Lets try this again

[Kirk-o]

What does Bedding down for winter mean and what are the steps you take

You know for Bees what do you do to make sure they are ready for winter
kirko

[Finsky]

What does Bedding down for winter

You mean to prepare hive for winter rest?

1) After yield season arrange room that hive may raise winter bees
2) take the rest honey away and diminish hive room  to the size of winter position
3) feed hive full
4) let them be in peace
5) upper entrance open and put hive slant forwad that water runs out from bottom board
6) mice protection
7) protect against wind and snow

xx join weak hives
xxx change last queens during winter feeding

[Mici]

that's simple. the name says it all, with LR hives doing this isn't so obvious, but with AŽ hives it is. you cover the brood chamber with a "blanket" usually just thick layers of newspaper or rubber foam, i use pure wool.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/Mici_02/Cebele-bees/AZ%20panj-hive/IMG_1157.jpg

the thing in the middle is a queen excludor it can be closed, the lower compartment is the brood chamber, so the upper one is empty during the winter, we cover the upper and the back side of brood chamber with what i mentioned.

if you still don't get it, i can take a pic of what an embedded hive looks like

[Jorn Johanesson]

Hello Mici!

I think it is needed to show pictures of an ÀZ (not sure the accent is correct) hive so that people get an impression. I have some pictures from a manufacture producing 2 and 3 compartments hives.

[Michael Bush]

Finsky covered most of it.  You also need to remove any queen excluders  if you're using them, so the queen doesn't get stuck on one side when the cluster moves to the other.

[Mici]

jorn, click on the link i gave, it shows the AŽ hive accesed from behind, empty of course. but i think a beek can imagine the rest.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=6713.0 there's a sketch of AŽ hive from the side, so you can obviusly see where the "sheets":) go. for those who still haven't seen an AŽ hive

[Jorn Johanesson]

jorn, click on the link i gave, it shows the AŽ hive accesed from behind, empty of course. but i think a beek can imagine the rest.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=6713.0 there's a sketch of AŽ hive from the side, so you can obviusly see where the "sheets":) go. for those who still haven't seen an AŽ hive

I know that this is showing the basic. I have worked with a hive very similar in Switzerland. There is one glitz I think. Working with this fixed hive size is also limiting the honey harvest, unles you are with the hive nearly all the time to harvest the frames full of honey.

I was very pleased visiting Slovenia paticipating in the Apimondia congress, and visiting your beekeeping center, I also took some photos of your old hivesetup, that I know is till going on. As one exampel Martin Bajec is traveling for flow in Two trucks packed your AZ way.

[Mici]

yeah well, you say you've been to Slovenia, well, then you know how our landscape is. being close to hives is not a problem, since most beeks have their hives in their backyards. on the other hand, this standard regular size and back acces allows a much grater concentration of hives, and no backpain lifting. everything has it's pros and cons.

number of mobile hives has dropped severily, only a few are still doing it, well maybe not just a few but in compare with...say 30 years ago oh my...

[KONASDAD]

Mici- would love to see an imbedded hive if possible. thanx in advance.

[Mici]

here it is, nothing special, upper empty space is a "super"

[Jeff L]

Kirko, do you leave your poultry type feeders on this time of year in Socal? Or do you remove them to reduce the size of your hive bodies to conserve heat? The reason I ask is I live in Sacramento, a similar climate, but yours is even warmer with higher night time temps.
Jeff