I began feeding a couple of weeks ago when I realized there is a bit of a dearth going on. They are happily eating and storing what I give them. My concern is that some of my hives (all 2010 packages) have not drawn out their first super - lack of storage space. The feeding seems to be getting the wax production stimulated again. About how long does it take for a healthy hive with two full deeps and loads of bees to draw out 8 medium frames?
I wasn't planning on harvesting the first year, but I was hoping that they would have enough stores for the winter! I'm not sure if the two deeps is enough space.
Thanks!
i have been feeding my packages since april and i have two full deeps and two full mediums drawn out and full of honey. Well it all depends on how many bees you have how much sugar water you are feeding them and also its getting to be the time of year when they wont draw foundation as well. Usually takes a week when the flow is on maybe two or three this time of year never really thought about keeping track of that
Quote from: MeadFarm on September 01, 2010, 01:02:49 PM
I began feeding a couple of weeks ago when I realized there is a bit of a dearth going on. They are happily eating and storing what I give them. My concern is that some of my hives (all 2010 packages) have not drawn out their first super - lack of storage space. The feeding seems to be getting the wax production stimulated again. About how long does it take for a healthy hive with two full deeps and loads of bees to draw out 8 medium frames?
I wasn't planning on harvesting the first year, but I was hoping that they would have enough stores for the winter! I'm not sure if the two deeps is enough space.
Thanks!
Here in Northern California, the bees only need about 35-40 lbs of honey to get through the winter. That would be 1 medium super filled with 10 frames. So you don't need 2 deeps of honey for them.
The deeps are the brood chambers, at least currently. I'm not sure what they will become after the queens stop laying. Maybe I misunderstood and assumed that it was the 2 brood chambers plus one super was what a colony needed for winter. I guess I don't have a clear picture of what the beginning of winter looks like inside the hive. Is just the 2 boxes what they need? A local beek told me that 20-30 pounds should do the trick around here. It doesn't get quite as cold here as it does in the foothills.
they should easily store 30 pounds in the two deeps. you can lift the back of them and guesstimate the weight. in your milder climate, you can leave the med on if it gets filled, but if it's empty in another month or so, you should pull it. two deeps are usually plenty no matter where you are. i overwinter in one or two deeps or a deep and medium if the hive is in between size.
Thanks for clarifying Kathy. That's what I've always seen - 2 deeps for winter. So once they have their winter population, the space currently being used to rear brood will then be honey stores? That makes me much more relaxed about the condition of my hives!
Sorry for the confusion. Yes I understand now what you meant.
I over winter in 3 mediums, which is the same as 2 deeps.
A local and very experienced beek living in the SF Bay Area told me that when there's a good Eucalyptus flow during our cold months, he even sees his girls fill a super of surplus honey. So he leaves an empty super on some of his hives.
But ya know with our weirdest weather ever, who knows how our Fall or Eucalyptus flow will be.
Annette, my confusion was not your doing ;) I also wish I had gone with all mediums. It would have made things a lot easier!
And, we do have quite a few Eucs around the area so I'll be leaving the supers on until their done doing their thing!