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Synopsis : Get monetary savings. Take your winter losses now. Unite weak colonies or these headed by dodgy queens … and a few ideas on poly nucs for overwintering.
Introduction
With apologies to Winston Churchill:
“Now this isn’t the tip. It’s maybe the start of the tip.”
And even a cursory look via couple of colonies will verify this. They’re shifting from their summer season labours to the late summer season preparations for winter.
The indicators are simple to identify.
Colonies with ample tremendous area are starting to backfill the broodnest with nectar. You may see it glowing within the solar.
Backfilled cells (and a drone or two)
You additionally see this when the colonies have nowhere else to retailer recent nectar, however my supers are disappointingly stuffed with area this 12 months ) in order that they’re opting to maintain it shut. The brood sample can look a bit spotty, however the queen is ‘lacking’ the cells as a result of they’re already full.
Most of my east coast colonies have stopped, or virtually stopped, rearing drones. There are nonetheless loads of drones about however they’re not producing any extra this season.
This is sensible. Drones are ‘costly’ by way of the sources (pollen, nectar, time, employees) wanted to rear them and the possibility that they’ll efficiently full a mating flight this late within the season is proscribed.
They’re not chucking them out but although. On a heat afternoon the distinctive sound of a thousand drones going out ‘on the pull’ fills the air.
Ever the optimists 😉 .
Colonies are nonetheless robust and busy. They comprise loads of brood, however the laying price of the queen is slowing and – presumably – they’ll very quickly begin rearing the long-lived winter bees that may take the colony via to subsequent spring.
Take your winter losses now
And, because the colonies segue from producing summer season bees to winter bees, I’m additionally beginning to plan for the winter. This entails getting ready the colonies I need and eliminating (i.e. uniting) these surplus to necessities or underperforming.
It’s higher to make these selections earlier than feeding and treating for mites. In case you don’t there are two (or maybe three) inevitable penalties:
- You’ll have the pointless expense of feeding and treating colonies that you simply subsequently resolve to unite. I reckon this prices me about £16-17 per colony, assuming fondant costs haven’t gone via the roof .
- In case you subsequently resolve to unite two colonies you’ve already fed and handled you’ll be doing it in mid/late October, which is way from superb … so that you’ll in all probability not trouble and purpose to take care of the colony subsequent 12 months, wherein case …
- A number of the colonies you ought to have united in mid/late August will die overwinter – poor queens, understrength and many others. – that means you not solely have the monetary lack of the meals and miticides, however you additionally haven’t any colony originally of the subsequent season.
So … take your winter losses now 😉 .
Late season inspections
It’s really someplace between mid-season and late-season, however erring in the direction of the latter.
My final full colony inspection, by which I imply each body within the brood field (and typically each body shaken freed from bees to examine the brood very fastidiously) was a number of weeks in the past.
Queenless colony … she was in my marking cage, the final queen of the season
By early/mid August my inspections are rather more selective:
- Colonies with this 12 months’s queens might have already had their final inspection. If not I’ll have a peek after I take the honey off and feed/deal with. If the behaviour is sweet and the colony is powerful there’s no likelihood I’ll not be overwintering them. For the reason that queen pheromone ranges shall be excessive there’s additionally little to no likelihood of swarming, so there’s no level in rummaging unnecessarily via the brood field. Depart them to get on with issues 🙂 .
- Understrength colonies or these with a questionable temperament get checked out extra fastidiously. Are they understrength just because the queen took her time getting mated, or as a result of I harvested frames of brood to make up nucs? In these circumstances they’ll make up the shortfall and ought to be tremendous if the queen is laying properly. Nonetheless, in the event that they’re understrength as a result of the queen is failing (a number of missed cells, drone brood peppered about, unseasonably low laying price) then they are going to be united (having eliminated the queen). Equally, a colony that repeatedly behaves badly will in all probability have the identical destiny … why ought to I put up with surly bees?
- For a similar causes (i.e. potential queen failure) colonies with growing older queens get checked out fastidiously.
- Nucs destined for overwintering are additionally fastidiously checked as they should be robust to efficiently overwinter them.
Winter losses
Annual colony losses are reported to fluctuate between about 10% and 40% based mostly upon nationwide affiliation surveys. As I’ve beforehand mentioned, I don’t actually belief any of those figures as I don’t assume they’re validated with any rigour.
I’m certain most survey respondents are predominantly truthful, however I think some beekeepers who expertise significantly excessive losses by no means reply (some abandon beekeeping). This can end in general losses being underestimated.
The figures from one survey final 12 months had been significantly unusual. 84% of beekeepers reported no losses in any respect. General losses had been reported to be 16% (just one% in Wales!) and, of these, solely 12% had been because of Varroa or DWV. Nonetheless, 33% of beekeepers additionally reported that they used no miticides.
Actually?
It will be good to see some validation of those numbers.
All of which is a little bit of a digression. Particular person beekeepers ought to purpose to minimise their winter losses by guaranteeing the colonies that they take into the winter have one of the best likelihood of surviving. Personally I feel accountable beekeepers ought to try to keep away from pointless colony deaths.
As well as, I actually dislike coping with messy, mouldy frames from a ‘useless out’ on a uncooked March morning.
Simply again to these reported losses for a second … 38% had been regarded as because of ‘queen issues’ e.g. the loss of life of the queen, drone laying queens or ageing queens . While I’m stunned that these had been greater than 3 times extra frequent than the Varroa/DWV double-whammy, queen failures are a major reason behind winter colony failures and so it is sensible to try to keep away from them earlier than they occur.
Apart from taking off the honey, my colony inspections and manipulations in August are all related to minimising my winter losses.
Nucs
Overwintered nucs are actually helpful.
With a well-mated younger queen they’ll take off like a rocket within the spring, typically increase quick sufficient to get a crop of spring honey. Alternatively, should you do lose colonies overwinter, maybe since you failed to use some robust love within the autumn, then an overwintered nuc can be utilized to repopulate the hive, so restoring colony numbers.
Right here’s one I ready earlier … an overcrowded overwintered nuc in April
Or you possibly can promote them to the primary flush of keen new beekeepers who’ve accomplished their ‘Start beekeeping’ programs in draughty church halls throughout the interminable darkish winter evenings.
Overwintered nucs, with a confirmed queen, are rightly valued extra extremely than a nuc in mid-June.
And the nice issues about nucs is that they’re comparatively simple to overwinter with the best preparation. I feel this entails three issues:
- guaranteeing they’re as robust and wholesome as potential going into the winter, with a younger, well-mated queen.
- feeding them correctly after which normally topping them up with fondant as wanted via the winter. You can’t have loads of bees and loads of shops in a 5 body nuc field.
- serving to them minimise the shops they should use by housing them in a well-insulated nuc field.
I’ve overwintered nucs in cedar packing containers prior to now, however the availability of top quality, well-insulated, polystyrene nuc packing containers has made issues an entire lot simpler.
All poly nucs are equal, however some are extra equal than others
The standard of the insulation offered by a poly nuc relies upon upon two issues , the:
- thickness of the partitions and roof
- thermal insulation of the fabric (which might be appropriately expressed because the Okay-, R- or U-value for thermal conductivity, resistance or transmittance)
I don’t have values for the latter and I’m not conscious that they’re revealed … so let’s assume that each one poly nucs are made out of the identical stuff (I’ll return to this briefly later).
I’ve purchased not less than 5 forms of poly nuc through the years. Like many I began with Paynes (which was one of many first out there). I’ve received just a few Paradise packing containers , two varieties from Maisemore’s and the bulk are Thorne’s Everynucs. I’ve not used the Paradise packing containers for years so I’ll ignore these.
I measured the partitions and roof of all however the Paynes packing containers (that are in storage). Everynucs are thick walled and have a fairly substantial roof. There are two Maisemore’s designs; one with an integral ground and recessed handholds ultimately partitions, and one other with a separate ground and plain-sided brood field.
Regardless of the 2 Maisemore’s packing containers being the identical outer dimensions, and with some interchangeable components, the poly thickness of the tip wall (due to the handholds) and the roof are much less within the model with the integral ground.
Two Maismore’s roofs
If I used to be shopping for extra – and I did this 12 months – I’d get the model with out the integral ground. Higher insulated and altogether extra versatile.
Okay-, R- or U-values?
‘Higher insulated’ assuming the 2 packing containers from Maisies are made out of the identical poly with comparable Okay-, R- or U-values.
These aren’t revealed and I’ve no approach of measuring them correctly.
Do any readers know these having contacted the producers?
Do the producers even know them? They normally simply quote the density of the poly in the event that they quote something.
It is likely to be an attention-grabbing winter venture to try to evaluate the relative insulation of the packing containers. Maybe inserting a container holding a litre of scorching water after which recording the speed of cooling is likely to be informative?
Alternatively it is likely to be potential to find out the quantity of power (assume honey shops) wanted to maintain the within of the field at a relentless 30°C.
Three Everynucs and a double-decker Maisies nuc
Or maybe not … the ‘not-beekeeping’ season right here is so lengthy I’ve received to search out issues to entertain me 😉 .
After all, the packing containers should be empty earlier than any of those measurements may be taken, so it’s handy that I freed up a few nuc packing containers originally of the week by uniting them.
Uniting nucs
You may unite nucs with different nucs or with colonies in full hives. It relies upon what you need to obtain, what tools you need to hand and the place the nucs are situated.
Over the last spherical of inspections I discovered two nucs (in separate apiaries) with out laying queens.
Truly, so far as I might confirm, with out any queens 🙁 .
Puzzling as there have been queens there two weeks in the past.
One of many nucs was pictured a fortnight in the past. At that time it was a dummied down 5 body colony in an 8 body butchered Paynes poly nuc. You may’t inform from that picture (except you perceive my colony and queen numbering system) that it contained a virgin queen, nevertheless it did.
Now, so far as I can inform, it doesn’t 🙁 .
Room up high … uniting Everynucs
Because it was in a Paynes field with an integral ground I needed to switch the frames to an empty nuc brood field over a (barely understrength because it turned out) queenright nuc. I united them with newspaper and on my subsequent go to will shuffle the frames out that lack brood, deal with them and feed them up for winter.
Fondant
The ‘recipient’ nuc, maybe as a consequence of its power, was brief on shops. Earlier than uniting I squeezed a kilogram or two of fondant into the integral feeder to maintain them going.
It’s commonplace for colonies missing a powerful foraging power to wrestle for shops if nectar isn’t in abundance.
It isn’t 🙁 .
Massive, booming colonies handle to gather an extra, however smaller colonies can starve in comparable circumstances.
Hope for one of the best, put together for the worst
The opposite nuc was in an out apiary and it was simpler to unite them with one other colony there, slightly than transferring them to a distant apiary and uniting with one other nuc. I due to this fact transferred them right into a spare brood field with some drawn comb earlier than uniting them with an adjoining colony.
Formidable? I feel so.
The drawn comb is a ‘simply in case’ measure.
Normally I’d simply dummy down 5 frames in a brood field on high of a full colony.
Nonetheless, that leaves an empty void within the higher brood field and there’s a faint likelihood the colony would fill this with brace comb within the fortnight earlier than I subsequent go to .
I’m fairly sure there’s going to be no late season nectar stream, I feel it’s “throughout bar the shouting” in my Fife apiaries.
Nonetheless ‘simply in case’ I’ve given them some drawn comb to make use of as an alternative.
They received’t 🙁 .
Two queens nonetheless
Attentive readers will keep in mind I discovered a freshly emerged virgin queen in a colony with a – to me not less than – completely good 2023 clipped, marked laying queen.
Now, a fortnight later, each queens are nonetheless in the identical field.
She appears tremendous to me
I discovered the marked queen on the central frames apparently laying properly (not less than, I noticed her laying and assume the eggs on adjoining frames had been in all probability additionally laid by her). I discovered the unmarked queen on an outer body, scuttling round on cells full of pollen
The usurper?
Though she was plumper and a bit much less skittish I feel she’s nonetheless unmated or, if mated, but to start out laying.
The climate over the intervening fortnight has definitely been ok for queen mating, with 6-7 days over 20°C which is commonly quoted because the decrease restrict for queen mating .
There appeared no level in intervening so I left them to get on with issues and shall be to see what has occurred (if something) by my subsequent go to.
Winter studying
Brian Johnson’s ebook Honey Bee Biology has simply been revealed by Princeton College Press. It is a scientific evaluate of the present (and historic in locations) understanding of the biology of honey bees. My copy arrived this week and I’ve dipped into it to examine just a few subjects, however will learn it fastidiously over the winter.
One of many subjects I skimmed was supersedure and I used to be disenchanted and relieved in equal measure to search out that Johnson is aware of as a lot, or as little, as I do on the subject 😉 .
Johnson’s ebook might be not beneficial for these uncomfortable when confronted by some some fairly heavyweight biology. He doesn’t maintain again when it’s essential to debate Notch signalling or cGMP protein kinases.
You will have been warned … however should you’re nonetheless , NHBS have the ebook on particular supply for the time being .
Winter studying and subject guides
In the identical parcel from NHBS I additionally acquired two slim Bloomsbury Wildlife Pocket Guides by Richard Lewington; to the butterflies and the bumble bees of Nice Britain and Eire. Each are fantastically illustrated and comprise greater than sufficient info to establish stuff you see within the apiary. The bumble bees ebook covers only one tenth of the bees detailed in Steven Falk’s magnum opus, the Subject Information to the Bees of Nice Britain and Eire , however should you wrestle to tell apart a Bombus ruderarius from a Bombus ruderatus you then’ll get the reply quicker from the Lewington information.
One thing for the Christmas checklist maybe?
Notes
All tools suppliers change the specification of their merchandise periodically. The Maisemore’s nucs I personal had been all bought within the final 3 or 4 years, the inexperienced ones pictured are newer. I checked their web site and it now appears as if each packing containers may now have an analogous roof. The brood field with the integral ground (and round entrance disk) is a handy design, however I’d nonetheless favour the separate ground and thick-walled brood field.
Everynucs look a lot the identical now as after I purchased them a decade or so in the past. I’ve written about a few of their failings beforehand … principally trivial, and all surmountable. They’re nice nucs.
All my Paynes packing containers have the inside infernal feeder eliminated. They now have an entrance disk however I assume the wall and roof thickness stay the identical (too skinny for me).
STOP PRESS
Fondant costs are steeply up this 12 months. I feel I’m paying ~50% greater than I did final 12 months, at about £18 for 12.5 kg … which suggests a fed/handled colony that’s subsequently united or expires leads to the lack of about £24 slightly than the £16-17 quoted above.
Time I put my honey costs up 😉
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