Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: marliah on November 10, 2008, 07:23:03 am
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I'm just wondering if there is anything special I need to do to overwinter bees in Maine. Do I need to wrap the hives? entrance reducer? or will they be ok for winter? I have one hive (this is their first year) two full deep boxes and they have a whole super of honey. Is that all they should need or is there something else I should be doing?
Thanks in advance!
Tara
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http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#winter
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thank you!
so I can just take some mesh and staple it to the hive? over the entrance.
And for a top entrance, can I just drill a couple holes in the top of the hive? or does it require something more in depth than that?
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>so I can just take some mesh and staple it to the hive? over the entrance.
If it's big enough for the bees and the drones to get out and small enough to keep the mice out. I've used 1/4" but some say that's too small. They sell mouse guards at the supply places, but I've not used them.
>And for a top entrance, can I just drill a couple holes in the top of the hive?
I hate holes in my hives. I'd cut a notch in the inner cover if it doesn't already have one.
> or does it require something more in depth than that?
The hole will do. I'd just prefer not to have the hole. Another option is a Imirie shim.
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Don't know what part of Maine you are in but we get quite a bit of snow around our hives in So. Maine. Last year we just put on mouse guards and closed off the SBB's to keep the drafts out. Didn't bother wrapping. We have our hives elevated about 14" so as to allow the bees to get out when we have a certain amount of snow on the ground. That worked for us last year.
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Dont forget to hope for the best. You can do (or at least think you did) everything right and still loose hives.
What kind of bees do you have?