Arctic Beekeeping

[eddiespangle]

I now spend quite a lot of time in northern Sweden not too far from the Arctic Circle. Especially in the summer months. Åskilje is about 60 mikes south of the arctic circle.

Since coming I’ve been fascinated by the difference in seasonality between here and the UK. In Gillingham sunrise and sunset on the summer and winter solstices give 16:38:31 and 7:59:44 (hrs:mins:secs) of daylight respectively. The winter solstice equivalents happen here on 1 Nov and 9 Feb (similar amount of daylight). The summer solstice equivalents are 28 Apr and 15 Aug. This means that in terms of hours of daylight a Gillingham year happens between 9 Feb and 28 Apr, and 15 Aug and 1 Nov. 155 days in Åskilje are, in one measure, the same as 365 days in Gillingham.

Using Gillingham as the datum (and why wouldn’t you!), Åskilje gets an extra 210 days. Or 12 months of Gillingham seasonality are packed into 155 days in Åskilje meaning that a month happens in around 13 days. Or Åskilje, in terms of daylight change, experiences 28 months of seasonality a year. 7.7 extra months of winter and 8.5 of summer. Amazing. No wonder nature’s cycles seem to happen at pace here!

The quantity and variety of insect life here is prestigious. There are bumblebees abound, but I have yet to see a honeybee. I have heard anecdotally that beekeeping does take place this far north. Next summer I am considering setting up a small apiary, Using British national hives et cetera. Does anyone have any experience or advice on how to keep bees this far north. I’m not concerned with the summer months it’s just the two or three months of the winter when there is minimal light and temperatures well below zero. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Eddie

 

[TooBee...]

I have no hands on experience / knowledge of arctic conditions or beekeeping, but I think you may need to super insulate that National Hive, I would also say modifying it may be a good idea, such as reducing the brood box(es) down to only six frames with insulation boards on either side and two boxes deep - so you get the same number of frames to over winter, but a taller narrower internal hive, which will be easier for them to heat. Definitely no Open Mesh Floors nor Top Ventilation, and place your entrance the opposite way of the prevailing wind.

You might find you may need to do what Finman does, and add a small heater inside the hives, but you'll know after a year or two I suppose.

Good luck, this is one experiment I would be Very Interested in hearing about, Please return to this thread and keep us updated.

 

[Anduril]

We have an arctic expert on the forum. Finman, you could pm him, and make up plenty of supers, you will need them according to him.

 

[pargyle]

Hi Eddie, Welcome back, long time no see ... I've no idea about whether you could successfully keep honey bees that far North but they keep bees in Alaska so I can't see that there would be a problem. Overwintering I would expect would be your biggest issue - polystyrene hives and enough stores would be the obvious solution - or moving them further South for the winter months ? I understand that beekeepers in Northern Canada tend to put their hives into their basements for the winter so that may be another option ?

Go for it ... a bit of competition for Finnie would be good ...

 

[Murox]

Insulation and stores for the winter must be the biggest issue, as would liquid during the winter. I would go with polystyrene hives but wonder if its tough enough, maybe it needs additional protection against other fauna. I would also try to find the tallest frames possible so maybe not a National hive.
Alaskans and Canadians have experience as do the Danes and Finns. Draw from their knowledge.

 

[Finman]

Go for it ... a bit of competition for Finnie would be good ...

1000 km between us. What is the competition you have thought?

Best in competition between me and Pargyle is the distance 2069 km. But he wins everything without doing nothing. And I am only a bad looser.

 

[Finman]

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My brother has kept bees in Öjebyn 20 years.

How high the place is from sea level. IT is mountain area perhaps. I have driven with car along Blue Highway. Only what I know about district.

It might be more suitable to keep reindeers.

The hive type must be poly langstroth. Find somebody local beekeeper, how things go there.

 

[pargyle]

1000 km between us. What is the competition you have thought?

Best in competition between me and Pargyle is the distance 2069 km. But he wins everything without doing nothing. And I am only a bad looser.

Do they extract the sense of humour from Fins at birth or does it just wear away over time ? I like you these days ...

 

[Finman]

Do they extract the sense of humour from Fins at birth or does it just wear away over time ? I like you these days ...

British Intelligenzia appears again. Do they hit a lable " intelligent" in hospital onto Brits' butt at birth. Or from where your confidence comes?

 

[eddiespangle]

It’s around 250m above sea level. There was around 1.2 m of snow on the ground earlier in the year. Therefore hives would need to be placed on the platform which kept them out of the snow.

 

[eddiespangle]

Just off of the Blue Highway.

 

[Finman]

It’s around 250m above sea level. There was around 1.2 m of snow on the ground earlier in the year. Therefore hives would need to be placed on the platform which kept them out of the snow.

A little cabin would protect hives out there. Or cellar wintering.

Bees make their cleansing flight propably in May.

Above snow hives surely freeze there.

 

[Ian123]

hi saw something years ago about some north american beeks hives and those that got buried in snow survived better than those that were exposed......why not ship them in for spring and down to finsky for a holiday in winter. Or maybe a temp controled bee house/shed and would have to be poly every day. Am sure there was canadian beeks who banked hives in a wharehouse for winter

 

[Finman]

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Not much to learn from North American beekeepers. They do not use insulated hives.

Alaska's Fairbanksan University advices to kill colonies before autumn, and then to buy new bees in Spring from Florida.

There are Swedish beekeepers in Norbotten. Look from google "biodling i Norbotten"

 

[Ian123]

Don’t worry finsky I know how much you love those North Americans and yes am aware they used to bump off many bees but I do remember seeing 1 operation stacking up hives in a temp controlled wharehouse. I think Google’s you friend here pls tell us how you get on

 

[Finman]

Don’t worry finsky I know how much you love those North Americans and yes am aware they used to bump off many bees but I do remember seeing 1 operation stacking up hives in a temp controlled wharehouse. I think Google’s you friend here pls tell us how you get on

I do not worry. America is great. Great tolerances too.

Some on starts beekeeping and first he makes air conditioned warehouse.

North Circle is not the best place to start honey business.

(another intelligent from South)

We have those controlled houses too here, but bees do well out here on South Finland. I am 10 miles from sea.
.

 

[TooBee...]

...stores for the winter must be the biggest issue, as would liquid during the winter....

IF the syrup in the feeder (above the frames) had a small heater in it to keep the syrup at 25c WITH super insulation around and above it, then you could do multiple things at once, feed them later in the season than normal, allow them to feed on the syrup in the depths of winter and keep them warm as well; two thermostats would need to be fitted, one for the syrup and the other for the top of the brood box.

 

[Finman]

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Why not to feed them in time?

I do not know, how many bee plants that district has.

 

[Ian123]

That’s to warm and excessive feeding during winter means they will need to crap. I can’t remember what the temp is but they are better off at a cold constant temp that keeps cluster tight and food consumption down am sure if you search around you can find it

 

[Finman]

and excessive feeding during winter means they will

Yes, they will die. That is sure. In our north bees do not stand that you are nursing and disturbing them all the time. They will be soon full of poo and they explode.

First of all you need a bee breed, which survive in local conditions.