Beekeepers all over the country have had it rough the past few winters. Between the infestation of varorra mites, the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder, to the growth of the small hive beetle (SHB), the cold months between fall and the first days of Spring can be troubling. Winter is a difficult time for both keeper and bees in no part because there is a lot of waiting. Waiting for snow to melt, waiting for temperatures to rise, waiting to check and see if a colony is still alive.
But that does not mean that as keepers we cannot give our girls a fighting chance. Below are some lessons learned from last season and this one. Lessons that, having failed to execute one or two, may mean the difference between my girls living and dying this season.
1) Fall feeding: It’s hard to think about next Fall when there is snow on the ground, but better to have a game plan in mind for the coming season. Both last year and this year the honeybees went into winter with more than 50 pounds of honey reserves which I felt was adequate to feed them during the winter months. Last year the bees apparently starved to death despite 20 pounds of honey still available. Perhaps this was due to the extreme cold or perhaps the long, long months when I was unable to reposition frames of honey up against the brood. This season, the bees went into winter with similar stores, but when the Fiancee and I checked on them in October, they’d eaten everything. Based on this experience, I fully intend to begin feeding heavy syrup (2:1 sugar to water) the moment the nectar flow has ceased (between late July and mid August). With any luck, this will allow the girls ample food to store for the winter.
2) New Mouse Guards: Currently I employ 8-gauge mesh over the entrance with small openings on the ends, however each year the bees seem to have issues figuring out how to enter from the sides. Additionally, the mesh is annoying to deal with, so it may be time to employ a better system. Most beekeeping companies carry decent mouse guards with holes in the front that allows you to open and close as the bees require (based on activity), however I have found these difficult to install and operate. I’ll conduct some more research, but may just build one that better fits the entrance.
3) Winter Feed: As stated in a previous post, once the weather gets cold, keepers should feed bee candy rather than syrup. Syrup can freeze which creates the equivalent of a large block of ice at the top of the hive (for hive-top feeders). This can chill/kill brood and bees in general. Additionally, as the syrup freezes, it may crack the feeder. When it begins to melt, the liquid will drip into the hive. I repeat this because 9 times out of 10, the bees will no longer go into the “pantry” for liquid food.
Instead, winter feeding should consist of bee candy. Below is the recipe from Wikibooks I use and the girls have responded favorably to it. This can be found on Wikibooks, so I cannot claim credit for it. The link to it is: (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Beekeeping/Recipes_for_the_Bees)I
Ingredients:
2:1.5 sugar to water (i.e. 2 cups sugar to 1.5 cups of water)
2 Tbs Corn Syrup (do not use dark corn syrup. It has molasses which is harmful to the bees. I use Karo Light)
1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
Dissolve the sugar in water and stir until water is clear (or sugar is completely dissolved). Continue heating the sugar water checking it regularly with a candy thermometer until it reaches 236-240 degrees (note: this boils much of the water out of the mixture). Transfer the syrup to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool. I recommend a porcelain bowl instead of a metal one simply because the metal will be scalding to the touch. Once the mixture cools enough to touch, whip with a whisk or fork until it begins to thicken. Pour immediately into molds or onto wax paper and allow to cool. (Caution: as you whip the mixture, it will harden quickly until it becomes solid. Just be careful that you don’t have it solidify inside the bowl because it is a pain to get out.) Once cooled, you can freeze/store for a while. Personally, I place it into a Ziploc bag and crush it into tiny pieces. This makes it easy to “pour” into the hole of the inner cover when it’s cold outside. Others like to squash it and then place the entire patty on the top of the brood frames. Whatever your bees prefer.
There are a lot of ways to feed the candy and below is a photo of how I fed mine. It was a relatively warm day (50 degrees), but I kept the inner cover on while breaking up the candy and putting it around the hole. The girls came up and immediately started snacking. I kicked a few small pieces into the hole just for good measure.
4) Patience: It’s hard to wait. You want to check on the girls and make sure they are okay. If temperatures are below 50, cracking the hive open is a bad idea. Instead, read up in magazines, books, and blogs or build/repair equipment for the coming season. Additionally, get your woodenware and nuc/package orders in early since suppliers often run out in the Spring. If you’re really desperate to check on the girls, you can press your ear against the brood super and listen for activity. A healthy hive should have a low hum to it.
Winter can be long for both the bees and the keeper. Get them ready early and then make sure you have all the supplies necessary to help them when the weather permits. With lot of effort and a luck, the following Spring you’ll have a healthy, strong hive.