The hard work of the beekeeping year is now behind us, but there are a few things to keep in mind as we slide into winter.
Ventilation
Ventilation in your hive is extremely important – bees heating the hive create warm, moist air that can either escape the hive or condense on the roof and drip back down onto your bees. Here are some ways to encourage its escape:
- Leave your screened bottom board open; that is, make sure your mite board has been removed. Use a Vivaldi style inner cover if possible. If you have been using a plastic top feeder in your Vivaldi cover, be sure to remove this. The bees will be clustered tightly during cold weather and will not be able to reach the liquid food. Any leftover liquid food at this point will only provide extra moisture.
- An upper entrance, such as a small hole drilled on the face of your boxes, also assists in ventilating the colony. If you are using a solid bottom board, be sure to tilt your hive forward slightly to encourage excess moisture to roll out of the hive.
- Providing absorbent material above the brood nest also works well – we have compressed fiber boards, moisture boards, for sale, or you could use burlap, pine shavings, or even an old bath towel. Make sure to check on your water wicking material every so often and change it out for dry material once it becomes wet!
Protection Against Intruders
Don’t forget to add mouse guards or entrance reducers! Bees in natural tree hives prefer small entrances, as do our managed colonies. Entrance reducers should be placed so that the entrance is elevated and will not be blocked by debris during winter.
Rain Cover
It is a good idea to provide a rain cover for your hives, giving the bees at least a foot of space outside the entrance to allow for cleansing flights, prevent rain from entering the hive, and help prevent dysentery during long rainy spells. An oversized piece of particle board on top of your telescoping top weighted with a rock will work fine, but you can get creative with your rain cover too!
Windbreak
Consider how much wind blows across the entrance to your hive. Cold winter winds will prevent your bees from being able to take cleansing flights, even if you have a rain cover. It is a good idea to provide a windbreak if strong winds pass the entrance. Hay bales, temporary fencing, and more can be used as a windbreak for your hive!
Feeding
Feed dry sugar or fondant if a colony feels light when hefted from the back. Winter protein can be fed in concert with sugar/fondant. Winter protein has a high sugar content and low protein content (4% protein as opposed to summer patties with ~18% protein) which gives the bees the nutrients they need without forcing the queen to lay brood.
Late Mite Treatment
Consider an oxalic acid treatment during the time period between late November and the Winter Solstice (when colonies are broodless) if your mite levels are not quite where you want them going into winter.
Shonnard’s Nursery does not carry oxalic acid, so look to purchase this elsewhere online. We suggest ordering from Mann Lake, or Dadant. A great video showing how to apply oxalic acid vapor was made by the OSU Honey Bee Lab. Watch the video Using an Oxalic Acid Vaporizer here.
Cold Temperatures
Make sure you are NOT opening the hive on days where the temperature is below 55 degrees.
Look for activity on a warmer day – your bees will be anxious to take cleansing flights. Hives with no visible activity on a warm day warrant a closer look. Place your ear against the side of the hive and tap gently; you should be able to hear the bees inside!
We hope you and your bees have a great November!
Beekeeping Tutorials & Class Recordings on YouTube
Whether it is your first year beekeeping or you are hoping to brush up on your beekeeping knowledge, we have a wealth of information and we are happy to share! Winter is a great time to do some studying, so take a peak through our loaded Beekeeping Playlist to see what you could learn.