ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
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"> |
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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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