Grid
08-13-2009, 01:13 PM
New Ottawa Ontario beekeeper muddling along with books and online resources. Two hives started this year, both with two full deeps full of brood, honey and pollen. The girls are working hard and bringing in pollen and nectar now after a dismally wet July (starting to think I should have fed pollen patties and syrup during July). Added a shallow super waiting for the bees to start drawing the foundation.
I am worried about killing my hives by simply not knowing what to do to prepare them for winter.
- How much should I leave them for my location (Ottawa, ON)? I was going to leave them the two full brood chambers. Is that enough?
- Will they need supplemental feeding, or a third super full of honey, or both?
- What about the spring?
- To wrap or not to wrap, and if so with what?
- etc...?
My current plan is to let them keep the double brood chamber plus a 3rd deep (or whatever more they gather), and also feed them starting September 15 until they stop taking it, and feed them again late Feb/early March through 'til the end of May or so. I think I will also wrap with tar paper. Over time I want to figure out what I can get away with not doing, to leave the bees to their own resources as much as possible.
TIA. :)
Grid.
I am worried about killing my hives by simply not knowing what to do to prepare them for winter.
- How much should I leave them for my location (Ottawa, ON)? I was going to leave them the two full brood chambers. Is that enough?
- Will they need supplemental feeding, or a third super full of honey, or both?
- What about the spring?
- To wrap or not to wrap, and if so with what?
- etc...?
My current plan is to let them keep the double brood chamber plus a 3rd deep (or whatever more they gather), and also feed them starting September 15 until they stop taking it, and feed them again late Feb/early March through 'til the end of May or so. I think I will also wrap with tar paper. Over time I want to figure out what I can get away with not doing, to leave the bees to their own resources as much as possible.
TIA. :)
Grid.