To preserve the bee colony for next year, it must be carefully prepared in winter. It is important that the hives are of high quality and well insulated. In this case, the availability of necessary food supplies is considered an important condition for bees. To do this, the beekeeper leaves honey for the insects. However, not every beekeeper knows exactly how many frames need to be left in the hive for the winter.
Features of wintering bees
In regions with harsh climatic conditions, it is important to provide insects with proper wintering conditions. Quite often this requires moving the swarm to cover.
In this case, preparations for winter include the following:
- maintaining adequate humidity parameters;
- thermal insulation;
- creating comfortable conditions;
- convenience of the entrances.
To wait out the winter in the apiary, you can use covers. They are made from a special covering material. However, this comes with certain costs. The hives can be combined into a single structure and left in this form for several months. In snowy winters, snowdrifts can be used as shelter. In any case, it is important for the beekeeper to take care of dryness and ventilation.
How many frames of honey should bees leave for the winter?
To save all the bees for next year, it is important to correctly estimate the required amount of honey. In addition to feeding insects, you need to find a place for wintering. In warm conditions, honey consumption will be minimal. Moreover, in the cold they will increase by 40%.
Keeping hives in a warm room in winter
Bees must spend the winter with food. When keeping insects indoors, they will need 8 kilograms of honey. This amount is enough for 1 family. It is not advisable to leave a smaller quantity. Nutritional deficiency will cause egg production to decrease. In addition, the bees need to be fed with sugar syrup. To make it, it is recommended to combine sugar with water and vinegar.
Wintering outside
If it is not possible to move the hives indoors, they can be left outside. However, first the structure needs to be insulated. In this case, more feed will be needed. For 1 bee colony, 11 kilograms of the substance should be used.
Preparation of frames
Before using additional food, beekeepers should pay attention to preparing the nest for winter. Life at low temperatures depends on its condition.The main condition is the installation of feed. Its volume is determined by the strength of the family.
In this case, you should focus on the following parameters:
- strong families need 8-10 frames;
- On average, 6-8 frames are enough;
- weak families require 5-7 frames.
It is important that the frames are filled with honey and sealed. Structures with 2-2.5 kilograms of nectar are considered full honey. Light varieties should be used as the main feed. In this case, the beekeeper’s task is to check the product for the presence of honeydew additives. Substances containing them cannot be left over the winter, as there is a risk of death.
To check for impurities, you should use the following methods:
- Collect 1 tablespoon of honey from different honeycombs and mix with the same amount of water. Dilute the mixture with 10 parts of alcohol and shake. When a cloudy sediment appears, we can talk about the presence of honeydew in the composition. If the mass remains clean, the product can be used on bees in winter.
- Mix honey with lime water and boil. The appearance of flakes indicates the presence of honeydew.
During wintering, additional fertilizing can be introduced. For this, it is permissible to use kandi, sugar syrup, and natural honey. It is recommended to feed bees taking into account the size and health of the colony.
Terms and rules for laying frames with honey
The preparation of bee colonies for wintering can be different - it all depends on regional characteristics. If the climate is characterized by cold winters and low temperatures at night, you need to start preparing in September. In the south this is done later - in the first half of October.
When placing frames, it is worth considering a number of features:
- Place low-copper frames in the central part of the hive. This is required to accommodate families in a familiar club.
- Place full-copper frames along the edges. They must go clearly one after another.
- The number of frames should be selected in accordance with the storage method. If insects are densely placed on 6 frames, they need 7 to overwinter.
- Before being placed in the winter hut, the condition of the hives is assessed again. If the frames at the edges are not completely filled with the product, they are replaced with full copper ones.
- In warm rooms it is recommended to install 2-3 frames more than outdoors.
Wintering of bees is characterized by many nuances. For it to be successful, it is important to strictly adhere to the recommendations of experienced beekeepers. The main point is the correct feeding of insects. It is also important to know how many frames bees need and how to properly place them in the hive. At the same time, the correct choice of nutrition affects the development of adult bees and their further productivity.
