Management of Honeybees - Winter/Spring

Wintering

The beekeeping season finishes by the end of July – unless you take your bees to the heather. Opening hives in August may incite robbing. Colonies may appear queenless – with little forage, the workers reduce the queen’s food and egg laying is reduced. A marked queen is easier to find.

Ivy is the last important nectar and pollen plant of the season – in mild winters fresh flowers may be found on the plants up to Christmas. The flowers can be an excellent source of nectar and pollen when the weather is warm enough for bees to work them making a valuable contribution to the winter stores – ivy nectar readily granulates.

Once the honey crop has been removed, preparations for winter must be begun and should be complete by the time the winter cluster forms. Towards the end of the season the drones are starved and forced to leave the hive by the workers, who cling to their legs and wings and generally harass them until they fly away or drop from the entrance. They are unable to forage for themselves and soon die. Any colonies retaining their drones should be inspected as queen replacement may be incomplete. Queen cells should be left and the bees left to complete the process – such colonies usually do not swarm.

When the temperature falls, as it does when autumn comes and brood rearing is finished, the bees form a cluster, closing in tightly and opening up as the temperature varies. In this way, they spend the winter comatose, but ready to take advantage of any break in the weather for a cleansing flight. While clustered, food consumption is minimal but increases rapidly once brood rearing starts (or if the colony is disturbed or weak).

As long as the temperature outside the hive is higher than 64ºF (18ºC), bees in the hive are dispersed within it. Below 18ºC, the bees move closer together as the external temperature decreases, and when their temperature falls to 57ºF (14ºC) - the outside temperature then being perhaps 9ºC (48ºF) - they start to form a well defined cluster, with a compact outer shell of rather cold, inactive bees. Bees in the cluster occupy the passage-ways between combs, and also empty cells in the combs. The centre of the cluster is both warmer and less crowded than the outer shell. Bees there have space to move about and feed on honey in the cells. As outside temperatures drop further the cluster contracts, bees being packed more tightly. The temperature of the outside bees may be as low as 46ºF (8ºC), but bees frequently change positions between the cold periphery and the warmer centre. Food consumption is least when the outside temperature is about 39ºF (4ºC), especially when the temperature is steady.

Activity 10ºC – 38º C (50º F –110ºF).
Brood nest 35ºC (95ºF).
Unable to fly 10ºC (50ºF).

Bees may be seen flying at temperatures lower than this – the bee’s body temperature is higher.

Immobile 7ºC (45ºF).
Clustering starts 14ºC (57ºF).

A strong healthy colony, young bees, a young queen (not more than 2 years old), sufficient suitable stores, sound dry hive with mouse guard and suitable ventilation should be the aim. Most mature colonies will enter the winter with 30 – 50, 000 bees. The population will dwindle to 10 – 15,000 bees by early spring (beginning of March). Brood rearing starts soon after the winter solstice – initiated by increasing day length – but most colonies do not begin to increase until late March or April. The population decreases as bees die from old age – and increases as brood develops. Young queens will lay later and start sooner. The supply of pollen during the autumn is crucial for the survival of the colony during the winter.

Small sized colonies should be united to make larger colonies better able to survive the winter – the best protection for bees is bees. The general rule is to unite a colony occupying six or fewer combs by the middle of September – you should ensure the weakness is not due to disease. Unite by placing one brood box over the other with a sheet of newspaper in between. Weak colonies can alternatively be transferred to nucs. or the empty frames can be removed and a dummy board used. Two nucs. can be placed under a single roof, entrances facing in different directions. Similarly, nucs. or a weak colony can be placed over the crown board of a strong colony.

A strain of bee able to survive our winters should be bred – winter losses should not be lamented if they eliminate unsuitable bees. Starvation may result from having an unsuitable strain of bee – or from the beekeeper’s mismanagement. The physiological reasons for the survival of the Dark European Bee in severe winters are given by Ruttner ( Biogeography & Taxonomy of Honeybees):

Efficient thermo-regulation (temperature control) of the brood nest. The DEB has the largest body of the whole species with greater metabolic heat production by individual bees when required. The DEB has the longest abdominal overhairs of the European races. The colony forms a winter cluster when the air temperature falls to 2ºC - 0ºC. The bees forming the outer layer tuck their heads inwards and the abdominal hairs interlock from bee to bee insulating the cluster like the fur of a mammal.
In late summer, perhaps because of the diminution in brood rearing, winter bees are formed. Their bodies contain the enzyme biopterin not found at other times. Protein and fat accumulate in the food glands and the fat bodies in the sub-dermal layers of the abdomen. These bees are physiologically young in the spring and can act efficiently as nurse bees. It is not, therefore, necessary to produce brood in the depth of winter in order to have nurse bees in the spring as is the case with Italian bees.
There is an increase in the amount of another enzyme catalase, which enables the rectum to retain greater quantities of faeces during the winter. Bees confined for long periods in winter without the possibility of cleansing flights are less likely to develop dysentery. It has been shown experimentally that southern bees taken to a cold climate do not increase the production of catalase.
The DEB has a longer period without brood in winter and consequently consumes less food with a reduction of the accumulation of waste products. The more efficient thermo-regulation also reduces the intake of food, which is needed to maintain the temperature within the cluster.
They have greater resistance to Nosema.

Almost all winter stock losses are avoidable

Colonies need to be protected from:

Enemies.
Starvation.
The elements.

Protection from Enemies:

Robbing bees, wasps & bumblebees.
Mice.
Humans.
Other local enemies – and the beekeeper!

Robbing bees, wasps and bumblebees are a problem at the end of the nectar flow, especially for weak colonies. Care should be exercised when feeding sugar syrup (q.v.). Reduce entrances.

Mice are a problem when the bees have clustered and are lethargic. Remove the entrance block when robbing is no longer a problem (to give ventilation) and fit a mouse guard (commercial type, builder’s mesh or queen excluder) – or use a narrow full width floor (but check during the winter that debris has not blocked the entrance). The use of varroa screens provides a narrow entrance. Don’t remove entrance block and fit mouse guard until wasps are no longer a problem – bees need a small entrance to guard. If mice can get into the hive via the roof, store the queen excluder over the crown board.

Stored combs should be protected from mice and wax moth. Place queen excluders/crown boards (holes sealed) at the top and bottom of a stack - seal sides with tape – or place in a sealed plastic sack. Treat combs without honey with PDB (paradichlorobenzene) crystals - 1 tsp. per super on card – the fumes are heavier than air (PDB is probably no longer available as a treatment). A biological treatment, Certan, is also available. Combs may be sterilized by placing ¼ pint (100 ml) 80% acetic acid on a wad of cloth over each super – metal spacers should be removed. Combs must be aired for several days before use.

Theft is particularly despicable as it must involve ‘beekeepers’ – vandalism is an increasing problem. During the winter you will not visit out-apiaries very often. Choose sites where there is no access for the general public & where the hives are out of sight from public paths and roads –and visit regularly.

Other enemies vary between localities. Woodpeckers can cause considerable damage. Netting or a plastic ‘skirt’ around the hive may deter them. Plasticine is useful for filling small holes – however, temporary repairs may become permanent! Grazing cattle, sheep, badgers and insect eating birds may cause problems. The beekeeper may be a problem…!

Protection from starvation:

Beekeeping is a summer occupation – you can forget about them in the winter.
Spring feeding is done in the autumn.

The colony will require about 40 lb of stores (and pollen) to survive the winter. A BS deep frame full of honey will contain approx. 5 lb – a BS shallow frame will contain 3 lb. Hefting or weighing the hive may also give an assessment. The best food is honey although there is disagreement about granulated stores (e.g. ivy & rape honeys) and heather honey. Unsuitable food such as stores that were not ‘ripened’ and consequently fermented may cause dysentery and aggravate nosema disease. Unsealed honey is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture. If a super of food is left on the hive, it is usually recommended that the queen excluder is removed to avoid ‘isolation starvation’. Bees can also starve in the midst of plenty. Bees move upwards – cold weather may prevent sideways movement. Italian type bees may require a double brood box and a super! A good compromise is to supplement their winter honey with sugar syrup – fed in time for the bees to ripen and seal. 1 kg of white sugar should be dissolved in 1 litre of water. Do not use brown or any other type of sugar. Only feed honey from a known disease-free source – foreign honey may contain AFB spores. Sugar syrup may be given to the bees in a contact feeder or a tray type – bees are sometimes reluctant to use the latter type in cool weather. Feed all colonies (at the same time) when flying has ceased – do not spill sugar syrup – reduce entrances. Invert filled feeder over a container until a vacuum has formed. Temperature changes may cause sugar syrup to flow from contact feeders. Thymol added to late feed will prevent fermentation (20g in 100 ml surgical spirits – 1 ml of this to 3 litres syrup) – probably illegal! If nosema is present, Fumidal B should be added – debatable whether colonies should be treated automatically.

In cold weather bees will be clustered just below their next meal. If you can’t see them and you can see sealed stores at the tops of the upper frames, things are fine. A glass quilt enables inspections to be made with minimum disturbance. If feeding becomes necessary in the winter, you will need to use a solid form of food. Your choice includes:

Baker’s fondant.
Candy – commercial or home-made.
Bag of dampened white sugar.
Icing sugar made into a thick paste with water.

Feeding candy became unfashionable – an admission of failure to ensure sufficient stores in the autumn. Bees do have to find water to dissolve solid honey and may become chilled. However, a colony produces 1 gal water vapour from consuming 10 lb honey.

Recipe for candy: Sugar 3 lb.
Water ½ pint.
Salt pinch (optional).
Cream of tartar pinch (optional).

Bees prefer slightly salted water. Sugar is inverted by boiling with cream of tartar and produces a finer texture – some sources claim that cream of tartar creates toxic candy.

Put sugar in pan. Add boiling water and stir the thick mixture. Continue to stir while heating until the mixture becomes thin. Do not allow the sugar to burn or caramelise as this will produce toxic candy. Add the salt and cream of tartar and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir the mixture as it cools and when it begins to thicken pour into greased dishes. Another recipe says to boil 4 lb sugar in 1 pint of water until it reaches 243ºF – allow to cool and then beat until it goes thick and white. There are numerous variations. The candy should be soft.

On Christmas Day the bees sing the Lord’s praise at midnight – wish them a happy Christmas and give them a block of candy! More losses from starvation occur when brood rearing begins than during the depths of winter.

If bees are starving, emergency action must be taken – shaking sugar syrup into empty comb cells may save the situation.

Protection from the elements:

As the days lengthen the winter strengthens

You need to protect the bees from the effects of:

Rain.
Wind.
Snow & ice.
Sun.

There are two main schools of thought regarding the wintering of bee: Keep them warm and Let the wind blow through! Bees have survived for 50 million years and will survive your management (at least the ones that survive your management!).

The ingress of rain should be minimised in the following ways:

Make sure the roof is waterproof. Treat the outside of single-walled hives with non-insecticidal preservative. Make sure the floor slopes down slightly towards the entrance. Avoid having the entrance facing the prevailing wind to prevent rain being driven in.

Bees can survive long periods of cold – the real danger is dampness. The old adage that bees never freeze to death, only starve to death, is very accurate. Apart from anything else, dampness will cause stored pollen to go mouldy. The practice of packing hives with blankets etc. is no longer recommended. Ventilation is the key – a subject of great debate! Many authors, for example, suggest raising the crown board to assist ventilation by placing matchsticks at each corner. Bernard Mobus has written much about winter clusters and ventilation: The wintering experience of individual clusters are all different. Top ventilation is undesirable and unnatural – bees propolise crown boards and perforated zinc … (Beekeepers Quarterly No. 30 Summer 1992. More can be found in the Beekeepers Annual 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991.). Do you have your frames arranged warm way or cold way? There is no evidence that bees winter better in double-walled hives, such as WBCs. Examine floors in the spring – are there damp patches?

A beekeeper thought it would be a good idea to over-winter a colony in his greenhouse. The bees were well protected, but flew from the warm greenhouse, out of the open ventilator, and died from the cold outside. Open mesh floors have been promoted in recent years to combat varroa. The jury is still out.

Ventilation may be required but wind has a chilling effect on bees when tempted out for a cleansing flight or in search of water. Wind may remove shallow roofs and topple hives unless secured. Make sure the hive is secure & stable – place brick on roof. In windy areas or if animals have access, it may be necessary to secure the hive with ropes. Snow is less of a problem than might be expected. If the entrance becomes blocked some air will still get through but ventilation may be impaired resulting in dampness. Alternating thawing and freezing can result in the entrance becoming blocked with ice. Sun, or rather a combination of sun and snow and cold weather may cause a problem. The bright glare of the sun reflected from the snow into the entrance will attract the bees out. In cold weather the bees are quickly chilled and are unable to return to the hive. Bees may fly into the snow because they can see UV light - they think the snow is the sky! These problems can be avoided by shading the entrance with a board leaning against the front of the hive.

When the bees take a cleansing flight, evidence of dysentery should be noted.

Avoid frost pockets, damp sites, over-hanging branches and disturbance e.g. branch rubbing against hive, water dripping onto roof. Look for evidence of mice i.e. chewed wax at hive entrance – kicking the hive to dislodge any resident mice is not to be recommended!

During the winter months, secure in the knowledge that you have done everything possible for your bees, read beekeeping books and appliance catalogues – make a list of requirements (Christmas presents?). Attend Association meetings and courses, make and drink mead, candles, polish, process stocks of honey, find outlets for sales, look for fields of OSR, find new sites, plan for next year … Exhibit at the Association Show and at the National Honey Show. Pay your association subs. in January.

During the winter, hives may be moved and the rule 2 feet or 2 miles may be ignored – bees in need of a cleansing flight make a quick dash up the garden path and return to the warmth of the hive. Do you tell your neighbours about the cause of the orange streaks on their washing? However, long distance moves should be avoided until the bees’ bowels are empty to avoid the spread of nosema.

In particular, repair hives, etc., make up hives, frames (NB cold foundation is brittle). Spare floors should be got ready for spring cleaning replacement – soaking in creosote may prevent acarine but is of doubtful legality. Excluders left out in the cold can be scraped clean of propolis.

Don’t forget – you need strong healthy colonies ready to take advantage of early crops of OSR (marketed as Canola Honey in Canada) – the main honey crop (see Spring Management ). There are few other plentiful sources of nectar.

Forage losses over the last 50 years(20 years ago?):
Fodder crops: clover and lucerne.
Hedgerows: 2,000 miles per year.
Hay meadows: 95%.
Chalk downland: 80%.
Heathland: 60%.
Marshes: 50%.
Woodland: 40%.

Experimental crops such as linseed, evening primrose, borage, lupins, sunflowers & set aside are of limited use.

Remember the words of Willie Smith (of Smith hive fame): Take care of the bees and the honey will take care of itself.

A colony cannot be said to have survived the winter until it has produced two generations of brood by the time oil-seed rape is in flower.

Bees & Beekeeping by Irmgard Diemer.

Spring Management

Resist the temptation to open up hives until a really suitable day arrives (>14°C/57°F) to avoid chilling brood – short sleeved shirt weather. When bees are foraging on Ribes sanguineum, the flowering currant, it is safe to carry out a detailed inspection. Until then, spend some time observing the level of activity at entrances and note variations (see At the Hive Entrance by H. Storch). On a warm day, bees will make cleansing flights (keep quiet about the yellow streaks on your neighbour’s washing!). Early flowers will provide pollen – if you see pollen being taken into the hive, the bees are alive (!) and the queen is probably laying.

Spring forage:

January/March. Winter aconite. Eranthis hyemalis. PN.
February/March. Snowdrop. Galanthus nivalis. P.
Crocus. Crocus spp. P.
Gorse. Ulex europaeus. P.
Hazel. Corylus avellana. P.
Willow. Salix caprea (goat).
P. Salix egyptica. P.
Yew. Taxus baccata. P.

If one colony is active and another one is not, a quick inspection may be necessary. If the colony has died, remove or seal to prevent robbing – ascertain the cause of death (starvation/disease). Heft hives. One way is to use a spring balance and lift opposite sides of the hive from under the floor, noting the weight on each side. Add the two together and this gives an approximation of the hive weight. Do this at the start of the winter and then every month and record the weight loss. An average colony will consume about 2 kg of stores per month during this period, depending on the weather.

If short of food, feed syrup (1 kg sugar/1 litre water) in a contact feeder or fondant/candy/icing sugar in the evening (emergency feeding straightaway) – more colonies die in April from starvation than during the winter. Minimum reserve in April is about 10 lb (2 BS full deep frames). Provide a source of water to avoid conflict with neighbours – 150g needed daily to dilute stores to 50% solution, which can be metabolised, 1 kg/day needed in the summer for cooling.

The early flowering of oil-seed rape, which has increased so greatly in acreage, has made early management of colonies in spring very important, compared with earlier years. Colonies need to be strong and healthy by early April.

<1972 6,000 hectares OSR.
1972> 4000,000+ hectares.
1 hectare = 100 kg honey. 1/3 rd of potential = 13, 000 tonnes honey.
UK honey production = 1,000 – 3,000 tonnes.

It has been shown that the stimulative feeding of syrup in the spring has little or no effect upon established colonies – more effect can be obtained by feeding pollen supplements or substitutes from about the second week of February. This stimulates the queen (which should laying by this time) to continue to lay and to increase the brood area, resulting in a considerably larger adult population by the time the rape is in flower.

A pollen substitute is any material that can be fed to colonies to replace its need for pollen. A pollen supplement is a pollen substitute that contains about 10% (dry weight) pollen (pollen can transmit AFB, EFB and chalkbrood). Pollen traps can be used during the summer to harvest pollen – store in fridge/deep freezer.

Pollen Substitute

Toasted soya flour 1 part by weight.
Dry brewer’s or baker’s yeast 1 part by weight.

Dissolve 2 lb sugar in 1 pint water. Add sufficient sugar syrup to dry ingredients to make a stiff dough. Place the patty over the combs where the bees are clustered. Cover the surface with waxed paper to prevent drying.

A pollen supplement can be made by adding 1 part pollen.

The above & more formulae can be found in The Illustrated Encyclopedia edited by Roger Morse & Ted Hooper ISBN 0 7137 1624 X.

Soya flour & yeast are available from: Daily Bread Co-operative Ltd. The Old Laundry, Bedford Road, Northampton. Prices 3/05: Soya 1 kg @ £1.46 & Yeast 500 g @ £2.22.

A search on the web will give numerous sources.

First inspection: ambient temperature c. 14°/60°F

Have a good reason for opening hive - plan.
Have everything to hand.
Be as quick as possible.
Use cover cloths.

By early March, depending on the weather, colonies should start to expand with increasing amounts of brood and increasing demands on food reserves. When the temperature is <14°C, a quick preliminary check can be made. Remove the roof & look through the holes in the crownboard. Note smell coming from inside the hive. If it smells yeasty/musty check whether the colony has died. A torch is useful to illuminate the frames. A colony that has died from starvation will have workers with their heads deep in cells trying to access the last of the stores. Are the bees at the top of the frames (i.e. stores consumed)? Bees can starve even when surrounded by stores - isolation starvation occurs when it is too cold for the bees to move to food. Larvae may be thrown out of the hive, but may go unnoticed – birds enjoy these tasty morsels! Close hive entrances of dead colonies & remove asap to avoid robbing. Remember, it takes 3 weeks from egg to adult worker. Small colonies will build up on OSR, but will not produce a surplus honey crop.

When the temperature is >14°C, you can carry out a full inspection.

Inspect area in front of hive – are there dead or crawling bees? Are there signs of dysentery (brown streaks on outside of hive)? Clear area around hive – check hive stands. Remove mouse guards.
Lower crown board, if raised. Scrape top bars/queen excluder. Clean or replace floor (note damp patches). Put all scrapings into a container. Move damaged/old frames to be removed to outside – avoid splitting the brood nest*.
Is the queen present or is there evidence of her presence (eggs/larvae/sealed brood)? Check sealed brood – flat (worker) or domed (drone). If all the sealed brood is domed and in a regular pattern, suspect a drone laying queen. If the brood pattern is irregular with domed worker cells and cells containing several eggs on the walls, suspect a laying worker. Test by inserting a frame of eggs/larvae from another colony. If no queen cells are raised, a queen is probably present. If queen cells are raised, the colony is queenless. Since there will be no drones for mating, the colony should be united to a queenright colony using the newspaper method. Alternatively, move the hive approximately 200 yards (180 metres) and shake the bees on the ground, allowing them to find their way into other colonies – if laying workers are present, it is advisable to cage the queen for 2-3 days to prevent the laying workers killing her. The colony to be united should be free of disease.
Does the brood look healthy?
Are there sufficient stores (honey & pollen)? Feed syrup in a contact feeder if less than 10 lb (2 BS deep frames).
Unite weak colonies (disease-free). Swap weak with strong colonies (pollen coming in). Split strong colonies. Equalise colonies.
Mark/clip the queen – easier when the colony is still small.
Assess varroa level – put floor debris in methylated spirits to float mites. Treat if necessary.
Prepare supers & frames – super by about mid-March.
Record.

*Spreading brood, recommended by some authors, is the best way of chilling brood: If the beginner is in any doubt he should avoid this practice & the risk it entails – Teach Yourself Beekeeping by A.N. Schofield.

Evaluation:

Has the colony sufficient room? Do you have supers/frames ready?
Is the queen present and laying well? Is drone brood present?
Is the colony building up as fast as other colonies in the apiary?
Are there signs of disease or abnormality?
Are there sufficient stores until the next inspection?
Are queen cells present?

Addendum:

Feeding Bees – John Yates in Apis-UK Feb. 2003: www.beedata.com

Generally, for the last century, two types of sugar syrup have been recommended. A thick syrup for autumn feeding, which will be stored more or less immediately, and thin syrup for spring or simulative feeding, which is to be consumed without storing.

Thick – 2 lb. sugar to 1 pint water gives 61.5% concentration.
Thin – 1 lb. sugar to 1 pint water gives 28% sugar concentration.

Since a bee requires a concentration of 50% for it to digest and metabolise the sugar, a medium mix of 1 kg. sugar to 1 litre of water, giving a concentration of 50%, would satisfy all bee husbandry requirements – thick and thin syrups can be relegated to the past..

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