Getting Ready for Winter

Wondering what to do to prepare for winter?

Here are two SUPER helpful links to old newsletter articles:

• https://www.betterbee.com/instructions-and-resources/getting-ready-to-prepare-for-winter.asp
• https://www.betterbee.com/instructions-and-resources/10-point-pre-winter-hive-checklist.asp
• https://www.betterbee.com/instructions-and-resources/comparing-solid-winter-feed-options.asp

Hive wraps are a very helpful tool to have at your disposal for winterization. We also recommend some kind of rooftop insulation for hives going through winter. A cluster of bees generates warm and moist air all winter, and if that warm moist air rises and touches a very cold roof the moisture will condense and can rain back down on the bees. Therefore, we recommend some kind of winter insulation for the roof. This article talks about a few of the options: https://www.betterbee.com/instructions-and-resources/p ... -setup.asp

Finally, we recommend feeding the bees now if they don't have enough stored honey, especially the colony that you're already worried about. If they have enough bees and not enough food, then a few weeks of feeding this fall may be enough to get them through the year. This video shows all kinds of hive feeders, but our favorites for this time of year would probably be the plastic in-hive "division board feeder" or "frame feeder", or one of the hive-top feeders that allow you to add lots of feed to the colonies before the weather gets too cold for further syrup feeding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoiiL2u1VbU

You may also consider feeding a solid winter feed, like winter patties, or fondant. They provide emergency insurance food for the bees.