Locking up bees for wintee!!

[Nannysbees]

I watched a beekeeper from Canada on YouTube, he has hundreds of hives which he keeps in a large outbuilding which is temperature controlled through the winter. I know the temperatures there are extreme, would they survive outside if they were insulated do you think? He went to check on them and the floor was at least one inch thick of dead bees. They were bearding at the entrance but almost in a comatose state. Is that a practice anyone does over here?

 

[user 20297]

I watched a beekeeper from Canada on YouTube, he has hundreds of hives which he keeps in a large outbuilding which is temperature controlled through the winter. I know the temperatures there are extreme, would they survive outside if they were insulated do you think? He went to check on them and the floor was at least one inch thick of dead bees. They were bearding at the entrance but almost in a comatose state. Is that a practice anyone does over here?

Was that Ian Steppler? In his videos he's aften seen pushing a broad broom in front of him, as the bees pile high.

 

[Boston Bees]

I watched a beekeeper from Canada on YouTube, he has hundreds of hives which he keeps in a large outbuilding which is temperature controlled through the winter. I know the temperatures there are extreme, would they survive outside if they were insulated do you think? He went to check on them and the floor was at least one inch thick of dead bees. They were bearding at the entrance but almost in a comatose state. Is that a practice anyone does over here?

Not cold enough over here to be needed

 

[Ian123]

Before the commercial warehouse type set up some kept them in cellars as well. Am sure I’ve seen that documented in East Europe as well.

 

[Anduril]

I watched a beekeeper from Canada on YouTube, he has hundreds of hives which he keeps in a large outbuilding which is temperature controlled through the winter. I know the temperatures there are extreme, would they survive outside if they were insulated do you think? He went to check on them and the floor was at least one inch thick of dead bees. They were bearding at the entrance but almost in a comatose state. Is that a practice anyone does over here?

Check out Etienne Tardiff on YouTube an Alaskan beekeeper who keeps his bees outside.

 

[Nannysbees]

Was that Ian Steppler? In his videos he's aften seen pushing a broad broom in front of him, as the bees pile high.

Is this him?

 

[Nannysbees]

Check out Etienne Tardiff on YouTube an Alaskan beekeeper who keeps his bees outside.

Just found the videos, that's really extreme weather, going to watch a few of the videos later, really interesting to see other beeks from around the globe

 

[Anduril]

Is this him?

Yes

 

[B_north]

Ian lives south east of me, one province over and is an extremely successful beekeeper. To answer your question yes we can and do keep beehives outside, I am in zone 2a and we have commercial apiaries who do fine with outside wintering.

This is one of mine, still buzzing when I listen thru the stethoscope. This morning it was -30C and now is the touchy time, where bees can die of isolation starvation. If we have a few warm days around -5C the bees move around in the hive and then the temps. plummet for a week, they can be left at the wrong end of the hive without enough food and unable to cross the empty comb into more feed.


My hives are wrapped in styrofoam insulation, piled with snow and with a deep box on top filled with a down pillow and then a couple of layers of more styrofoam insulation. I also have 2 Ukrainian hives that I am trying out this winter.

ETA you can see the frost build up over the upper entrance on the right side of the hive. When the snow gets deep the heat from the hive melts a chimney.

 

[JamezF]

View attachment 30659

That's crazy

James

 

[Nannysbees]

Ian lives south east of me, one province over and is an extremely successful beekeeper. To answer your question yes we can and do keep beehives outside, I am in zone 2a and we have commercial apiaries who do fine with outside wintering.

This is one of mine, still buzzing when I listen thru the stethoscope. This morning it was -30C and now is the touchy time, where bees can die of isolation starvation. If we have a few warm days around -5C the bees move around in the hive and then the temps. plummet for a week, they can be left at the wrong end of the hive without enough food and unable to cross the empty comb into more feed.

View attachment 30659
My hives are wrapped in styrofoam insulation, piled with snow and with a deep box on top filled with a down pillow and then a couple of layers of more styrofoam insulation. I also have 2 Ukrainian hives that I am trying out this winter.

ETA you can see the frost build up over the upper entrance on the right side of the hive. When the snow gets deep the heat from the hive melts a chimney.

Wow what an incredible picture, you have to admire the bees

 

[B_north]

Thanks, that hive is a 4 box lang. setup of a deep, deep, medium, with a deep insulated box on top. The snow is piled around but we did get a crazy amount of snow this winter so all that peaks above is the top of the upper deep.

 

[bobba]

I have watched and learnt much from that guy, I am a big fan of his vids

https://www.youtube.com/c/aCanadianBeekeeper’sBlog
The bees on the floor are natural deaths, bees die all year round.

I have seen other Canadian bee keepers just use insulation on their hives, but they need to use a lot. They also have to check the entrances do not get snowed in.

So you can why if you have a lot of hives in that climate, Ian's warehouse approach makes sense.

I love watching his crew lift whole stacks of supers with that crane on the back of a truck.

Ian was one of my main youtube bee gurus. He does a thing where he puts on the first box with no excluder to allow the bees more space, then an excluder before additional boxes/supers, then moves the excluder down later (a very brief explanation, go watch his vids!).

I mimicked this idea, but using UK national equipment, and think it always went well for me.

 

[Finman]

Canadian beekeepers do not use insulated hives. They use insulating sacs or coats over hive. They boxes are 20 mm wood

They are not fond of polyhives. They are now "trying", are polyhives any good. In western Europe polyhives have been used over 30 years.

One very basic important thing in wintering is, that are the queens bred in Hawaij, in Florida or in Canada. For ecample NZ package bees are not able to overwinter in Finland.

In Finland we have nothing to learn from USA or from Canada, jow to over winter hives.

Do you think, that first year beekeeper is able to overwinter beehives in Finland in one langstroth box outside. It means, that over wintering is not a miracle. You just follow experinced beekeepers' advices. And do not put empty boxes here and there.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In Finland we have nothing to learn from USA or from Canada, jow to over winter hives.

Just as well maybe some people in the U.K. are interested nevertheless

 

[Finman]

UK beekeepers are interested in grazy ideas of over wintering, which are not needed.

You have out there simple methods, how to get bees over winter. Your climate is frienly to bees. Like this winter, your weathers have been mostly +10C . Bees can do cleansings flights every months. No need to take experience from countries which have -30C temperatures.

Bees do not understand arrogant answers.
Those I get from UK beekeepers enough.

Just now my hives are under 1.5 metre high snow. So told my cottage neighbour.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just now my hives are under 1.5 metre high snow. So told my cottage neighbour.

bet you can't wait until spring so that you can gaily go out

 

[Erichalfbee]

UK beekeepers are interested in grazy ideas of over wintering, which are not needed.

You have out there simple methods, how to get bees over winter. Your climate is frienly to bees. Like this winter, your weathers have been mostly +10C . Bees can do cleansings flights every months. No need to take experience from countries which have -30C temperatures.

Bees do not understand arrogant answers.
Those I get from UK beekeepers enough.

Just now my hives are under 1.5 metre high snow. So told my cottage neighbour.

You misunderstood me. Lots of us ARE interested even if there is no practical application. Do you not like to acquire knowledge for its own sake?

 

[Finman]

. Do you not like to acquire knowledge for its own sake?

Funny question. Are you interested more on fake news than facts? Or what do you mean?

I do not mind to acquire knowledge and fill the head with what ever stuff.

There is a basic difference with children learning and adult learning . Adults use to pick, what kind of things they are interested and they select, what knowledge is usefull to them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m sure you know exactly what I mean.