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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: mike johnson <mm AT reddrum.com>
  • Cc: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Bees in cold
  • Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:35:09 -0500

Mike,

It sounds like you are doing fine. Keep an eye on the weight of your hive (lift it from the back to see how heavy it is) and don't hesitate to feed if it becomes light. Other than that don't do anything fancy --- despite what "internet experts" and people with something to sell may say, making your hive too warm and snug will do much more harm than good.

Bees are very well prepared for cold: they form a tight cluster and shiver to keep warm. In this state they consume far fewer stores than if they were just wandering around with nothing to do. North Carolina winters are nothing compared to those in Michigan, Canada, etc., where bees quite successfully overwinter. There is no need to flip the entrance reducer around as the temperature changes. The entrance reducer's benefit is to keep mice out and allow the smaller winter-sized population to defend itself more easily.

A too-snug hive is at risk of trapping moisture, which is far more deadly than cold. Wet cold bees die. Bee respiration creates lots of moisture in the hive, as does condensation caused by the warmth of the cluster meeting the cold ambient air. Your basic hive set-up usually ventilates just fine in the winter -- don't insulate the hive for the winter. If you do notice excess moisture (mildew, wet inner cover, etc.), put shims under the cover to create better ventilation.

Randall Austin

On 11/25/2013 7:18 PM, mike johnson wrote:
5293E8CD.70800 AT reddrum.com" type="cite">
I'm a first year beekeeper and learning all I can.  I know bees survive in the winter naturally, but I wonder if there is anything special I should do to try to give them a leg up surviving in the cold.

I started with a 5 frame nuc about June in an 8 frame hive.  The hive is located in a rural area surrounded by 100s of acres of farmland and my yard is filled with flowers and plants in landscaping.  I feel like these bees have had it made locating pollen this year.  It was incredible to watch them come in loaded down and crash in all the time.  I fed them for a few weeks in the beginning, but stopped when I saw so many coming in loaded down.

They currently have about a medium and a half filled with honey and a little honey on some frames in the large brood box.  I didn't take any honey off this year and I'm primarily interested in the bees and not the honey.  I just love their little society and started for that reason.

I put the bottom board in when it got cold and the entrance reducer on the wider opening and when it gets real cold, 30's, i flip it over to the small opening.

Is there anything else I should do to help their survival over the winter?  I've seen small heating units, 60w pads, and wondered if one below the hive would be beneficial?

Thanks for any advice in advance.

mike



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  • [ocba] Bees in cold, mike johnson, 11/25/2013
    • Re: [ocba] Bees in cold, Randall Austin, 11/25/2013

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