Beekeeping is growing day by day by many people enjoying honey and also by the benefits that bees bring to farms such as pollination of crops and trees. It is certain that you will ask yourself many questions regarding the keeping of bees, in today’s article we are going to learn about the care that should be given to bees in winter.
In the coldest countries, caring for bees in winter becomes complicated because due to these conditions of low temperatures and frost, many hives die. You will wonder if there is anything you can do to help them and yes you can help them survive.
Usually the the bees don’t need anything from us since they can take care of themselves and usually produce more honey than they can consume in a year, so we won’t be removing a lot of honey. Another aspect to take into account is that it is not recommended to visit them a lot and only go in spring and autumn to check that everything is fine.
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How do bees survive in winter?
Unless you live in the tropics, your bees will appreciate a little boost in winter as they often do not tolerate frost, heavy snowstorms or very cold nights. They are able to maintain a habitable temperature up to a certain point. But, how are they able to do it? They are smart and what they do is the bees gather inside the hive and start buzzing, moving their wings and giving little dances. In the center of the group will be the most fragile, like the queen bee and the youngest. They are able to maintain a temperature between 20 and 35 degrees, it’s impressive!
Gradually the oldest bees will die of cold and exhaustion, they give their lives for the hive. The rest of the bees also survive thanks to the fact that they replenish their strength by consuming the honey they brought during the sunny days, so it is important to leave them a good amount of reserve honey so that they can overcome the winter and not remove all the honey when harvesting.
When the bees know that winter is coming, they prepare to face it, they seal all the spaces where the air enters them and they open passages through the honeycomb so that they can more easily access all the reserved food. It is therefore important not to open the hive at this time.
Can I help my bees prepare?
Although bees are efficient on their own, outside help is always good. If you live in a place where the temperatures drop to 0°C and you stay that way for several days, the ideal would be to place the hives in a place where there is more sun throughout the day and where they are protected from the wind. Although it is not always possible, we can install a natural windbreak like a row of trees or an artificial one like a wall of pallets. It must be placed in the direction the wind is blowing, normally from the north, so that the hives are protected against this cold wind.
Another option for Fighting the cold consists of using insulating materials such as irons polystyrene on 3 of the 4 walls of the hive to balance heat and ventilation. Sometimes the snow itself can act as insulation but it should not be trusted because sometimes the snow does not fall but if it is cold it can be fatal for the bees.
If we have extra supers in the hive that are not used, it is advisable to remove them to prevent intruders such as possible mice from sneaking into the hive and also because it would be more difficult to maintain the heat inside the hive, the larger the space the easier it is to keep warm.
My hive has mites!
If you are worried that varroa will affect your bees, it is advisable to treat the hive before winter, because after that they will all be together and this mite will spread like wildfire. The ideal time would be late fall.
To offer
40 Units Plastic Strips Fluvalinate Strips Varroa…
- It is a type of contact and consumption insecticides without volatility.
- VarThe varroa will be poisoned, weakened and killed, they will eventually fall.
- There must be enough time for the whole process, it takes effect after hours of hanging.
- ShowShows its deadly effect when bees touch and carry Varroa mites.
- To kill ticks in a family of bees, it is enough for only part of the bees to touch the tape and spread the substance “Fluvalinate” throughout the hive.
Winter care for hives
Once winter comes the hive should not be opened at all as you put them at high risk of dying if something goes wrong or you can demolish all the work they have done inside the hive. hive to withstand the cold. If you are worried that they will run out of food because the summer has been bad, you can put some extra food inside the hive before sealing it tightly, like fondant paste.
Unfortunately, commercial bee food does not provide as many calories as honey itself. This is why it should only be used when necessary. Depending on the place and the cold reached by the winter, the bees need honey reserves of about 20 kilos. This amount will decrease the closer you live to the tropics.
Another factor to take into account is that you have to be careful with heavy snowfall, if the snow covers the entrance hole, it is advisable to remove it so that they are not isolated.
It can also happen that you do not know if there is life in the hive or not after a thunderstorm or heavy snowfall. To listen for bees through walls, you can stick your ear to see if you can hear anything or use the typical glass trick. However, if you want to take your hobby to another level, you can also get a bee stethoscope. Still can’t hear anything? Without abruptness he touches the hive to see if its buzzing can be heard. A healthy hive with good reserves will live through the winter but it is always comforting to hear their buzzing sound to make sure they are doing well.
Types of commercial hives
The most used hive is the Langstroth because it is very easy to open and collect the honey. Although they are comfortable for the beekeeper, they do not protect the bees very well from the cold. If you live in a very cold country, horizontal hives are ideal. The problem is that they are usually not sold but must be made. It is also more difficult to harvest the honey and we could not do it as often.
langstroth hive
horizontal hive
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