How many frames to leave in the hive for the winter: the amount of honey, the timing of the bookmark

To save the bee family for next year, it needs to be carefully prepared in the winter. It is important that the hives are of high quality and well insulated. At the same time, an important condition for bees is the availability of the necessary food reserves. To do this, the beekeeper leaves honey for insects. However, not every beekeeper knows exactly how many frames need to be left in the hive for the winter.

Features of wintering bees

In regions with harsh climatic conditions, it is important to provide insects with the right wintering conditions. Quite often this requires moving the swarm to cover.

However, preparations for winter include the following:

• maintaining adequate humidity parameters;
• thermal insulation;
• creating comfortable conditions;
• convenience of tapholes.

To wait out the winter in the apiary, you can use casings. They are made from a special covering material. However, this comes with certain costs. Hives can be combined into a single structure and left in this form for several months. In snowy winters, snowdrifts can be used as shelter. In any case, it is important for the beekeeper to take care of dryness and ventilation.

How many frames of honey to leave for the bees for the winter

To save all the bees for next year, it is important to correctly estimate the required amount of honey. In addition to eating insects, you need to find a place for wintering. In heat, the cost of honey will be minimal. At the same time, in the cold, they will increase by 40%.

Staying hives in a warm room in winter

Bees have to spend the winter with food. When keeping insects indoors, they will need 8 kilograms of honey. This amount is enough for 1 family. It is undesirable to leave a smaller amount. Nutritional deficiencies will result in reduced egg production. In addition, the bees need to be fed with sugar syrup. To make it, it is recommended to combine sugar with water and vinegar.

Wintering outside

If it is not possible to move the hives indoors, they can be left outside. However, at first the structure needs to be insulated. In this case, more food will be needed. For 1 bee colony, 11 kilograms of the substance should be used.

Frame preparation

Beekeepers should pay attention to preparing the nest for winter before using additional food. Life at low temperatures depends on its condition. The main condition is the installation of feed. Its volume is determined by the strength of the family.

In this case, you should focus on the following parameters:

• strong families need 8-10 frames;
• average enough 6-8 frames;
• weak families need 5-7 frames.

It is important that the frames are filled with honey and sealed. Buildings with 2-2.5 kilograms of nectar are considered full-honey. Light varieties should be used as the main feed. In this case, the task of the beekeeper is to check the product for the presence of honeydew additives. The substance with their content should not be left for the winter, as there is a risk of pomor.

To check for impurities, you should use the following methods:

1. From different combs, collect 1 tablespoon of honey and mix with the same amount of water. Dilute the mass with 10 parts of alcohol and shake. When a cloudy sediment appears, we can talk about the presence of honeydew in the composition. If the mass remains clean, the product can be used for bees in winter.
2. Mix honey with lime water and boil. The appearance of flakes indicates the presence of honeydew.

During wintering, you can introduce additional top dressing. For this, it is permissible to use candy, sugar syrup, natural honey. It is recommended to feed the bees taking into account the size and he alth of the family.

Terms and rules for laying frames with honey

Preparing bee colonies for wintering is different - it all depends on regional characteristics. If the climate is characterized by cold winters and low temperatures at night, you need to start preparing in September. In the south, this is done later - in the first half of October.

When placing frames, there are a number of features to consider:

1. In the central part of the hive, place low-copper frames. This is required to accommodate families in a familiar club.
2. Place full copper frames around the edges. They must follow each other clearly.
3. The number of frames should be selected according to the storage method. If insects are densely placed on 6 frames, they need 7 for wintering.
4. Before placing in the winter hut, the condition of the hives is reassessed. If the frames at the edges are not completely filled with the product, they are changed to full-copper ones.
5. In warm rooms, it is recommended to install 2-3 more frames than on the street.

Wintering of bees is characterized by many nuances. For it to be successful, it is important to strictly adhere to the recommendations of experienced beekeepers. The main point is the correct feeding of insects. It is also important to know how many frames the bees need and how to properly place them in the hive. At the same time, the right choice of nutrition affects the development of adult bees and their further productivity.

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