Feeding Bees
What ratio of sugar to water is used for feeding bees in winter
2:1
How many boxes should your colony have for winter?
2 deep or 3 medium
Why is August a critical month when preparing for winter
these are the bees raising winter bees **and should be kept in the best health
What pest is most critical to control for colony winter survival?
Varroa Mite
Taking Newspaper and piling dry sugar on top of a hive is known as what?
Mountain Camp Method
What item is critical for protecting colonies from winter winds?
wind block
how can the beekeeper improve the colony’s chances of survival?
Ensure that you have a strong large healthy colony going into winter
What varroa treatment is most effective during winter when the colony has little to no brood?
Oxalic Acid
At what low temperature should you no longer feed sugar syrup
Below 50 degrees
When reducing colony size for winter how should you arrange colony resources?
Move all brood to the bottom and honey to top
Should you be worried if there is no new brood or young larva in your hive in the fall?
No, because a queen slows or stops laying as the colony approaches winter
During what months are varroa populations increasing faster than the honey bee population?
August and September
How many pounds of stored honey do bees need for winter?
50-60lbs in Virginia
When would you consider you should insulate hives for winter
Only if the temperature is consistently below 30 degrees throughout the winter
How can it be that honey bees in winter live around 4 times longer than their summer sisters?
the winter bee has increased fat body tissue and low levels of juvenile hormone compared with the summer bee
What disease often presents as a result of winter feeding
Nosema
When should you start feeding bees to prepare for winter?
6 to 8 weeks before cold weather arrives (Sept-October)
Why is it important to move your brood to the bottom and resources to the top when preparing your colony for winter?
Bees move up through the winter
When do bees know to make winter bees?
the trigger for the production of winter bees is the lack of good quality brood food caused by dwindling pollen resources rather than a change in temperature
What is an indicator that a colony has nosema? what is the only way to confirm nosema is present in your colony?
if there are noticeable amounts of feces on the front of the hive
taking a sample and using a microscope