How to Check Winter Stores
Winter stores checks should be quick, purposeful and as non-disruptive as possible. Start outside the hive: look at the entrance, roof, mouse guard and overall condition, then heft the hive or check scale readings. Only open the colony briefly if the hive feels light, weight data is worrying, or you suspect a problem.
If stores are low, or the cluster is separated from food, give emergency fondant directly above the bees. Do not carry out routine full inspections in cold weather. Record the hive ID, estimated stores, feed given and next review date in Bee Hive Tracker so you can follow up before starvation becomes likely.
When to check winter stores in the UK
Late autumn: October to November
This is the best time to get colonies properly prepared for winter. By the time temperatures fall and the cluster tightens, each production colony should already have enough stores for your area, hive type and colony size.
As a broad UK guide, many full-sized colonies on National equipment need around 18–20 kg of winter stores going into winter, with more needed for large colonies, exposed sites, cold districts and long winters. Nucs and smaller colonies need less in total, but they still need stores close to the cluster.
Late autumn is also the time to finish heavy feeding, fit mouse guards, reduce entrances where appropriate, check roofs and make sure the hive is weatherproof.
Early winter: December to January
Avoid routine full inspections. Use external checks, hefting and hive scale data where available. Open only if there is a clear reason, such as a very light hive, a sudden weight drop, excessive dead bees, water ingress, or signs that the colony cannot reach food.
Mid-winter mild spells: January to February
A calm, mild spell is the safest opportunity for a brief internal check if one is needed. Colonies may begin or increase brood rearing during this period, which raises food consumption. Even a colony that felt comfortable in December can become short by February.
Spring transition: March to April
As brood rearing expands, stores can disappear quickly. This is a common starvation period because the colony is growing before reliable forage is available. Continue hefting and feeding fondant if needed until you are confident the bees have both stores and regular forage.
Why winter stores checks matter
Winter checks are mainly about preventing starvation. A colony can starve even when there is honey elsewhere in the hive if the cluster cannot move to it during cold weather. Bees move as a cluster and may be unable to cross empty comb to reach sealed stores.
A good winter check can also reveal:
- Blocked entrances
- Mouse damage
- Water ingress or damp combs
- Failed roofs or poor insulation
- Excessive dead bees
- Signs of dysentery
- Suspected notifiable disease
- Colonies too small to survive unaided
The aim is not to inspect every frame. The aim is to decide whether the colony has accessible food and whether any urgent action is needed.
Prepare before you visit the apiary
Before leaving for the apiary, check the weather and plan the visit around the least disruptive conditions available. For external checks, weather matters less. For opening a hive, choose a calm, dry, mild day where possible, ideally around 8–10°C or warmer. Avoid exposing the brood nest in wind, rain or freezing conditions.
Take:
- Bee suit, gloves and veil
- Hive tool
- Light smoker, used sparingly
- Torch or headlamp
- Fondant or bee candy
- Knife for cutting fondant packs
- Eke or shallow rim if fondant needs extra space
- Spare crownboard, roof strap, mouse guard or entrance block
- Phone or tablet for recording notes in Bee Hive Tracker
- Lifting aid or help if you may need to move heavy boxes
If you use hive scales, check the data before visiting. Sudden weight loss, an unexpected flatline, or one colony dropping faster than the others helps you prioritise which hives need attention first.
External checks before opening the hive
Always start from outside. Most winter store decisions can be made without disturbing the bees.
Entrance
Look for normal signs of life, but do not assume a quiet entrance means the colony is dead. On cold days, healthy colonies may show no flight at all.
Check for:
- Dead bees blocking the entrance
- Mouse guard blocked with debris
- Snow, leaves or grass restricting airflow
- Scratching or chewing from mice
- Wasps or robbing activity in mild periods
- Faecal staining around the entrance
- Bees crawling, trembling or unable to fly
A small number of dead bees is normal in winter. A carpet of dead bees, especially with a light hive, needs prompt investigation.
Roof and weatherproofing
Check that the roof is secure, dry and correctly seated. Look for gaps, cracked crownboards, sagging roofs, wind damage and water running into the hive.
Damp is not just uncomfortable for bees; it makes it harder for them to maintain cluster temperature and can spoil stores. A colony can cope with cold far better than it can cope with cold and wet.
Hefting or lift test
Hefting is one of the most useful winter skills in beekeeping. Gently lift the back of the hive a few centimetres, then compare with other colonies of the same equipment type. Some beekeepers lift both sides to judge whether stores are unevenly distributed.
You are not trying to get an exact weight. You are building a practical comparison:
- Heavy: likely adequate stores
- Moderate: monitor and recheck soon
- Light: open briefly if conditions allow and feed if needed
- Very light: emergency fondant as soon as possible
Hefting improves with repetition. Record your judgement in Bee Hive Tracker alongside any scale weight, feed added and later outcome. Over time, your “light”, “moderate” and “safe” estimates become much more reliable.
When to open a hive in winter
Open only when the result will change what you do. Good reasons include:
- The hive feels light
- Scale data shows rapid weight loss
- You suspect starvation
- You need to place fondant directly above the cluster
- There are signs of water ingress
- The entrance is blocked with dead bees
- You suspect mouse damage or disease
Do not open simply to “have a look”. A winter opening should be short, planned and focused.
How to carry out a minimal internal check
Work calmly and have fondant ready before you open.
- Give little or no smoke. Heavy smoke in cold weather can disturb the cluster unnecessarily.
- Remove the roof and insulation carefully.
- Lift or slide the crownboard just enough to see the top bars.
- Look for the cluster position. A torch helps.
- Check whether bees are directly below stores, empty comb, or previously placed fondant.
- Look for obvious condensation, mould, mouse nesting, chewed comb or unusual smell.
- If stores are low or inaccessible, place fondant directly above the cluster.
- Close the hive promptly and restore insulation.
Avoid removing frames unless there is a strong reason and the weather is mild enough. Pulling brood frames in winter risks chilling brood and breaking up the cluster. If you must inspect frames, keep it to the minimum needed to make a decision.
What to look for inside
Stores
Good winter stores are usually sealed honey or thick syrup stores in the comb. They may appear capped, glassy or heavy when the frame is gently lifted during a suitable inspection.
Warning signs include:
- Empty top bars above the cluster
- Bees clustered at the top with no visible stores nearby
- Mostly empty combs immediately around the bees
- A hive that feels light despite a reasonable-sized colony
- Fondant already eaten with none remaining
- Dead bees head-first in cells, often associated with starvation
Do not rely only on total stores. Location matters. Honey at the far side of the hive may not help bees during a cold snap if the cluster cannot reach it.
Cluster position
A winter cluster high in the hive is not automatically a problem, but it needs accessible food above or beside it. A cluster at the top with empty comb underneath and no stores nearby should be treated as at risk.
If stores are below the cluster, bees may not move down to them in cold weather. In that situation, fondant placed above the cluster is usually the quickest and safest intervention.
Brood and queen status
Small patches of brood in mid or late winter can be normal, especially after mild weather. Brood increases food demand because bees must keep it warm and feed larvae.
Absence of brood in winter does not automatically mean the colony is queenless. Some colonies pause brood rearing. Unless there is a clear emergency, leave detailed queen assessment until a reliable spring inspection.
If you see eggs or young larvae during a suitable mild check, that is useful evidence of recent queen activity. Record it, but do not prolong the inspection to find the queen.
Disease and abnormal signs
Watch for signs that need further action:
- Faecal staining on frames or hive front
- Crawling bees unable to fly
- Sour, foul or unusual smell
- Sunken, perforated or greasy-looking brood cappings
- Dead brood with suspicious consistency
- Heavy mould from damp or dead comb
- Mouse droppings, nesting material or chewed frames
If you suspect American foulbrood or European foulbrood, stop inspecting, close the hive, do not move frames or equipment, and contact the National Bee Unit or your local bee inspector.
Emergency winter feeding
Use fondant or bee candy
In winter, solid feed is the usual emergency choice. Use good-quality baker’s fondant, bee fondant or sugar candy without unsuitable additives. Place it where the bees can reach it without leaving the cluster.
Avoid thin syrup in cold weather. Bees may not take it, it can chill the colony, and excess moisture can create problems. Heavy syrup is useful in autumn preparation, not as the main emergency feed in a cold winter hive.
How much fondant to give
For a light colony, give 2–4 kg of fondant as an immediate top-up. If the colony is very short or the winter is far from over, expect to replace or add more later.
A practical guide:
- Colony has good weight and stores around the cluster: record and leave
- Colony is moderate but brood is present: add 1–2.5 kg fondant or recheck soon
- Colony is light: add 2–4 kg fondant immediately
- Colony is very light or bees are at the top with no food: add fondant directly over the cluster and review at the next safe opportunity
Where to place fondant
Fondant must be accessible. The best position is usually directly over the cluster on the top bars, with an eke if space is needed. Cut a slit or remove a small section of plastic on the underside so bees can reach it.
Other options include:
- Over a crownboard feed hole if the cluster is directly beneath it
- In an insulated feeder arrangement designed for winter use
- As a candy board, if already part of your winter system
If the cluster is not under the feed hole, fondant over the hole may be too far away in cold weather. In an emergency, direct placement over the bees is safer.
Moving frames, uniting colonies and re-queening
Moving frames
Avoid moving frames between colonies in winter unless there is no better option and conditions are mild. Transferring stores can help, but it can also chill bees, spread disease or disrupt both colonies.
If you must move a frame of stores, choose a mild, calm day, use disease-free comb from a known colony, and place it close to the cluster without splitting the bees.
Uniting weak colonies
A very small colony with low stores may not be worth trying to nurse through the rest of winter. If weather allows and disease is not suspected, uniting with a stronger queenright colony may be the better option.
The newspaper method is commonly used, but timing matters. Do it on a suitable mild day and avoid chilling either colony. Record the unite in Bee Hive Tracker, including which queen was kept and why the decision was made.
Re-queening
Deep winter is rarely the right time to re-queen. If queen failure is suspected, the normal approach is to confirm the situation in spring, unite the colony, or re-queen when drones, temperatures and colony conditions are suitable.
Quick decision guide
Estimated stores: good, around 18–20 kg or more for a full-sized winter colony Cluster position: bees close to stores Action: record, leave undisturbed, monitor by hefting or scales
Estimated stores: moderate, around 10–15 kg Cluster position: bees near stores, brood present or winter still has weeks to run Action: consider fondant top-up and set a review date
Estimated stores: low, below roughly 10–12 kg for a full-sized colony Cluster position: bees at top or stores not accessible Action: give emergency fondant directly over the cluster
Estimated stores: any level Cluster position: colony very small, failing or queenless suspected Action: avoid prolonged inspection; plan spring assessment or unite on a suitable mild day
Estimated stores: any level Cluster position: suspicious brood, foul smell or unexplained colony death Action: stop work and contact the National Bee Unit or local bee inspector
Common winter problems and practical fixes
Hive feels heavy at the back but bees are at the top front
Stores may be present but out of reach. Place fondant directly over the cluster and insulate above it. Recheck on the next mild day.
Rapid weight loss on hive scales
Prioritise the colony. Check for robbing, water ingress, roof displacement, equipment damage or a genuine shortage of stores. If light, feed fondant immediately and record the weight change.
Faecal staining around the entrance
This may be linked to dysentery, prolonged confinement, poor stores or Nosema. Record photos and observations, then seek advice from your local association, bee inspector or the National Bee Unit if losses are significant.
Small cluster with many dead bees outside
Possible causes include starvation, queen failure, varroa-related winter collapse, poisoning or severe isolation from stores. Check weight and food access first. If disease or poisoning is suspected, get advice before moving equipment.
Damp crownboard or mould
Check roof fit, insulation and ventilation. Replace damaged parts and remove obvious water entry points. Do not over-ventilate to the point of creating draughts through the cluster; aim for a dry, weatherproof hive with appropriate top insulation.
Record-keeping for winter stores
Winter store checks are far more useful when recorded consistently. For each visit, log:
- Hive ID
- Apiary location
- Date and time
- Weather and temperature
- Hefting result or scale weight
- Estimated stores
- Cluster position
- Fondant or feed added, including weight
- Signs of damp, damage or disease
- Photos if useful
- Next review date
Bee Hive Tracker is especially helpful in winter because it lets you compare colonies over time. A single hive feeling light is useful information; a pattern of steady weight loss across several visits is better. Good records help you decide which colonies to visit first during short weather windows.
What not to do in winter
Avoid:
- Routine full inspections in cold weather
- Pulling brood frames without a clear reason
- Feeding thin syrup during cold spells
- Leaving liquid feed where bees cannot take it
- Moving frames between colonies without checking disease risk
- Assuming a quiet entrance means a dead colony
- Assuming a colony with honey somewhere in the hive can always reach it
- Delaying emergency fondant when a colony is clearly light
Winter stores checklist
Before opening:
- Check weather and temperature
- Look at entrance and landing board
- Clear blocked mouse guards or debris
- Check roof, straps and waterproofing
- Heft the hive or check scale data
- Decide whether opening is necessary
If opening:
- Keep the inspection brief
- Find the cluster position
- Check whether food is accessible
- Look for obvious damp, mouse damage or disease
- Place fondant directly above the cluster if needed
- Close and re-insulate promptly
After the visit:
- Record the action in Bee Hive Tracker
- Set a review date
- Prioritise any very light colonies for follow-up
- Seek advice if disease, poisoning or unexplained losses are suspected
Emergency kit for winter apiary visits
Keep a small winter kit ready so you can act quickly:
- 2–4 kg fondant blocks
- Spare fondant or candy for multiple colonies
- Knife for opening packs
- Ekes or shallow rims
- Spare crownboard
- Mouse guards and entrance blocks
- Hive straps
- Torch or headlamp
- Hive tool
- Gloves and veil
- Phone or tablet with Bee Hive Tracker
- First aid kit
- Lifting strap or trolley for heavy equipment
When to ask for help
Contact the National Bee Unit or your local bee inspector immediately if you suspect American foulbrood or European foulbrood. Do not move frames, bees, boxes or tools between colonies until you have advice.
Speak to your local beekeeping association or mentor if you are dealing with repeated winter losses, suspected queen failure, large-scale food shortage, or decisions about uniting colonies. Local experience is valuable because winter requirements vary between Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Northern England and sheltered urban sites.
Example winter stores check
A colony is flagged after losing weight faster than the rest of the apiary. The day is calm and around 9°C. From outside, the entrance is clear, but the hive feels light when hefted.
The crownboard is lifted briefly. The cluster is at the top of the brood box, with empty comb immediately above and no sealed stores within easy reach. There are stores further away, but not where the bees can use them in cold weather.
A 2.5 kg block of fondant is placed directly over the cluster, with an eke to give space. The hive is closed and insulation replaced. The visit is recorded in Bee Hive Tracker with the feed amount, cluster position and a review reminder for the next mild spell.
That is a good winter check: short, low disturbance and based on a clear decision.
Sources Used
- https://www.bbka.org.uk
- https://www.nationalbeeunit.com
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bees-and-beekeeping