Putting the bees to bed for the winter is no simple chore. Peggy and Telford Advent operate, the Honey Hut Apiary at Stratton and their two dozen colonies of honey bees are now snugly tucked away for the winter. But putting the bees to bed is no simple chore. Bees do not hibernate they stay active in their hives all winter raising young and clustering together to generate their own heat. In our area most domestic honey bees will not survive the winter without extensive protection
First the bees’ supply of food must be built up by feeding the colonies well into the fall with a sugar/water syrup allowing the hive to build up an adequate store of honey to see them through the long cold winter.
Then he hives must be treated to reduce the varoa mite population a parasite that weakens the bees and will kill them if the infestation is too strong. This is done by “fumigating” the hive with oxalic acid, a chemical that occurs naturally in rhubarb leaves.
Then additional ‘sugar cakes and pollen cakes” are placed in the upper hive to provide additional energy and protein sources for the bees to feed and raise young over the winter so the colony will be healthy, strong, and ready to work come spring.
Additionally Advent’s have been working on some modifications to their hives using shavings to absorb any excess condensation that can accumulate in the hive while maintaining good but not excessive ventilation.
Finally the hives are stacked tightly in groups of 4-6 and wrapped with insulation to help the bees stay warm, properly ventilated and safe from rodents.
Recent years have seen serious issues in the industry called ‘colony collapse disorder’ where many colonies do not survive the winter. The causes are many and have not been definitively identified. It is believed however that optimizing all the various health and living conditions for the colonies will help.
With many beekeepers losing all or some of their overwintering colonies, the expense and availability of buying replacement bees in the spring puts the whole industry at risk.
Here’s hoping the extra care and attention at the Honey Hut will guarantee a strong, vibrant and sweet buzz next spring
