Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: mainebees on October 23, 2006, 08:04:14 am

Title: Winterizing
Post by: mainebees on October 23, 2006, 08:04:14 am

Can anyone out there walk me thru what i need to do to winterize my hive for a Maine winter? I have been feeding them cornsyrup, and they are treated for mites. How do i wrap/insulate the hive? Should i really leave the maine entrance fully open so they can keep the hive clean, or should i trust the hole in the upper hive body and a reduced entrance is enough? I haven't pulled the hive apart in over a month. It is plenty (i think) heavy, and i am reluctant to disturb them at this point- is there any real reason to get in there before next spring? Thanks for the help!

Title: Winterizing
Post by: Finsky on October 23, 2006, 08:32:54 am

It is very essential to keep upper entrance which size wher you may put your small finger.  Lower entrance should be half open but wide.

Then put  mouse grid on the entrance.

Shelter against wind and snow is imporstant. Wrapping with some insulating material is useefull.

Put hive  about one foot from ground

Put hive slanting a little bit that water runs out from bottom.

Title: Winterizing
Post by: Michael Bush on October 23, 2006, 10:18:01 pm

The two big issues are mousegaurds and an upper entrance/vent.

Title: Winterizing
Post by: mainebees on October 24, 2006, 01:38:52 pm

So what should i use to wrap the hive, and how should i do it? I have heard of a variety of materials, but also a variety of advantages and disadvantages to all. Will simple black tarpaper work, or does it need to be more insulating than that? How concerned do i need to be about the breathability of the insulation?

Title: Winterizing
Post by: Robo on October 24, 2006, 01:59:06 pm

If you choose to wrap,  tar paper is the best.   Anything with more insulating properties prevents the interior of the hive from warming up when the sun hits it.  The black tar paper allows the sun the heat the hive quicker and allows the bees to move to more stores.

Here is some good info on wintering.
http://www.beeworks.com/informationcentre/wintering.html

Title: Winterizing
Post by: Brian D. Bray on October 25, 2006, 01:36:17 am

To often we tend to indulge in overkill.  Thinking to improve on nature can come back to bite us quickly.  I've seen beekeepers insulate their hives with sheets of styrophome, wrap with tarpaper or use 90 lb roofing, and many other tricks in an attempt to keep their bees alive during the winter.  In the end it has all boiled down to keeping the hives as moisture free and will stored (honey) as possible.  A little venting to allow the moisture to escape the hive along with sufficient food reserves will do more than any other thing in insuring successful wintering.