The quality of bee colony management during autumn and winter plays a crucial role in ensuring that the colonies survive the cold season safely. It also serves as the foundation for their development in the following year and determines the overall productivity of the hive. As the old saying goes, “Overwintering bees must be age-appropriate, and swarms must remain quiet.†This wisdom encapsulates the essential requirements for successful winter survival and highlights the conditions necessary for bees to thrive through the colder months.
First, cultivating an age-appropriate bee population is key. These are the last batch of larvae that emerge around mid-October. Unlike other worker bees, they haven’t been exposed to heavy foraging or fatigue, and they’ve had the chance to perform a cool excretion flight, making them strong and healthy. To ensure a sufficient number of these bees, beekeepers should replace weak queens with new ones that have strong laying abilities during the late nectar flow. Providing proper insulation and reward feeding can encourage the queen to lay eggs more consistently.
During this period, it's important to maintain enough food reserves inside the hive. Therefore, honey should be harvested carefully—not more than one-third at a time—so that the bees have enough to last through the winter. The goal of careful harvesting is to support the queen’s egg-laying activity while ensuring the colony has enough resources.
When there’s enough feed, a strong colony is more likely to survive the winter. Generally, a colony with 60–80% age-appropriate bees can safely overwinter. However, the length of the winter varies by region. If the winter lasts longer than four months, the colony should have more than four boxes; for shorter winters, two boxes may suffice. Beekeepers often classify colonies with five to fifteen boxes as strong, while those with two to three boxes are considered weak. To help weak colonies survive, some keepers use a single box for wintering, which not only protects the queen but also conserves food, improves cold resistance, and reduces losses. This method also helps the colony recover faster in spring.
Overwintering feed includes capped honey, honey combs, and pollen stores. Having sufficient feed is vital for both winter survival and early spring breeding. Ideally, each hive should have at least 1.5 kilograms of high-quality honey. Stronger colonies can store 2 kilograms of honey per box and should also prepare 1–2 additional combs for early spring. Some beekeepers mistakenly believe that bees don’t need much food in winter, so they only give sugar water before the cold sets in. This is a mistake and can harm the colony’s health and reduce productivity in spring. Experienced beekeepers start feeding in summer, carefully selecting good capping combs and leaving half of them in the middle of the hive for emergency use.
Preventing robbing behavior is another critical aspect of winter management. Robbing can lead to severe losses, even total colony destruction. Signs of robbing include aggressive fighting between worker bees and dead bees on the ground. If bees are seen circling around the hive or flying in spirals, it may indicate that the hive has been breached. If bees are small and constantly leaving the hive, it’s a clear sign of robbery. Immediate action is needed, such as reducing the hive entrance, sealing gaps, using smoke, or moving the hives. If the problem occurs within an apiary, the hives should be scattered and hidden overnight.
To prevent robbing, inspections should be minimized, and any spilled sugar or honey on the ground should be covered. Feeding should be done at night, and the amount given should be limited. Reducing the number of feeding events also helps.
Another important task is managing pests like mites. This should be done in the fall before preparing for winter. Usually, treatments should be applied 3–5 times. Common treatments include fumigants and hygiene balls, while hobby beekeepers may use tobacco lime mixtures.
Finally, controlling the queen’s laying through planned imprisonment is an effective way to manage the colony’s population and conserve resources. In northern regions, this is typically done around September 20th by placing the queen in a cage to stop her from laying eggs. During this time, care must be taken to avoid disrupting the next flowering season. The practice should only be used in strong colonies or in areas with multiple flowering periods. When releasing the queen, the hive should be slightly crowded, and she should be fed syrup daily until the brood is sealed. The queen should be placed in the lower part of the hive for better ventilation in summer and warmth in winter. During the winter, special attention must be given to keeping the hive warm and preventing the queen from freezing due to sudden temperature drops or insufficient food.
Low Cut Safety Shoes
Low Cut Safety Shoes,Safety Shoes For Worker,Skid Resistance Hard Wearing Safety Shoes,Lightweight Safety Shoes
Brightway Shoes Co., Ltd. , https://www.brightwaysafety.com