Five Ways To Stop Your Bees Dying In Winter

As a passionate beekeeper, I know how heart-breaking it can be to lose your colony over the winter months. Bees are delicate creatures, and keeping them alive and thriving through the cold, harsh winter is a constant challenge. However, with the right strategies and preparation, you can significantly improve your chances of maintaining a healthy, productive hive.

In this comprehensive blog post, I'll share five proven tips to help stop your bees from dying in the winter. From timing your queen rearing and Varroa treatments to optimising hive configuration and feeding, these techniques have helped me successfully overwinter my colonies year after year.

1. Don't Rely on Late-Season Queen Mating

One of the primary reasons colonies fail to survive the winter is due to issues with late-season queen mating. If you're relying on your only colony to produce a new queen late in the season, the weather and drone quality may not be ideal for successful mating.

Here's why late-season queen mating can be problematic:

Declining Drone Quality and Availability: As the season progresses, the number and quality of drones available for mating decreases. This can lead to poor mating success, resulting in a weak or unproductive queen.

Unfavourable Weather Conditions: The weather in late summer and early fall can be unpredictable, with increased chances of rain, wind, and cooler temperatures. These conditions can make it difficult for the queen to successfully mate and return to the hive.

Reduced Brood Production: A late-season queen may struggle to build up a robust colony, as there is less time for the bees to produce the necessary winter bees before the cold weather sets in.

To avoid this issue, I recommend cutting off your queen rearing efforts by the beginning of August or buying in mated queens no later than mid-September in the UK. This ensures that your colonies have a well-mated, productive queen heading into the winter months. If you find yourself in a situation where your colony is dwindling due to a failed late-season mating, consider purchasing a proven, mated queen to replace the failing one. While it may cost you around £40, it's a small price to pay to save your entire colony. You can buy queens from Black Mountain Honey HERE - https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/buy-queen-bees

2. Treat for Varroa Mites at the Right Time

Varroa mites are the single biggest threat to the health and survival of your bees. These parasitic mites feed on the bees, weakening the colony and vectoring deadly viruses. Proper and timely Varroa treatment is crucial for overwintering success. The key is to align your Varroa treatment schedule with the bees' (and mites) natural lifecycle, rather than trying to maximise your honey crop. Here's what I recommend:

Treat Early in Mid-August: I bring my Varroa treatment schedule forward to around the middle of August, even if it means sacrificing some late-season honey. This ensures that the first and second generations of winter bees are as healthy as possible, free from the impact of Varroa-transmitted viruses.

Use Effective Treatments: I prefer to use Apivar strips, as they are highly effective at reducing Varroa levels. Once the Apivar strips are in place, I don't take any more honey for the rest of the year as the frames will be tainted in the brood box.

Avoid Late-Season Treatments: Many beekeepers make the mistake of treating for Varroa in the late fall or early winter, after they've harvested their honey. This is far too late, as the damage to the winter bees has already been done. Harvest early. Treat early. Your bees will thank you for giving them the best start in winter!

By treating for Varroa in mid-August, you'll see the benefits the following spring. Your colonies will be booming, with strong, healthy colonies of bees that can take full advantage of the early nectar flow. While you may sacrifice some late-season honey, the trade-off is well worth it to ensure your bees' survival.

3. Properly Feed Your Bees for Winter

Ensuring your bees are well-fed going into the winter is crucial for their survival. However, it's important to strike the right balance, you don't want to overfeed them, as this can also be detrimental. Here's my approach to winter feeding:

Condense the Colony: When I feed the bees, I also condense the colony down into a single brood box. This helps the bees conserve heat and energy, as they don't have to maintain a large, dispersed cluster.

Feed Early, in Mid-August: Around the same time as I treat for Varroa, I start to trickle feed my colonies 1:1 syrup. This simulates a honey flow and means the queen will continue to raise brood and this leaves a strong colony at the end of the season. I continue to trickle feed, ensuring the bees always have enough food until the end of Sept.

Switch To Heavy Syrup: At the back end of September, I move over to 2:1 or invert syrup and start to feed more to allow the bees to store the excess, once the winter bees have been mostly created. I generally feed around 3-6 litres at the end of September.

Final Feeds: When I come to remove my Apivar strips, after they have been in place for 8 weeks, I finish my feeding with invert sugar syrup does with Hive Alive. This should be fed in sufficient quantity to get the bees up to their winter weight (38- 40kg for poly national/single brood).

Rely on Natural Forage: During the 12 week period from mid Aug to mid Nov, the bees are able to forage on late-season sources like ivy, which provides them additional nectar and pollen sources. My feeding regime is intended to supplement what nature naturally provides. Don't overfeed too early or it limits the winter cluster. Feed them enough to keep them satisified and then feed heavy for the final two feeds of the season.

Use Fondant as a Backup: If the weather is particularly poor and the bees are unable to forage or reluctant to take down syrup, I'll provide them with fondant as a supplemental feed, placed directly onto the frames. Fondant is an excellent emergency food source that the bees can easily access and consume but I do my best to avoid feeding it where possible.

The key is to get the bees well-fed and prepared for winter, without overloading them with excessive amounts of syrup too early on. This allows them time to grow as a colony and produce lots of winter bees before the brood nest is clogged with invert syrup.

Remember, the optimal feeding amount can vary depending on your location, hive configuration, and other factors. The best approach is to closely monitor the weight of your hives and provide supplemental feeding only when necessary.

4. Optimise Your Hive Configuration for Winter

The way you configure your beehive can have a significant impact on its ability to survive the winter. Proper insulation and ventilation are key to maintaining a healthy, thriving colony.

Here are some tips for optimising your hive setup:

Insulate the Top: Ensure that the top of the hive, where the cluster is located, is the most insulated area. This helps prevent condensation from dripping down on the bees, which can be detrimental.

Use an Open Mesh Floor: An open mesh floor allows for better airflow and ventilation, helping to reduce moisture build-up within the hive. Even a partially vented floor helps to reduce moisture in the hive.

Employ Effective Feeders: I prefer to use a poly Ashforth feeder as a crown board, as it provides insulation and easy access to supplemental feed if needed. It also means it can live on the same colony all year round, which is great for apiary hygiene.

By focusing on insulation and ventilation, you can create an environment that allows the bees to conserve their energy and maintain a stable, healthy cluster throughout the winter months.

5. Regularly Monitor and Weigh Your Hives

Regularly checking the weight of your beehives is crucial for ensuring your bees have enough food to survive the winter. Hefting the hive is a simple yet effective way to gauge its overall condition and food stores.

Here's how I approach hive monitoring and weighing:

Monthly Checks: From November through January, I check the weight of my hives at least once a month. This allows me to identify any colonies that may be running low on food and need supplemental feeding.

Weekly Checks in Late Winter: As we get closer to spring, I increase the frequency of my hive checks to once a week. This helps me closely monitor the bees' food consumption and ensure they have enough to make it through the final stretch of winter.

Fondant Supplementation: If a hive is found to be light on stores, I'll provide it with fondant as an emergency food source. Fondant is an excellent late-winter and early-spring feed, as it allows the bees to access the carbohydrates they need without disrupting the cluster.

By regularly monitoring the weight of your hives, you can catch any potential food shortages early and take the necessary steps to keep your bees well-fed and healthy throughout the winter.

Conclusion

Overwintering your bees successfully is a critical aspect of beekeeping, and it requires a proactive, well-planned approach. By implementing the five strategies outlined in this blog post, avoiding late-season queen mating, treating for Varroa at the right time, properly feeding your bees, optimising your hive configuration, and regularly monitoring hive weight, you can significantly improve your chances of keeping your colonies alive and thriving through the winter months.

Remember, every beekeeper's situation is unique, so it's important to adapt these techniques to your local climate, forage availability, and hive setup. Stay vigilant, be proactive, and don't hesitate to seek out additional resources and support from experienced beekeepers in your area.

If you found this article helpful, be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more beekeeping tips and tutorials. You can also explore our website for a wide range of beekeeping products, including queen bees and bee nucs to help you get started or expand your apiary. Happy beekeeping, and may your colonies thrive through the winter!

YOUTUBE CHANNEL - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaa4pgaAzz8DCjiYJrx9cMA

WEBSITE - https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/