late winter feed, what to do???

[jardin junkie]

Hi everyone. I am writting this because I am new to beekeeping and this time of year for a new beekeeper is a little nerve wraking.
I have 3 hives all with new colonies in june.
I attended a course although it was in french, which is where i live, and i missed alot of important detail due to my bad french.
I made a grave mistake and failed to rapid feed sugar in september and so made a more solid solution with one part water to 3 parts sugar which i heated and let cool and placed directly ontop the frames inside the hive over the winter. I checked mid november to make sure they liked it and topped up end november. so they had that and whatever honey they made ( obviously i didnt take any)
i have been scared to open the hive whilst the temp has been freezing/ snowing to but did tap on the hive and put my ear to hear they were still alive around xmas.
now mid january i went to the orchard to see if there was any activity and they are flying out, but theres no natural pollen to be had, its a bleak time of year for a bee. im sure they should be staying tucked up inside???
Im wondering now whether to give them more candy, like i made b4 as Ive read opinions that it is detrimental to the bees health as they have to use alot of saliva or if it is warm enough now to give a more liquid solution. or in others opinion just granulated sugar or icing sugar? Its only 3degrees today. but has been up to 12.
I expect everyone has a different opinion about this winter feeding but up untill now it seems to have worked and i wouldnt want them to die now. oes it o them any harm to have it there just incase they should need it.
also should they have a water supply close by the hive if i am giving them a candy, which they havent had over the winter.
theres lots to it, id hate them to perrish now. all advice is greatfully recieved.

[gavin]

Hi Jardin Junkie

There are a couple of guiding principles for overwintering:

- you do need to check if they have enough stores (just tipping the hive slightly is a good way if you already know what to expect from a light hive!)

- try not to disturb them as each disturbance is bad for them and they will not be able to rectify any disruption you cause

Beyond that the other two things for successful overwintering:

- try to get the feed in early (you already know that!)

- try to make sure that they raise plenty of young bees in the autumn

- make sure that you have Varroa numbers under control in late summer/early autumn

So in your position, check first to see what you have in the way of stores. Does the box feel heavy? Is the cluster below the top? Can you see, without lifting frames and in a very quick visit, sealed stores above and around the cluster?

Only if you think that they do not have enough stores is it worth adding something on the top bars and ideally with insulation above that. Fondant, candy, even wetted bags of sugar. If you are over-cautious in this first year and add too much it doesn't matter - you can take it off when spring really gets underway, whenever that is in your area.

all the best

Gavin

[Easy beesy]

Jardin junkie
Sounds to me that your French can't be that bad! You seem to know a lot more than some novices.
I get the feeling your bees are in good hands.

Easy beesy

[jardin junkie]

Thanks guys. I have read alot of books to make sure im doing it right but, like i said, everyone has a different opinion.
Im glad you think, gavin, that it cant hurt to be generous and give them some more, so i will make my candy cake Water and sugar and put that in ( the hives are light) just in case, as im not sure of the signs or behaviours yet of "when summuts up" many thanks,

[chris]

Hi jardin junkie. I think it would be helpful if you said where in France your hives are. Beekeeping can be very "local", and advice will differ for someone on the Côte d'Azur and someone in the Jura for example. Welcome.

[jardin junkie]

Hi jardin junkie. I think it would be helpful if you said where in France your hives are. Beekeeping can be very "local", and advice will differ for someone on the Côte d'Azur and someone in the Jura for example. Welcome.

Im in the centre, in the Brenne national park, L'indre.

[Adam]

If the bees run out of stores the behaviour is that they stop flying as they die in the hives, bees head in the comb looking for any remaining food. They don't send out any distress messages. Over-feeding is fine in this circumstance.
From february in this part of the world, some of the commecial guys start to feed thin syrup to encourage brood rearing so the hives are as full as they can be of bees for the oil-seed rape honey. Syrup is fine as long as the bees can get out on warm days for cleansing flights which they will do on a decent winters day even if there is no forage to be found.