We had a successful auction of various bits of beekeeping equipment last month, over £500 raised for bee charities with more to come in the spring when David Clark’s complete hives are empty & can be sold as well. Thanks to Len for doing the calling [who else!]
I
have opened up my hives in the warm weather this week to count the level of
stores they have brought in.
Most
are in the 30lb region, but one has only 20lb so is being fed with strong syrup
[2lb sugar to 1 pint water]. To estimate the stores your bees have collected, a
full super frame holds 3lb honey & a full brood frame holds 5lb, so you can
roughly reckon up what’s there. Langstroths are obviously heavier.
35-40
lb is needed for winter survival.
My
bees are still active on ivy which bumps up the hive weight. Soon I shall
reverse the boxes on my brood+ a half boxes to put the full
super box underneath. This leaves the brood mainly at the top, well-placed for
the January varroa treatment of Api-Bioxal [an approved varroaicide]. Other
techniques are available……