Keeping bees part 9: Bees and cold weather
Alison Benjamin
11 February 2013
Bees are just fine in cold weather. It might be freezing outside the hive, but inside the bees will be huddling together in a cluster and vibrating their wings to keep warm.
A layer of snow, say, on the roof of the hive might even help insulate it further against the cold.
In fact the hive can get so toasty it will attract mice, so you'll need to guard them by fastening a galvanised metal strip called a mouse guard over the entrance.
The main worry at this time of year, however, is whether the bees have enough honey to eat when it's too cold to leave the hive.
You can get an indication of the amount of honey they have left by "hefting" the hive. This means lifting the back of the hive just slightly off its stand.
If you heft your hives at intervals during winter you'll get a feel for how it compares to the autumn when you left them 30lb of stores. If the hive is hard to lift then your bees should be fine. If it tips forward easily there probably isn't enough food left.
In this case, you'll need to feed the bees some fondant, which you can pick up from beekeeping suppliers.
Break off a chunk and place it over the holes in the crown board; the cluster will soon find it.
You might want to invest in fondant anyway for when the weather turns milder and the queen starts laying as there will be lots of young mouths to feed.
Once the cold spell is over, your bees will want to get out of the hive. Make sure the entrance is clear and not clogged with bees that have died over winter. And don't panic if you see lots of dead insects - their life span is short and this is normal.
January and February is a good time to do a stock check and list what new equipment you'll need. If you are coming into your second year, a new brood box with frames and foundation is a must for when you give your hive a spring clean.
And if you've yet to take up beekeeping, get yourself on a course run by your local beekeeping association. I guarantee you'll love it.
Alison Benjamin is the co-author of Bees in the City: the urban beekeepers' handbook and co-founder of Urban Bees.
Find out more about Friends of the Earth's Bee Cause campaign and help save our bees.
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