# Where to put combs of pollen on TBH for the winter.



## dcnylund (May 28, 2015)

Hi everyone. First year beekeeping. I have two 4 ft. TBH and an 8 frame nuc. Bees seem to be doing well. The hives have about 11 frames of brood/eggs/larvae with a strip of capped honey on top (which I assume will reduce), 11 frames of honey/nectar (which I hope will increase through feeding) and about 4 frames that are mostly pollen. I plan to move the bars filled with honey behind the brood nest before it gets cold, but I'm not sure where to put the pollen bars, which are currently concentrated towards the front. I don't want to disrupt the hive too much, but is there an recommended winter positioning for the bars of pollen? I've read that it is best to have the honey in one direction from the brood nest, but couldn't find anything regarding pollen. Thanks in advance for your advice. I've really enjoyed the forums here so far.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Do you have windows in your TBH's? I think you will find in GA, that the bees don't cluster as much like they would up north where it is continually cold. I tend to leave the pollen bars at the front, then brood combs, then full honey combs. I doubt you will find that the girls need 11 combs of capped honey for the winter. For my first winter, I found myself uncapping the syrup comb and rinsing them out because the queen had absolutely no where to lay (only 6 combs total that first fall). So you are better off to "reserve" a couple of empty but drawn combs that you can add to the brood nest in early spring to really get things cranking. These empties, I store on the other side of the honey bars.

Also if you have room to plant a few things, go out and buy a fall blooming camellia and a spring blooming camellia. And also a Mahonia. You will find the bees out foraging on these winter blooming flowers and will really help keep things healthy in the hive because the bees are collecting fresh forage.


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## dcnylund (May 28, 2015)

Thanks Ruthie! I'll configure accordingly. I do have windows in the sides of the hives. I wanted to go in a bit heavy on the honey/capped syrup the first winter to get a feel for things. My hope is that thy open up comb for the brood nest when they consume the honey. It's mainly capped syrup since the colony didn't really get established until after the honey flow. Not sure exactly how that will work as the honey comb cells are bigger and deeper than the brood comb cells. I would think that this might result in a lot of drones. Do you store empty comb in front or behind the divider board when you move them to the back? When does brood production normally get started up again in the spring? Any Georgians out there as well?
I'll definitely be looking into the plants you recommended. The bees are bringing in white and yellow pollen, but I don't know from where.


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## scottie9656 (May 11, 2015)

Hey scnylund this is my first year and I am also trying to learn how to get ready for the cold. My bees are really working the golden rod and unfortunately the bitter weed right now. I live in Monticello about 65 miles east of you.


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## dcnylund (May 28, 2015)

Hi scottie9656! I guess we'll be going through our first winter together. Good to have another TBH beekeeper in the area. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one in GA


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