Keeping Bees in November
As we approach late fall and early winter, there are a number of management tasks we should consider. By this time you have done your fall inspection and the bees are settling in for the winter. Combining weak colonies is preferable to trying to keep each one going through winter. Joining two weak colonies versus adding a weak colony to strong is preferred. My suggestion is to use the newspaper method to do this. Perforate the newspaper in two or three places to give the bees a place to start chewing. Don’t forget both colonies need ventilation while being combined.
If you have not already done so, remove queen excluders, and add mouse guards.
While counterintuitive, it is not the cold but moisture that should concern us. As Rusty Burlew of Honey Bee Suite (honeybeesuite.com) says, there is a big difference experiencing a cold day with dry gloves versus wet. Wet gloves can lead to frostbite while dry gloves keep you comfortable. The air temperature is the same, but the moisture is the difference.
With that being said, think about this as you prepare your hives for winter. There are various ways to absorb excess moisture from the hive. I have found the use of an insulated/moisture box containing burlap or other absorbent material, such as old towels, to be very effective. The insulated/moisture box serves a dual purpose: It absorbs moisture and keeps the bees dry.
Start with a box that has the same footprint as a standard box. Then add ⅛-inch screened ventilation holes on the sides and cover the bottom with ⅛-inch hardware cloth to keep the absorbent materials in place. Drill a 1-inch diameter hole in each of the four sides of the box. The holes allow some air flow.
Position the box just under the outer cover. Check the absorbent materials once or twice over the winter and replace them as needed. It is fun to see what you find in the insulation box in spring. I have found mushrooms, worms, and even a frog. Early spring is when I remove the insulation box.
Currently there is a change in opinion regarding the need for water retention in the hive during winter. Colonies need water during the winter. Bees need water to dilute honey and all other phases of digestion. Placing an insulating material such as pink board below the outer cover keeps the top of the hive warmer than the sides of the hive. This in turn causes water to condense on the sides of the hive. This provides an easy source of water for the bees during the winter. I have used this method for the last two years, and it seems to work well.
There is not a 100% agreement on the value of an upper winter entrance. However, I no longer recommend an upper entrance due to the chimney effect and heat loss. Warm air is lost through the upper entrance and is replaced by cooler air coming in from below. The sticky board can also be used for additional moisture control. The objective is to provide ventilation while at the same time helping to block cold winter winds. Push it in roughly half way under the screened bottom board. This position is similar to what would be done for a mite count except it is pushed in halfway rather than all the way.
By November the bees should have stored approximately 80-100 pounds of honey. Less than this amount signals that continued feeding is necessary. Note that this fall has been much warmer than normal. The bees may be consuming some of their winter stores. Keep an eye on the hive weight and feed as necessary.
According to the late Ann Harman, a popular contributor to Bee Culture, when daytime temperatures are consistently lower than 57oF, we should switch from a liquid to a solid feed. At this temperature, the bees have a more difficult time metabolizing sugar water and evaporating off excess moisture in the syrup. This is the time for solid feed. I like to use no cook candy. Rusty’s Honey Bee Suite site has a recipe for no-cook candy. I find it a simple and effective way to feed the bees during winter.
During fall/winter, the temperature occasionally reaches 50oF or more. You should see your bees out doing cleansing flights. On these days, if you notice that a hive is inactive, it warrants closer examination. Lightly tap the side of hive and listen for a response. If you find the hive is a dead out, a necropsy is in order. Try to determine why it failed. If you have any doubts, see if you can get a more experienced beekeeper to help. Bee Labs such as Oregon State University and Beltsville, Maryland, can also be used to diagnose American foulbrood and other diseases.
Hive entrances should be reduced this time of year to prevent robbing. You can easily make one yourself by using an appropriate size piece of wood. I like to block two-thirds of the entrance. It is easier for the guard bees to control a smaller entrance to the hive.
A mouse guard will prevent mice from using your hive as a warm, winter hideout. You can either purchase a mouse guard or make your own with ½-inch hardware cloth. The spacing of the hardware cloth allows bees to pass through but stops mice. The entrance should also be periodically checked to make sure it is not plugged with dead bees. The undertaker bees don’t carry bodies out very far when it is cold; they can pile up at the entrance.
December provides a late-season window of opportunity to deal with Varroa mites. After Thanksgiving the colony should be broodless. If your mite counts are still above 1%, this is when you can use oxalic acid because there is no brood that it can harm. This can be your final safety net for the year. I recommend using vapor application rather than dribble. With the dribble method the bees have to consume the material to remove it from the hive. Consumption of oxalic acid is not recommended.
For the last several years I have used oxalic acid resulting in mite counts at almost zero percent the following spring. Please keep in mind that, while oxalic acid is a great tool, it must be used at the appropriate time of year and safely. I suggest visiting Randy Oliver’s website www.scientificbeekeeping.com for the latest application updates. Whatever method you choose, follow the directions exactly.
Once the bees are tucked in for the winter, it is a good time to evaluate what you learned this year and make plans for next. Winter is also the time to build bee equipment and gizmos/gadgets. It is also a great time to read about bees and beekeeping and dream about spring.
Morris Ostrofsky