Winter bee overwintering management

The temperature has been dropping gradually recently and winter is coming soon. The impact of low temperatures on bees is particularly significant. Once the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, bees will stop flying. Failure to properly manage bees during winter may result in beekeepers losing some of their bees, affecting spring reproduction and causing significant losses to the beekeeping industry. Let’s learn about the winter management of bees.

1. Maintain a suitable temperature

The ideal temperature range for bee colonies to overwinter is -2℃ to 8℃. In this temperature range, bee colonies keep warm by clumping together. If the temperature is below -2℃, the worker bees will become more active, consume more food, age faster and shorten their lifespan. If the temperature exceeds 8℃, activity frequency and food consumption will also increase, affecting spring reproduction. Therefore, beekeeping in winter requires ensuring that the temperature is suitable, which can be adjusted through ventilation, watering, etc., and attention should be paid to insulation.

2. Control the appropriate humidity

In winter, the humidity of the beehive should be controlled at 70% to 80%. Excessive humidity may cause feed to spoil, increase the risk of disease, and affect the health of the bee colony. At the same time, excessive humidity may cause condensation of water droplets, affecting the quality of honey and hindering the safe wintering of bees. Therefore, it is very important to properly control humidity.

3. Prevent bee theft

As nectar sources decrease in winter, bee theft may increase. When feeding the bee colony, if syrup spills outside the beehive, it may cause the bees to steal honey from each other, leading to attacks or even the destruction of the colony. Therefore, the size of the nest door should be adjusted in time to avoid syrup overflow and clean it in time.

4. Prepare sufficient feed

Nectar plants are scarce in winter, so it is necessary to ensure that the bee colonies have enough food. Sufficient and clean feed should be prepared in the early stage and disinfected to prevent the spread of viruses and affect the development of the bee colony.

5. Check the bee colony regularly

The bee colonies need to be checked regularly in winter, about once every 10 days, using wire hooks to remove dead bees to prevent them from blocking the nest entrance. At the same time, by listening to the sound of bee colonies gathering together, observing the temperature and humidity, and checking the abdomens of dead bees, we can judge the condition of the bee colonies and provide guarantees for spring breeding.

The above is the relevant knowledge about winter bee overwintering management. If you have more