Content
Beekeeping is a vast industry with its own characteristics. The work of beekeepers does not end with the arrival of winter. They are faced with the task of preserving bee colonies for further development. One of the most important issues related to planning bee wintering is the question of how to leave honey frames for the bees for the winter. Of particular importance are the varieties, the amount of food and the winter conditions for keeping bee colonies.
How much honey do bees need for wintering?
Bees remain active throughout the winter. For wintering, families need high-quality food. Beekeepers plan in advance the amount of honey that should be left for the bees for the winter.
Wintering depends on the climatic conditions of the region. In some areas, winter can last up to 5 months. To protect the bee hive and preserve insects, it is recommended to take care of creating conditions in advance. There are 2 types of conditions for keeping bees in winter:
- Wintering in a warm room, when the hives are placed in heated spaces.
- Wintering outside, when the hives are placed under the covers of winter huts or are additionally insulated.
The amount of feed product is determined by several criteria:
- climate of the region;
- wintering method;
- composition and strength of the bee colony.
Beekeepers in the northern regions of the country confirm the data that the average bee colony needs to leave from 25 to 30 kg of honey in the hive for the winter. In the south and west of the country, it is enough to leave feed with a total volume of 12 to 18 kg.
You can calculate how much honey bees need for the winter, taking into account the breed of bees, the conditions of the region, and the yield of the product.
bee breed | approximate amount of honey | characteristics |
Central Russian | up to 25 - 30 kg | resistant to low temperatures, suitable for flower species |
mountain sulfur Caucasian | up to 20 kg | resistant to frost, able to winter on buckwheat in the habitat conditions at home |
Carpathian | up to 20 kg | cannot tolerate low temperatures, winter in their native area on any species except honeydew and heather |
Italian | up to 18 kg | unsuitable for keeping in regions with harsh winters, tolerate wintering on flower types |
Some beekeepers calculate the amount of honey bees need for the winter, relying on the amount that a particular colony produced during the season:
- A family produces 14.5 kg of honey and spends 15 kg of feed on it;
- 23.5 kg of prey can be expected from families with food from 15 to 20 kg;
- 36 kg are obtained by bees, for which 30 kg are spent on food.
This is a statistic that may vary by region.
What kind of honey do bees winter on better?
The honeycombs that will be left are preliminarily inspected. They should not contain less than 2 kg of product, the cells should be well sealed. In this state, honey is better preserved, does not sour and does not lose its beneficial properties.
The varieties that are left for wintering may be different. Heather and honeydew species are not used. Honeydew honey is collected from the leaves; it may contain dextrins and metabolic products of proteins of parasitic insects. In winter, food mixed with honeydew becomes dangerous for insects. Alkali metals contained in the composition settle on the intestinal walls of bees and lead to destructive digestive disorders.
The only way to avoid this problem is to completely remove honeydew from the hive.
Varieties that are susceptible to rapid crystallization are not suitable for wintering. These are species collected from cruciferous plant types, as well as eucalyptus and cotton. To reduce the risk of pomora, you need to:
- exclude rapidly crystallizing species;
- leave light brown combs in the hive;
- ensure the humidity in the winter hut is at least 80 - 85%.
Features of wintering bees on sunflower honey
Sunflower is a variety that is harvested from the oilseed crop, sunflower. This is the leader in glucose content. Many beekeepers have learned to use it as food, which is left for the winter. The main disadvantage of the product is rapid crystallization.
When using a sunflower variety in winter, it is necessary to add additional feeding. Self-prepared sugar syrup, which is added to the hives, is suitable for this.
A few rules that will help bees survive the winter on sunflower honey:
- leave light honeycombs, this slows down the crystallization process;
- use sunflower honey of the first selection;
- maintain an optimal level of humidity in the winter hut.
Will bees survive the winter on rapeseed honey?
The variety is collected from a cruciferous plant, rapeseed, which appeared as a result of selective crossing. This variety is characterized by rapid crystallization.
It is not recommended to leave rapeseed honey for wintering. Beekeepers who plan to raise colonies and value their reputation as a supplier of quality products pump out rapeseed honey as it blooms and leave other varieties for wintering.
Wintering bees using rapeseed honey is possible in the southern regions, but it can be complicated by emerging problems. Crystallization of the rapeseed variety is characterized by increased hardening rates. For the continued existence of the bee colony, it is necessary to feed it with sugar syrup. Using syrup as the main feed material can lead to spring death.
How bees overwinter on buckwheat honey
Buckwheat is harvested from buckwheat flowers and is characterized by a dark brown hue. It has useful qualities. Buckwheat honey is suitable for the treatment of multiple human diseases, but it is not recommended to be used for wintering bees. The buckwheat variety is categorically unsuitable for farms located in Western and Central Siberia. When using it, spring nosematosis is observed in bees, as a result of which most of them die, and the rest emerge from wintering weakened.
In Siberia, buckwheat is pumped out of the hive long before bee colonies are prepared for wintering.
In the European part of the country, buckwheat is considered suitable for wintering due to a shift in the timing of crystallization due to changes in temperature conditions. It is left for wintering, but additional feeding is provided with self-prepared sugar syrup.
Other types of honey for wintering bees
Beekeeping as an industry keeps statistical records on the quality and quantity of nectar; the collected data facilitates the process of planning wintering on honey. The best option, which is suitable for keeping families in winter, minimizes the risk of developing nosematosis and reduces the incidence of spring death, is the choice of flower varieties.
These include linden, forbs, sweet clover, fireweed, and acacia varieties. These species are popular on the market, so beekeepers sometimes save money when calculating the amount of product that needs to be left for the winter.
In addition, you should take into account the supply of fodder honey, which must be left in the hive for the bees for the winter in case of shortage. It should be stored separately from the wintering room and amount to approximately 2 - 2.6 kg for one family.
Rules for preparing feed
Before adding additional food, beekeepers prepare the nest for winter. The life of bees at low temperatures depends on the condition of the nest. The main condition is the installation of food: its quantity depends on the strength of the bee colony.
- strong families need from 8 to 10 frames;
- medium - from 6 to 8 frames;
- weak - from 5 to 7 frames.
The frames must be completely filled with honey and sealed. Frames that are filled with 2 or 2.5 kg of product are considered full honey.
The main food product is light varieties; the beekeeper’s task in the fall is to check for the presence of honeydew impurities.The product with the admixture is not left over the winter to prevent pomor.
There are several ways to do this:
- About 1 tbsp is collected from different honeycombs. l. honey, mixed with 1 tbsp. l. water. The liquid is diluted with 10 parts of ethyl alcohol, then shaken. The presence of a cloudy sediment is evidence of an admixture of honeydew. If the liquid remains clean, then such a product is completely suitable for feeding bees during wintering.
- Using lime water. Honey is stirred in a small amount of lime water, then boiled. The presence of flakes indicates an admixture of honeydew.
During wintering, additional fertilizing is applied in the form of sugar syrup, kandi or natural honey. Bees are fed depending on the size and condition of the colony.
Terms and rules for laying frames with honey
The periods of preparation of families for the coming winter differ depending on the region. Where cold winters prevail, with low night temperatures, preparations begin in September. The southern regions prepare for wintering later, at the beginning of October.
The position of the frames in the hive is determined by the following requirements:
- Low-copper frames are installed in the center of the hive; this is necessary so that families can be accommodated here in a familiar club.
- Full-copper frames are placed along the edges, strictly one after another.
- The number of frames is calculated according to the principle of storage: if the bees closely inhabit 6 frames, then 7 frames are left for them to overwinter.
- Before being placed in the winter hive, the hives are checked again. If the outer frames are not completely filled with the product, then they are replaced with full copper ones and left for the winter.
Conclusion
Leaving bees with honey frames for the winter is a necessity that all beekeepers know about.The future life of the bee family depends on the amount of honey, correct installation, and formation of the nest. The choice of variety for food affects the development of the strength of adult individuals, their entry into spring and work for the future of the apiary.
