A Guide for Beginners: WINTER | | Welcome to the winter beekeeping guide! As you may just be starting out on your beekeeping journey, it's important to know how to care for your bees during the winter months.
Winter can be a challenging time for bees, but with the right steps, you can help your hive/s stay healthy and strong.
Here are some key tasks and focus points for winter beekeeping: | | Inspect Externally and Prepare the Hive Feed Your Bees Check for Pests and Diseases Insulate the Hive Reduce Hive Entrance Monitor Weather and Hive Conditions Plan for Spring
| | Now, let's go through each of these tasks in detail: 1. Inspect Externally and Prepare the HiveTask Summary: Inspect the hive/s externally regularly during winter. Remove any excess honey supers. Check for signs of damage and repair if necessary.
Full Description: During winter, take some time to externallyly inspect your hive.
Look for any signs of damage to the hive structure, such as cracks or holes, and repair them to prevent cold drafts from entering.
Remove any excess honey supers that are not needed for the winter months. This will help your bees stay warm and conserve their energy.
Ensure the hive is stable and secure, as winter storms can be strong and you don’t want your hive tipping over. | | 2. Feed Your BeesTask Summary: Full Description: During winter, your bees rely on the honey they have stored to survive.
Check the hive to ensure there is enough honey to last through the cold months.
If the honey stores are low, you may need to provide supplemental feeding. This can be done by using sugar syrup or fondant.
To make sugar syrup, mix two parts sugar to one part water, heat until dissolved, and let it cool before feeding it to the bees.
Fondant, or pollen patties, can be placed directly on top of the frames for the bees to consume. A Lion's matchbox size is usually enough for a week's worth of supply. | | 3. Check for Pests and DiseasesTask Summary: Full Description: Pests like Varroa mites and diseases such as Nosema can be particularly harmful to your bees in winter.
Carefully inspect the hive for signs of these issues.
Look for small, reddish-brown mites on the bees or on the hive floor, which indicate a Varroa infestation.
Ants and wax moth are also notorious for weaker colonies so ensure you have hive stands with the feet inside used oil or similar to keep ants at bay.
For Nosema, a microscopic spore, you might notice bees with swollen abdomens or dysentery-like symptoms.
If you find signs of pests or diseases, treat the hive accordingly with the appropriate methods and treatments available for these specific problems. | | 4. Insulate the HiveTask Summary: Add insulation to help keep the hive warm. Ensure proper ventilation to prevent moisture build-up. Close/repair any gaps that lead to cold exposure
Full Description: Insulating your hive can help your bees stay warm during the winter.
You can use materials like foam insulation boards or even wrap the hive in a breathable insulating wrap.
Be careful not to block any ventilation openings, as good airflow is crucial to prevent moisture buildup inside the hive. Moisture can be more dangerous than the cold itself, as it can lead to mold and other problems.
Removing the super frames from a super chamber while replacing them with newspapers, old pillows, towels and or bedding can help to insulate colonies during black frost and cold fronts where the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius. | | 5. Reduce Hive EntranceTask Summary: Full Description: A smaller entrance helps your bees defend the hive from pests and keeps out cold winds.
Use an entrance reducer to make the entrance smaller. This makes it easier for the bees to maintain the hive's internal temperature and reduces the risk of pests entering the hive.
Make sure there is still enough space for the bees to come and go as needed. | | 6. Monitor Weather and Hive ConditionsTask Summary: Keep an eye on the weather and hive conditions. Only do internal inspections on warmer days > 10 degrees C Make adjustments as necessary.
Full Description: During the winter months, it's important to regularly check on your hive, even if it's just a quick visual inspection from the outside.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast and be prepared to make adjustments if extreme weather conditions are expected.
After cold fronts, storms or heavy winds, check that the hive is still secure and that the entrance is debris. If you notice condensation inside the hive, increase ventilation to prevent moisture problems. | | | 7. Plan for SpringTask Summary: Use the winter months to plan for the upcoming spring. Order supplies and equipment you’ll need. Get Bee Pollen Feed for Your Bees Research, Call and Speak to Landowners for new sites! Firebreakers Come on an Intermediate Bee Course
Full Description: While your bees are mostly taking care of themselves during the winter, you can use this time to plan for the spring.
Assess your equipment and make a list of any supplies you’ll need. Repair super frames, super chambers, lids and floors that were damaged in the peak season and with extracting honey...
Frame wire, wax foundation sheets and flat pack kits available now...
This might include new frames, foundation, feeders, or additional hives if you plan to expand. Get Bee Pollen Feed for Your Bees...
Winter is also a great time to read up on beekeeping techniques and improve your knowledge.
Come on an intermediate bee course to get your next level of beekeeping skills ready for spring! |
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