This is my first winter, and other than a few varroa, we seem to be doing well. I would like to switch my hive over to small cell foundation, and I'm wondering how and when to go about it. If I wait till early spring is that best? And would I just switch out a few frames at a time?
Also, the temps here are low 60s in the daytime and upper 40s at night. Is this cold enough for the bees to go into cluster already?
Thanks!
They draw smaller cells early in the spring than they do in the flow. I'd go in the hive in the spring and pull empty frames out and replace with small cell foundation (or foundationless). I wouldn't pull full frames or frames of brood. As the spring progresses you can steal some of the large cell combs of honey, once they have a good supply and more coming in.
This time of year I'd be concerned about having enough stores for winter.
Bees cluster at about 57 degrees. They will be dispersed throughout the hive around 64 degrees.