Overwintering Beehives Successfully: 7 Essential Tips
1. Feeding Bees During Winter:
Should I continue feeding my bees sugar syrup in December?
The biggest thing to remember is that cold doesn’t kill bees, wet cold kills bees. By December, temperatures are typically too low for feeding sugar syrup, as it can freeze or promote moisture within the hive. After the bees ingest the sugar syrup and spit it back out into their cells, the syrup will still need to be dehydrated to remove excess water. This is incredibly hard for the bees to do once the temps start dropping so any excess cells that aren’t capped will emit moisture into the hive. If additional feeding is necessary, consider using fondant, candy boards/sugar cakes, or dry sugar on newspaper as they are solid and less likely to add moisture.
2. Hive Insulation and Ventilation:
How can I insulate my hive without compromising ventilation?
Insulation can be helpful to maintain a stable temperature, and I do see some benefit to being able to keep some of that heat in the hive so that the hive can have a faster build up in the spring BUT, insulating on the walls of the hive is not necessary. It’s worth mentioning that the bees do need water to survive. The only problem is that in the winter, the bees can’t fly so any water they need will have to be retrieved from somewhere in the hive. This is why I do not insulate my hives, because since the wall of the hive will generally be warmer on the inside and colder on the outside of the hive, this causes condensation. But, this condensation is in the perfect spot in that it does not drip on the cluster, instead it creates a little bit of water for the bees to collect for theirselves. Now as for under the lid, it is crucial to ensure proper ventilation and/or ventilation to prevent excess moisture buildup and to prevent any water from dripping on the cluster. Bees do exhale warm moist air so that has to go somewhere otherwise it will collect under the lid and drip on them. You can add an insulation board under the lid of the hive while keeping the top entrance open or use a quilt box to absorb excess water.
3. Checking on the Bees:
How often should I check my hives during December?
During the winter the bees form a tight cluster and vibrate their bodies to generate just enough heat to maintain a internal temperature of 55-60 degrees when they are NOT making brood. Once they do start making brood again (in some regions they may not ever shut down brood production, but in Michigan they usually shut down between mid Nov-mid January) they will kick up the temperature to 93-97 degrees. All of this takes A LOT of work. So, it’s advisable to minimize any disturbances of the hive during the cold months. Each time the hive is opened, all of the hard work they have put in to maintain that temperature is lost. And if you open them during the bloodless phase, it will cause them to kick up their internal temperature and start burning through more energy so they can come back to a form of “homeostasis” within the hive. You can check from the outside for signs of distress, such as excessive dead bees at the entrance (although dead bees are NORMAL, these are the summer bees dying off), but avoid opening the hive unless absolutely necessary.
4. Signs of a Healthy Winter Cluster:
What are the signs that my bees are healthy during winter?
A quiet, yet very gentle buzzing sound when placing your ear against the hive and a lack of excessive dead bees outside the entrance are good indicators. The quieter your hive, the happier they are. A strong, tight cluster is also a positive sign, though this is difficult to assess without opening the hive which you don’t want to do ;)
Also, if you do have a day that the temps get up to 55 degrees, look to see if you see them doing any cleansing flights.
5. Dealing with Pests and Diseases:
Are there any pest or disease concerns I should be aware of in December?
Varroa mites continue to be a concern even in winter. So, ensure that any treatments were completed before the temperatures dropped. You can also monitor for signs of disease like nosema, you will notice dark brown streaks on the outside of your hive if you are infected with nosema. This disease is caused by a gut parasite that causes them to not be able to “hold it” if you will so they will start going to the bathroom in the hive and as they are leaving the hive. If you see this then there isn’t much you can do in the winter months except to just start planning on where your getting your bees come spring. Also keep in mind that any hives that collapse because of varroa will typically collapse by the 1st of the year. So on January first feel free to do an external hive check to see if your hives are alive and if they are then now your focus is on making sure your hive has enough food to brood up on.
6. Preparing for Emergencies:
What should I do if there's an unexpected warm spell or severe cold snap?
A warm spell might allow for a quick visual inspection of the hive entrance, but avoid opening the hive fully as you still do not want to disturb them. At the beginning of the year you can start looking into adding pollen patties to help stimulate brood but still DO NOT start taking out frames. It is VERY easy to kill a queen and/or collapse a hive by taking out frames. You will chill their brood and rifle up some bees trying to get the frames back in. Let alone you may pull apart a frame or too because propels and glue chips once cold. In a severe cold snap, check that entrances are clear of snow or ice, always make sure that your hive has a slight lean forward so that any snow that accumulates will run out of the hive as it melts. You can also put up windbreaks if you live in a place that experiences strong blizzards and winds.
7. Planning for Spring:
What should I be doing now to prepare for spring?
Use this time to plan for spring activities, such as ordering new equipment or bees if needed, and reviewing your beekeeping goals. Most package and nuc producers sell out by April. I believe last year we were sold out by March 1st. So if you are thinking you will need bees place your pre order sooner rather than later. This is also my favorite time to create my plan for the year. The bee season kicks off sprinting come April/May, I know it’s going to busy so I like having a plan that can outline what I’m going to do with my hives when its time to split or maintain for honey production. Having clear cut goals for where you want to take your apiary over that year will help you make this plan as you lay out step by step how to achieve your desired outcome. It is also good to consider attending workshops/taking classes. Every year I complain to my partner that I feel like I’m a little rusty coming out of the winter simply because I haven’t been in my bees since October. SO takin a class can keep ya up to date on your beekeeping skills and practices so that you are READY come spring. Plus, you could learn something new that could make a huge difference in your apiary!
WHAT You NEED To Know: Winter Bee Health Check Up / Beekeeping 101 #beekeeping
