From: cslade777@aol.com
Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2001 18:54:02 EST
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: fall honey for wintering bees

In a message dated 03/11/01 14:55:05 GMT Standard Time, RSBrenchley@aol.com
writes:

<< I wonder, however,
whether we would not end up with better-adapted bees if we stopped doing it,
or at least raised queens exclusively from colonies which wintered without
needing it, and requeened the rest. >>

It is quite a few years since I started ignoring the text book advice to feed
X gallons of syrup to every hive in the Autumn and it is very rare for me to
lose a hive to starvation. I do feed syrup sometimes eg a swarm or a nuc and
I will stick a lump of fondant on the feedhole of any hive where the bees are
looking up at me after Christmas.

Generally I winter my bees on a single National brood box. This year I shall
be forced to leave a super on several as the bees have been gathering so much
ivy that they have half filled supers that were put on for them to clean.

Chris