Overwintering musing

[Wilco]

I've been giving this a little thought and wondered if anyone knows of any research/has experience in this. My apologies if it has already been covered in previous threads:

1. There has been research into keeping hives warm over winter which seems to invariably result in higher losses
2. This year we had a particularly mild Autumn and early Winter which led to APHA issuing starvation alerts.
3. Cold weather reduces consumption of stores
4. Mild winters may mean there is no 'brood break'
5. Cold weather is important for a brood break which helps control certain diseases
6. Bees in Scandinavian/more northern countries seem to cope fine with being under (insulating) snow for months and unable to fly (reduced consumption of stores may help here?).

Ignoring the cost implications, why not keep hives in a refrigerated environment over the winter so that temperature can be controlled for a long time period; could this be used as a management strategy to artificially reduce consumption of stores, increase survival in mild winters and reduce varroa? Doing so would also reduce draughts so allow a more stable internal hive environment and when there are milder spells the cooling could be turned off on occasion meaning that bees could embark on voiding flights (if necessary with reduced consumption of stores).

I know very impractical but do people have any thoughts on whether this concept has any merit?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Has no merits whatsoever as far as I can see
A lot of the points I see leisted are based either on surmise or myths passed on from generation to generation
I'll answer your points as listed
1. no there hasn't and no, keeping hives warm over winter does not result in higher mortalities.
2.Apha fires off those warnings by rote on a depressing regularity without any real foundation
3.No
4.No
5.No
6. your statement here seems in contradiction to the claim in 1.

 

[Wilco]

Thanks for the reply! Enjoying the without real foundation pun!

6. Insulating snow keeps the temperature more controlled but doesn't mean the outside temp is warmer. Since bees seem to respond to outside conditions, the snow would keep a stable internal hive environment and improve thermal efficiency in this regard but external environment is still cold so they wouldn't fly. Although as I type, I imagine this would keep the bees warmer so brood is more likely, consumption increased etc. so rather conflicts with my other thoughts.

Anyway, thank you!

 

[Ian123]

[QUOTE="Wilco, post: 749476,

Ignoring the cost implications, why not keep hives in a refrigerated environment over the winter so that temperature can be controlled for a long time period; could this be used as a management strategy to artificially reduce consumption of stores, increase survival in mild winters and reduce varroa? Doing so would also reduce draughts so allow a more stable internal hive environment and when there are milder spells the cooling could be turned off on occasion meaning that bees could embark on voiding flights (if necessary with reduced consumption of stores).

I know very impractical but do people have any thoughts on whether this concept has any merit?
[/QUOTE]
Canadians have already done it!

 

[ericbeaumont]