Getting ready for Winter

Yesterday I went up to visit our Hendon hives. I took some sugar syrup in case their stores needed topping up. I also took some insulated dummy boards to put into the brood boxes if there were any empty frames. This makes keeping the hive warm a little easier for the bees as they don’t need to heat space that isn’t being used.

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I needn’t have bothered though – both hives are still very full and very busy. There is plenty of honey packed into the combs and even some brood. The hives both smelt strongly of ivy nectar, so I can guess that most of the honey has been made from that. I’m really pleased that they didn’t need any molly-coddling, with luck they will come through the winter.

8 thoughts on “Getting ready for Winter

  1. Ruth Rogers Clausen

    Hope they come through OK. I wonder what ivy honey tastes like? Have you had any before?
    love
    Ruth

    Reply
    1. Helen Rogers Post author

      I haven’t tried it -apparently it is a bit of an acquired taste! I’ve heard that the taste mellows after 6 months or so. It crystallizes in the comb, so is tricky to extract – I’ll be leaving it for the bees!

      Reply
  2. Jacky Gawne

    Can I ask you Helen about Apibioxal? Do you use and if so when? If you do, do you add the fondant to the hives afterwards?

    Reply
    1. Helen Rogers Post author

      Hi Jacky,
      I will be using oxalic acid later this month around the Equinox. I’m keeping a close eye on the weight of the hives (by hefting) to see when to put some fondant on. It has been so mild I’m nervous that they are munching through their stores!

      Reply
  3. Jacky Gawne

    Thank you Helen, so if you had given them fondant before the equinox, you would remove it, treat with oxalic acid and then replace the fondant, all in one administration?

    Reply

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