Should I Wrap My Bee Hives For Winter??
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Well if you want the short answer, no you shouldn't wrap your honey bee colonies. Butttt you didn't come here for the short answer. You came here because you wanted to know WHY?! So, keep on reading and I will tell you exactly why you shouldn't wrap your honey bee colonies!
First... how do our honey bees survive the winter months?
Honey bee colonies have developed various strategies to survive the winter months when food sources are scarce and temperatures drop. hey do this by:
1. Clustering: Bees huddle together in a cluster within their hive to generate heat. The bees on the outside insulate the cluster, while those on the inside generate heat by shivering their flight muscles. This clustering behavior helps maintain a stable temperature within the colony.
2. Food storage: Honey bees store excess honey during the summer and fall as their main food source during winter. They fill their hive with honey, which serves as their energy reserve. Bees consume this stored honey throughout the winter to provide them with the necessary energy to survive.
3. Decreased activity: During winter, honey bees become less active. They minimize their movements within the hive to conserve energy. This reduced activity helps them conserve precious resources and maintain their energy levels.
4. Reducing brood production: Honey bee colonies reduce or halt the production of brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae) during winter. This reduces the consumption of resources and allows the bees to focus on survival.
5. Insulation: Bees use propolis, a sticky substance made from tree resin, to seal cracks and crevices in their hives. This helps to insulate the hive and prevent cold drafts from entering.
6. Ventilation: Honey bees maintain proper ventilation within the hive. They create a small opening at the top of the hive to allow for the exchange of air and prevent excess moisture buildup, which can be detrimental to the colony. (This is why an upper entrance can be very beneficial)
7. Removal of dead bees: Bees that die during the winter are typically removed from the hive by the worker bees. This helps maintain a clean and healthy environment within the hive.
Overall, honey bee colonies survive winter by clustering, conserving energy, consuming stored honey, reducing brood production, insulating the hive, maintaining ventilation, and removing dead bees. These strategies help them ride out the winter months until resources become more abundant again in the spring.
Okay..taking all of that into account why shouldn't I wrap my honey bee colonies?
While it may seem like a logical idea to protect your precious bees from the harsh elements and ensure their survival during the colder months, wrapping bee colonies can actually do more harm than good...
Let me explain why. First and foremost, honey bees are highly adaptable creatures that have evolved to withstand various climatic conditions. They have an incredible ability to regulate the temperature inside their hives, even in the face of extreme cold. By wrapping their colonies, you disrupt this natural temperature regulation process and interfere with the bees' natural instincts and behaviors. Furthermore, wrapping bee colonies can trap excess moisture within the hive.
Bees produce moisture as they consume their honey stores during the winter months, and this moisture needs to be able to escape to maintain a healthy environment. Wrapping the hive can create a damp environment, leading to the growth of mold and fungus, which can be detrimental to the bees' health.
In addition, wrapping colonies can also hinder proper ventilation. Adequate airflow within the hive is crucial for the bees' wellbeing. It helps remove waste, control humidity levels, and prevent the buildup of harmful gases. When you wrap the hive, you restrict the airflow, potentially compromising the bees' overall health and vitality.
It is important to note that honey bees have evolved to survive winter conditions without the need for human intervention. They have developed unique strategies to conserve heat and energy during colder periods, such as clustering together and vibrating their wing muscles to generate warmth. By wrapping the hive, you disrupt these natural mechanisms and interfere with their ability to adapt and survive on their own. Thus, why I always say how you manage your bees is how you will ALWAYS have to manage your bees.
My goal is to breed be genetic of bee that needs little intervention from the beekeeper. We have made beekeeping wayyyy to complicated now a days. But it doesn't have to be that way! So I hate to say it but.. if you always baby your bees then you will always have to baby your bees. And, in my experience if a hive is on the downward slope of collapse then there is not much that can be done to save it once it starts.
So, instead of wrapping your honey bee colonies, focus on providing them with suitable housing and ensuring they have access to an adequate food supply. Insulating the hive itself with materials like thick wooden walls or using a hive cover (and insulation foam under the lid) can be beneficial in maintaining a consistent temperature without hindering ventilation. Additionally, providing bees with enough honey stores or supplemental feeding during the winter months will help them sustain themselves until spring arrives.
By allowing honey bees to rely on their natural instincts and behaviors, you are giving them the best chance for success. Remember, nature has equipped these incredible creatures with the tools they need to endure and thrive in various conditions. So, resist the temptation to wrap your honey bee colonies and let them navigate winter in their own remarkable way. :)