Winerizing Advice?!

[zzen01]

OK It's mid-October here in W/ Iowa. What do I need to do to winterize my hives(2)?

[AllenF]

Check your anti-freeze and your battery, oh wait, hives.   How much food do they have stored up.   That is #1.  Close your hives up, SBB and reduce your entrance. 

[L Daxon]

At what temperatures should you close your hive up, i.e. at what temperature should you no longer be doing inspections for fear of chilling the brood?

[kathyp]

if you live in a place that gets cold, i think it's as much about dates as temps.  the bees close the hive by sealing tops, cracks, etc with propolis.  every time you get into the hive, you break that seal.  for me, i need to be pretty much out of the hives by the end of September.  honey off, hives fed, queens checked, entrance reduced, bottoms closed, no more checks.

if i live in Florida or JP land, i could/would check all year, but in cold areas what are you checking for?  brood rearing is winding down and stores should be in.

[Finski]

OK It's mid-October here in W/ Iowa. What do I need to do to winterize my hives(2)?

First you should reduce the hive space for the size of winter cluster. Cluster will about same size as the brood area during late summer.  If the brood area has been maximum 5 frames, the hive need only 5-6 frames for winter. Put the the frames into winter space and shake bees from other frames in front of the entrance.

Put an white empty comb against the wall. It the comb is full of pollen like bees use to do, it will get mould easily.

So -  white comb-pollen comb,  brood combs-  pollen comb - and white comb against the wall.

Then feed the hive full sugar syrup 1:2.  If combs are not full they will not cap the food.
It the box is full of brood and you cannot feed them, put an empty box over the brood and feed it full to be capped.