Overwintering Honey Bees- Step By Step Guide
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2019
- In this video i explain what are the risks to honey bees in the winter, what's likely to kill them and how you can reduce this risk.
A must watch if your going into your first winter with bees!! - Навчання та стиль
Thank you very much gwenyn a great talk. Here in Australia we dont yet have verao and I am so thankful for that. When I place a stone atop of the hive I break up a styrene box and place some styrene under the stone, I used to see a lot of wetness in the lids and I put this down to the stone chilling the lid, causing condensation, it seems to work very well.
Hi Stan,
Wish we didn’t have varrora. That’s such a blessing for Australia. Hope it stays like that for you too.😊
That’s a good idea. Is that just on the timber hives you do that to or poly as well?
@@gwenyngruffydd I do it on both timber and styrene hives although the styrene hives dont seem to have the same issues, My timber hives have a sheetmetal cover and I think that this might exasperate the problem.
Stan Ketchell could be. I place a sheet of insulation under my timber roofs so more than likely stops that being a problem for me.
@@gwenyngruffydd My lids are vented and are hollow so filled them with a sheet of 20mm styrene over a layer of plastic corrugated cardboard (vent holes added in the corners) venting is so important i find.
I leave these on year long as heat is an issue here in Australian summers, and heat is another reason for good venting, other than moist air removal.
Stan Ketchell I do the same 😊
Thanks for the info
No problem 😊
Thanks for posting the video. In MN, we try to have at least 30 kilos of feed for winter. Location does matter.
Raj Beekie hi Raj, where is MN? What kind of winters do you get?
@@gwenyngruffydd I am in St. Paul. Our winter starts in October we will have freezing. In Dec, Jan, and Fed the temp could be -20 F, with -50F wind chill. In March and April, you will have freezing, but the bitter cold is no longer a threat. We are talking over 7 months of honey stores so they can survive.
Raj Beekie no wonder you that much stores!!
Do you get a lot of winter losses?
@@gwenyngruffydd Yes, there is a lot of winter loss. Overall, the average is about 50%. For a few individuals, it could be 100%. Earlier the year, I spoke with a beekeeper and he lost all 25 of his colonies. We had a brutal winter.
Raj Beekie that’s tough. Hope the next winter is kind to you.
Do you keep your varroa tray in during the winter or do you just have open mesh floor?
Thanks for the video, very helpful
I keep my varroa tray out all year 😊
thanks Gwenyn whens latest you would le bee make the own queens leading upto winter thanks
Probably around now. By the time they get mated the season will be closing to an end.
Good, well explained video. I lost my bees winter last 2022/23 - gutted.
Can you explain what insulation you put under roof/above crown board? Is cork any good? Have you tried it?
Thanks in advance
Hi,
I would use a kingspan foil back sheet if you can get them. (Other brands available) 25mm thick
It’s the same insulation sheets they use in houses
@gwenyngruffydd thank you. Just wondering if you'd tried cork board. Met someone recently who swears by it. I just want to give my bees the best insulation to get through the cold months.
@hkeenan1000 never tried cork, it won’t be better than proper insulation. That’s why they use it in houses
@gwenyngruffydd yes, that makes a lot of sense. I was about to purchase cork (reputable supplier) but will go with what you suggest. I'm in South London so it's milder here, but after last year's winter, you just never know.
Thanks for your time replying. Much appreciated.
Do you overwinter a national hive with a super too?
No single national brood box. Very rarely overwinter with a super on.
@@gwenyngruffydd nice one! Lots of conflicting info out there 🤯