hive bodies which are bigger. Subscribed, by the way.

[@simplifygardening]

No probs at all over the last few years Sorry for the late reply. A load of comments said they were responded to even though they were not. I am slowly working through them all.

[@patrickwalsh6873]

@@simplifygardening Nice of you to reply, thanks. All the best.

[@spencersnursery1547]

would love to get bees in the orchard,will do one day!

[@simplifygardening]

Great things to have Spencer but an expensive hobby

[@jackpatriquin6636]

Thanks first time I have seen you do a hive inspection. Great video would like to see more. What were you using in your smoker Pellets of some Kind? Again Thanks from Canada fairly new bee keeper Lost a hive last winter. So I am watching everything I see on youtube for bee winter preparation.

[@simplifygardening]

Jack I have a full playlist on beekeeping and another of swarm collection also there are a few hive build videos check them out, The smoker pellets are just compressed sawdust

[@terry2346]

Suggest you watch Dr Leo Sharashkin on the Layens hive and it might help you with losing bees. I am making the modified Layens with 1 1/2 inch styrofoam insulation now and will be trying to catch bees this spring with a Swarm trap. If you are using Langstroth hives I would definitely convert!

[@tonyfisher7374]

I wouldnt say they where grumpy bees ... wouldnt use smoke on them to .... its a fair small colony to be fair

[@wendyrowland7787]

If you haven’t looked at horizontalhives.com you really should, Dr Leo has written a book about this really bee friendly and ancient way of bee keeping and he believes that sugar feeding does not help the bees immune systems. I was really impressed.

[@simplifygardening]

Yes i have loojed at them Wendy :)

[@malk1275]

nice this new but i not getting bees lol

[@simplifygardening]

lol

[@danielgosden7207]

Get rid of the black gloves. Bees dislike black most.

[@simplifygardening]

This was a fair while ago. I dont wear any gloves now