How many frames of honey do you need for winter?

That being said, you should plan to leave 60 – 90 pounds of honey for your colony to survive winter. This is at least 8-10 full deep frames of honey that must be left on the hive. You should plan to leave 60 – 90 pounds of honey for your colony to survive winter.
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How many frames of honey do bees need to survive the winter?

Ensure your food supply.

Any honey taken from the hive is honey taken away from the bees, and to get through the winter, your bees need approximately 30-60 pounds of stores (8-9 full frames), less the farther south you live.
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How many frames of bees does it take to overwinter?

A healthy colony consisting of 25,000 to 30,000 bees is an adequate size for overwintering success. Colonies with fewer than 15,000 bees are not likely to survive freezing temperatures, though they may survive in locations with milder winters.
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How many frames of honey should you leave?

A typical deep frame can hold about 8 pounds of honey when full. A medium frame holds about 6 pounds. That means you are looking at leaving behind about 10 frames of a typical deep box if you live in an extreme environments with harsh winters.
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How many supers do bees need for winter?

For your more northern climates the bees will need around 80-90lbs of honey, which is the approximate weight of a full 10 frame deep honey super.
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How Much Honey do Bees need for winter?



Should I remove honey super for winter?

If the colony is on the weaker side, it is desirable to over-winter the colony in a brood box as a single deck hive. The colony should have three or four frames full of honey. If you are unsure It is always better to leave too much honey rather than too little.
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Do you leave a honey super on over winter?

Yes, you can leave a honey super or several on the hive over Winter. In fact, most beekeepers do have a super or two designated for use by the bees. The size of the box designated as the “food super” for the bees varies from one beekeeper to another and from one region to another.
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How many times can you harvest honey in a year?

In a healthy, productive hive, it is normal to be able to harvest honey two to three times each season. Most beekeepers will harvest honey between June and September, but how often you harvest and how much honey you get will depend on a number of factors.
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How do you overwinter honey bees?

10 Steps to Wintering Bees to Keep Them Alive (Even If You're in the Northern Climates)
  1. Move Your Bees. photo by Deviant Art. ...
  2. Give Them a Wind Breaker. ...
  3. Don't be so Stuffy. ...
  4. Shut the Front Door. ...
  5. Reduce the Size of the Hive. ...
  6. Cover Them. ...
  7. Feed Them. ...
  8. Don't Forget About Them.
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How much honey will one hive produce?

A typical beehive in the United States can produce anywhere from 10 to 200 pounds of honey in a year. That is an unbelievably large range, which indicates just how critical these variables are in order for a beehive to reach peak honey production.
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When should you stop feeding bees for winter?

A: Congratulations on getting your first bees. It is the adventure of a lifetime. Once daytime temperatures drop below 57 degrees stop feeding liquid syrup and switch to a solid sugar board.
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How do you vent a beehive for winter?

A common approach to hive ventilation is the use of popsicle or craft sticks. Placing one at each corner of the inner cover raises the outer cover up just a bit to aid in fresh air. Another technique is the use of screened holes in the top boxes.
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Do I need 2 brood boxes?

With two brood boxes, there is enough space for your queen to lay as many eggs as she can. This means you won't need to check your hives as often. When using one brood box, there is only enough room to feed your broods sugar syrup in small increments. With two, you can give them larger amounts less often.
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How many bees are in a 10 frame hive?

A healthy colony filling 2 10-frame deeps contains around 30,000-60,000 bees.
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When should I take honey from my hive?

Generally speaking, beekeepers harvest their honey at the conclusion of a substantial nectar flow and when the beehive is filled with cured and capped honey. Conditions and circumstances vary greatly across the country. First-year beekeepers are lucky if they get a small harvest of honey by late summer.
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Should I leave a Super on my hive over winter UK?

Hi Beezy, no problem leaving a super on as I do it all the time and the Bee's overwinter with plenty of natural food. If you extract your supers early enough, then when you put them back on the hive for the Bee's to clean they normally put a fair bit back in which should see them through the winter.
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How much ventilation does a beehive need in winter?

I much prefer a ventilation hole of about 1-inch in diameter drilled into the top corner of the upper brood box. Alternatively, you can use an Imirie shim, which has an upper entrance of about 3/8- by 5/8-inch that works fine for ventilation.
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Can honey bees survive the winter without a queen?

Even without a queen, a honey bee can complete her normal adult lifespan of about four-to-six weeks. However, the colony she belongs to will not be able to survive more than a couple of months unless the queen is quickly replaced. Without a new queen, the colony will dwindle as the members die one-by-one.
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What happens to honey if its not collected?

The honey that is not harvested goes to feed the colony during the cold winter months. They leave what they do not use and build upon it the next season. Secondly, other bees and insects steal honey that is in the hives. Bees from other colonies will bring back honey from another hive to their own.
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What are two cons downsides to raising honeybees?

There are some downsides to raising honey bees, however:
  • Non-Natives: While we manage honey bees for honey & pollination, there is some concern that honey bees are out-competing our native bees in the wild. ...
  • Stings can happen with honey bees. ...
  • Cost of supplies. ...
  • The first year can be a tough one. ...
  • Bee diseases.
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How profitable is honey farming?

Natural, local honey can sell for much more than the stuff in grocery stores. It depends on your location, but it's safe to say that you can charge $10 per pound. That puts you at a profit of $600 per beehive, per year.
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Will bees clean up old frames?

The comb, honey and frames may be used in the hive again. Bees will clean up a bit of mold, although by doing it for them they can focus their talents elsewhere, like pollination. If it is black mold, remove and trash the foundation (or melt for other uses). Clean the frames thoroughly, air out, freeze, and reuse.
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How long does it take for bees to fill a honey super?

A strong colony during a strong honey flow can draw new foundation and fill a honey super in 1 week, and sometimes in 3 to 4 days. An average bee colony will take between 2 to 4 weeks, while a weaker colony will take 1 to 2 months.
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How long do you spin honey frames for?

To use a honey extractor, place the frames into the drum and spin it by turning it on or using the hand crank. In general you should spin a honey extractor for 5 – 10 minutes, but that can vary.
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