Winterizing Your Hives
Winter is coming … maybe. You never quite know until it hits! But over the next month, we should begin to see some cooling just about everywhere. Here are a few common winter preparation practices when it comes to the exteriors of our hives.
Screened Bottom Boards A common question is, “What do I do with screened bottom boards during the winter?” It doesn't seem smart to leave a gaping hole under the hive for cold wind to blow into, right? We recommend sliding the insert that came with the SBB to cover it in mid-October. If you no longer have it or never did, a piece of Coroplast or thin plywood will work. Alternatively, you can leave the bottom board uncovered and block up the sides with cardboard, boards, or hay to prevent wind from blowing under the hive. This works great and allows mites to continue falling through all winter long. Bees don't actually keep all the space inside the hive warm anyway—only their cluster within the hive.
Entrance Reducers
Bees do a decent job of keeping their hive warm. An entrance reducer can help, but a strong hive will propolize the entrance to the size they want. An entrance reducer can help keep mice out of the hive and keep some of the cold air out. If you do choose to use an entrance reducer, use the largest opening and face the opening up. That way, if dead bees accumulate on the bottom board, they won't block the entrance. Don't forget to pull it off in late February!
Wind Blocks
Another common topic is providing a wind block for your hives. While not critical, it doesn't hurt! A hive that is fully exposed to a routine cold north wind will have to work a bit harder to keep the hive warm. Strong hives should have no problem with this, but weaker hives can struggle. Square hay bales, privacy fences, tarps held up with T-posts, or a tree line are all great wind blocks. Don't forget to secure your lids. You can use a rock, brick, or drywall screws! Your bees can get chilled quickly if their lid blows off.
Winter Wraps
Whether or not to wrap hives in insulating material for the winter depends a lot on your location. It is not recommended or necessary in the South. It doesn’t get that cold, and in reality, hive wraps can do more harm than good if not done properly. As mentioned before, the bees keep only their cluster warm. A few inches from their cluster inside the hive, it may be 30 degrees. Wrapping the hive too tightly can prevent a hive from "breathing" and moisture from escaping. If done improperly, condensation can form on the inside and freeze and kill the colony as well as cause a mold problem in warmer climates. In the South, wrapping hives can also overheat the colony on a sudden warm day. Beekeepers in areas that do get and stay cold can and should consider some form of insulation. Instead of wrapping tightly against the hive, build an insulation box that can create a dead space between the box and the insulation. This will prevent condensation and still give the hive the protection needed for the cold. A solution for any area could be the Apimaye hives. These are insulated boxes constructed to keep hives cooler in summer and warmer in winter—a good alternative to wrapping for winter and finding other ways to keep hives cooler in the summer.