Winter Starvation

Food shortage in winter is one of the most common causes of loss and, at the same time, one of the most preventable. There are two variants: either there was too little food overall, or the food was there but in the wrong place. The Kirchhain bee institute calls the latter isolation from the food (Abriss vom Futter).

The pattern of damage is clear. Dead bees are stuck head-first in the cells, many with their proboscis extended. The combs around where the cluster sat are dry and clean. If plenty of food is found but sitting only on the outer combs, isolation from the food is confirmed. Torn-open food cells, by contrast, point to robbing, and many mites, mite droppings, and crippled bees alongside only a few dead bees suggest a Varroa-related winter loss.

As rough figures, the Bavarian State Institute gives about 15 kilograms of stored food for single-box colonies and 18 to 22 kilograms for two-box colonies. What matters is that the amount actually stored never equals the amount given. An autumn inspection with a store check is therefore mandatory, either by estimating the capped area or by lifting one side with a spring balance.

If a food shortage is found, only emergency feeding helps, and it should be given as close to the cluster as possible. In early spring, the bees no longer take food from feed supers or an empty box placed above. Frame feeders, hanging in full food combs from one's own stock, or fondant placed directly on the top bars above where the winter cluster sits, have all proven effective. Only one's own honey or sugar feed should be used, never honey from another apiary, because this risks introducing foulbrood.

Quellen (4)

• LLH Bieneninstitut Kirchhain: Arbeitsblatt 338, Untersuchung toter Bienenvölker
• LWG Bayern, Fachzentrum Bienen: Fütterung von Bienenvölkern
• apiservice / Bienengesundheitsdienst Schweiz: Merkblatt 4.3 Überwintern eines Bienenvolkes
• Die Honigmacher: Spätsommer und Frühherbst, Vorratsmengen und Herbstdurchsicht

Alle Begriffe im Überblick