# Beekeeping Overwintering (Beekeepers, are your bees prepped!)



## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Its that time of year, moisture boards placed, wind barriers up, entrance reducers in place, at least 110lbs of stores for each hive, skunk/varmint traps set, mite treatment already done, inner covers flipped, house paper wrapped, hives back to back done, pollen patties placed and above all, the ladies in the hive have kicked out the drones for the winter (or is in the process).

That's my preps that are completed for the season. 14 hives going into winter, expecting 30% loss, but will make up with requeening by grafting and splitting in 5-6 months depending on the weather.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

You use sugar rock ? for the hives in winter? or???


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

I just got done with open feeding around a few hundred pounds of regular table sugar 1:2 mixture (1 pound water to 2 pounds sugar) to make it thick for them (and to stop rearing brood). Around Jan, I'll start lifting the back of the hive to feel the weight and if low I'll do the mountain camp method opening the top cover, placing a newspaper down, and pouring out dry sugar on top (spraying a little with water). This will also help with condensation on the top cover.


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## MrsInor (Apr 15, 2013)

So if the shtf what would you use if you did not have sugar?


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

MrsInor said:


> So if the shtf what would you use if you did not have sugar?


LOL, very good question, one I think about often (what if scenarios). I would use honey set back from the bees. Or barter out with cane/beet sugar farmer. I also wouldn't take as much, but I would increase my numbers to provide more honey for human consumption.

My biggest fear is the varroa mites, but I'm slowly working on natural methods instead of end of the season chemicals. Its going to take awhile to get there, but I'm learning as I go.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

Well now I know who to turn to when I am ready to start beekeeping!


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

I was wondering about that,neighbor down the street keep bees,gets pretty cold here.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

survival said:


> Its that time of year, moisture boards placed, wind barriers up, entrance reducers in place, at least 110lbs of stores for each hive, skunk/varmint traps set, mite treatment already done, inner covers flipped, house paper wrapped, hives back to back done, pollen patties placed and above all, the ladies in the hive have kicked out the drones for the winter (or is in the process).


I have a few questions. What are moisture boards and where do you place them? Mine don't seem to consume their pollen patties so I use the sugar water method to feed them during the winter. House wrapped sounds easier than putting the hay bales around them.

Thanks for all the info.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

The moisture board is a way to absorb moisture during the winter months from where the bees evaporation rises to the top of the hive. Think of those athletic "wicking" shirts where you sweat and the water is moved from your body to the outside (by evaporation). You can place the wicking (moisture) board between the inner cover and the top cover to release the moisture outside. They run about $5 each from different vendors. However, if you don't have them, take a shim like a small piece of wood and lift the top cover and put between the top cover and inner cover to allow a small ventilation hole to do the same effect. Or, if you place the sugar on the newspaper the moisture will drip on the sugar (caking it) as well. 

Use the pollen patties going into winter (Around 1st of Sept) to increase brood going into winter. Some beekeepers will say not to do this, because its more mouths to feed, but if you have plenty of stores then this shouldn't be an issue and the more bees going into winter means the more bees coming out of winter and to keep the hive warm. Be careful with weak hives because hive beetles will take over if the hive is week and there is pollen patties in the hive. If the sugar water less than 50 degrees, the bees may or may not take it, it all depends on the hive.

House wrap is easier than hay bales, but again it all depends on the beekeeper. You can scoot the hives together, or stack them on top of each other to conserve heat as well.

The be frank, the majority of the reason a hive dies in the winter is because of starvation. Humans take too much honey away for themselves or for profit and it affects the bees in the wintertime. At lot of folks say varroa mites, foulbrood, nosema, wax moths, hive beetles are you threats, well they are, but HUMANS are the greatest threat at the same time the greatest help as well (its a bittersweet relationship between man and humans).

Something to always keep in mind when beekeeping..... One beekeeper will have a different opinion on a method and another beekeeper will have another opinion. Also, they are content and set on their opinions. Keep that in mind when talking to other beekeepers.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

What kind of a climate do you live in Survival? Does the climate affect how much honey you can take from the bees? I have to believe here in MN where we only have flowers about 6 months per year would be very different than CA.

(Mrs Inor wants to start keeping bees so we have both been trying to bone up on it.)


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## MrsInor (Apr 15, 2013)

I want bees AFTER we move to AZ. You have to get a permit and an inspection to have one and only one hive here.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm in Kentucky and have two farms that I keep bees on (for redundancy). There are a lot of beekeepers in MN and even more so north of you that keep bees successfully. The further North, the more stores you want to keep for the bees since they cannot forage faster than southern states. I'm conditioning my farms to plant buckwheat, sourwood, basswood and clover this past year, so hopefully it will be a self sufficient "sugar farm" over time.

Do note that beekeeping as well as any "hobby" gets expensive after a certain amount of equipment put into it, however I can guide anyone interested (by threads, phone, emails, or pm) if they want and mentor them through the process to keep prices down for them. Just my way of saying thanks to all the preppers out there.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Thanks! Now I know who to contact with questions. The local bee keepers aren't very friendly to a person that has only one hive. One of them actually said "when you have 4 or 5 and ready to commit we can talk". 

I originally got interested in bees because of my vegetable garden, pollination is so important for a successful harvest. Then I learned about the plight of the honey bees and started planting more bee friendly flowers. Then I saw a hive for sale at a local feed store and bought it. So far I must be doing okay because they are still alive. I hope we make it through the winter.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

My neighbor behind me has bee's. She let them go? one day this summer, or whatever, but they swarmed in the yard right next door...

Had to bring the kids in, the neighbor a couple houses down who's allergic to bees went ballistic on her, half the neighborhood was ready to burn her house down with her in it. She suited up and, if what I saw was what I saw, she vacuumed them up? Was quite the show either way.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

Auntie said:


> Thanks! Now I know who to contact with questions. The local bee keepers aren't very friendly to a person that has only one hive. One of them actually said "when you have 4 or 5 and ready to commit we can talk".
> 
> I originally got interested in bees because of my vegetable garden, pollination is so important for a successful harvest. Then I learned about the plight of the honey bees and started planting more bee friendly flowers. Then I saw a hive for sale at a local feed store and bought it. So far I must be doing okay because they are still alive. I hope we make it through the winter.


Apparently being an asshole is a good way to get people to "commit". I'll never figure it out...


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

I found out that most beekeepers at the 2 clubs I go to are not very nice. In fact, there has been some arguments where it made everyone in the room uneasy. This happened on several occasions at 2 different clubs with different members. I don't understand that. I overlook it and realized its the counties I live in though.

I have noticed that my gardens produce have yielded much larger and more vegetables/fruit since I've had bees. When your hive is ready, you'll want to split it before it splits itself by swarming.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

The person that said that was the president of the local bee club. I have been reading about splitting, that happens in late spring/early summer?


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

survival said:


> I found out that most beekeepers at the 2 clubs I go to are not very nice. In fact, there has been some arguments where it made everyone in the room uneasy. This happened on several occasions at 2 different clubs with different members. I don't understand that. I overlook it and realized its the counties I live in though.
> 
> I have noticed that my gardens produce have yielded much larger and more vegetables/fruit since I've had bees. When your hive is ready, you'll want to split it before it splits itself by swarming.


So that was probably the cause? I dig bees. Ever since I was a kid. My parents had this really cool book with wonderful illustrations on DIY Homesteading when I was a kid and I read the section on beekeeping over and over. I also love their "by-product". 

I'm one of those that understands the ABSOLUTE importance of bees in our world and their impact on our food and natural resources, and I genuinely get concerned when I hear the "50,000 bees found dead in parking lot" type stories and threats against bees such as illnesses and viruses. We would come to halt pretty quickly without them.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Auntie, that's a shame the president of the club did that. I guess its an ego thing he/she has going on. Bigdogbuc, your exactly right on the pollination effects. When I was a kid I would run around barefoot in the yards and step on bees, but now, its not even an instance.


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