Cold Weather Strategies

1 . During winter feeding, the proportion of sugar to water is?

1 to 1 because it is easier for the bees to feed upon. A 2 to 1 syrup solution is better for the bees to store since they have to remove less water for storage

2 . Why should you not use queen excluders in the fall?

Queen excluders may trap the queen in the hive body as the cluster moves up into the honey supers.

3 . What is “honey bound” and why is this dangerous in the mid and late fall?

“Honey bound” means frames are filled with honey and the queen does not have room to lay. This will decrease the colonies ability to make winter bees which are important for the colony to survive over winter. The bees also need open cells in order to cluster to stay warm during the winter months.

4 . What does the following statement mean “take your losses in the fall”?

If a colony is struggling and is too small to survive the winter, it is better to combine it with a stronger colony. This way the beekeeper can save the bees and equipment from being destroyed over the winter when the colony dies.

5 . For successful overwintering, it is best to reduce hive entrances to what size?

1 to 2 inches

6 . Why should you provide some sort of upper ventilation for your hives in the winter?

This is not as much of a problem in the south due to periodic warm days when the bees are able to break cluster and fly. The concept is to vent warm, moist air out of the hive so condensation doesn’t drip down onto the cluster.

7 . What is a “cleansing flight” and why do bees do it?

Bees will not defecate inside of the hive. Once weather allows, they will exit the hive and defecate outside.