Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
• Inner cover propped up
• Outer cover secure with weight on top
• Feeders removed
• Screened bottom board cover replaced inside
When all the chores are done, all the equipment double-checked, the beeyard policed
(any extra equipment removed), the weeds trimmed for the last time, and the bees as
snug as they can be, it's time for you to take a break. You're finished for a while.
Winter Checks
Depending on your winter weather, periodic checks may be routine or only rare. In the
warmer areas, a quick check at least once a month for a couple of months is a good idea.
You'll be briefly checking to see how the food is holding up, and generally, you'll be
able to feed syrup nearly anytime. You can look at the broodnest briefly, especially on
a 50°F (10°C) or warmer day to make sure a disease hasn't cropped up, that the queen
is present and perhaps laying, and that there's enough food for the colony. You can feed
syrup in the warmer areas if needed, or add frames of honey you stored from the sum-
mer for just this opportunity. Recall that when brood rearing begins, the amount of food
needed can be incredible, and it's in early spring that most colonies starve because of
the stress of brood rearing, so check food supplies carefully.
In the cold, snowy regions, winter inspections are not nearly as convenient. You just
can't open a colony on a 20°F (-7°C) day. The cold air entering the colony, even for
a few minutes, can kill brood, and the disruption can significantly disrupt the cluster.
Moreover, no matter how cold, some bees will fly and they will be lost. But you do need
to check. Pick the warmest, sunny day you can.
When you open a colony in the winter, all the propolis seals will be brittle and will
crack loudly when broken. This definitely puts the colony on alert, so be sure to wear
protective gear. Bees take a very unkind view of this disruption.
Open the top, set it aside, and quickly pop the inner cover and look inside. If the bees
are clustered near or at the top, they have most likely consumed most of their stores,
and feeding will be necessary.
Severe Winters
A hundred years ago, beekeepers routinely offered protection for their colonies from the
hazards of winter. They put them in basements, buried them in trenches, wrapped them
in straw, covered them with sawdust—in short, they insulated them from the ravages of
winter.
