A recent e-mail from NBU advises us that many colonies are low on food and states as a rule that a standard British National colony will need 20 to 25Kg of stores to over winter. This amounts to a full super and most of a brood box. Yet I have seen colonies overwintered on a single brood box with no super. Furthermore I have weighed my hives regularly through the winter over a number of years and the average change in weight October to March is just over 7 kg. Admittedly I use WBCs with insulation over the crown board so they may use less food.
I aim for around 10 to 15 kg in autumn on top of the empty hive weight. This is made up mostly of left over honey and I rarely have to feed extra syrup in established colonies. I top up with fondant in winter if hive weight gets low.
How much food do other people provide for over wintering?
I aim for around 10 to 15 kg in autumn on top of the empty hive weight. This is made up mostly of left over honey and I rarely have to feed extra syrup in established colonies. I top up with fondant in winter if hive weight gets low.
How much food do other people provide for over wintering?