How to prepare bees for surviving Ohio winters
As freezing temperatures approach in the coming weeks, beekeepers in Ohio must prepare now if they want their bees to survive the winter.
“Why this is so important [the bees] survive the winter is because they are so important to the pollination in Ohio … a third of our food chain is dependent on pollination of honeybees,” said Peggy Garnes, president of the Ohio State Beekeepers Association.
The process called “overwintering” will allow the bees to prepare for the harsh conditions that an Ohio winter might bring. August typically marks a new year for bees as they begin to prepare for winter.
Garnes said a honeybee in the summer will typically only live four to six weeks, whereas winter fat bees could live up to six months.
The key is ensuring the bees are strong and healthy before the winter months begin.
Dwight Wells, a regional director for the Ohio State Beekeepers Association, said the most common reasons bees die in the winter are: starvation, disease, cold and wind, pests, failing queen bees, weak colonies, winter condensation and lack of significant pollen.
Wells said beekeepers can do certain preventative measures to prepare a bee colony for the colder months.
Prevent virus, diseases and pests
The varroa mite is a major pest in the world which attacks by chewing the fat off the bees and then spreads a virus to them.
If the bees have the virus going into winter, they’re going to die,” Wells said. “It’s up to the beekeeper to keep the mite loads down to a very low population.”
Some beekeepers need to use chemicals to help keep the mite levels down, while some own bees that are able to defend themselves and kill the mites.
Another concern is mice trying to make their way into the hives seeking warmth from the cold weather. Wells recommends placing a mouse guard on the bottom of their hive to prevent them from invading the hive.
A strong queen bee and colony
If a bee colony heads into the winter months weak, there’s a high chance the colony won’t survive.
“They’ve got to store a lot of pollen and make sure it won’t mold and they have to store as much honey as they can because they can’t fly out [of the hive],” Wells said. “They have to rely on what they store in their cavity.”
“If they don’t have good nutrition, we feed them a pollen substitute,” Wells said.
Having a strong queen is also crucial to a bee colony’s success through a winter period.
“The beekeepers also want to have a young queen in it, preferably this year’s queen that would have been made somewhere [in] June, July, August,” Garnes said.
At Prairie Ridge Honey Farm in Lakewood, OH, beekeeper Dan Braden, produces 3,5000-4,000 lbs. of extracted honey and about 400 lbs. of comb honey throughout the year. The amount being produced in the winter gives an indicator if his bees produce around 70 lbs. of honey during the winter months then that is typically enough for them to survive.
Wind protection and insulation
Without proper insulation, frost will accumulate and eventually melt into the hive and kill the bees. Wells said placing a piece of foam insulation in the lid of the box will keep the hive from the accumulating frost.
He recommends wrapping the hives in roofing felt to protect against harsh winds, but if the hives are in a protected area, then this step may not be necessary.
Beekeepers may also paint their hives different colors so that the boxes absorb heat from sunshine during the colder months like January and February.
The changing season does make it more difficult to care for the bees, but Wells said bees are smart and adapt well as long as the beekeeper continues to properly care for them.
If someone is interested in beekeeping, Garnes recommended taking a course to gain general information and learn the basics. Then, it’s time to invest and purchase all the necessary equipment as well as an initial set of bees.
Braden and Garnes stressed the importance of having a mentor throughout the process to guide and troubleshoot problems that might arise.
There are certain apiary laws in Ohio which regulate where and who can become a beekeeper. Different zoning laws will either restrict or permit beekeeping. Then, beekeepers must register each hive with the Ohio Department of Agriculture and an apiary inspector will come and check to make sure all regulations are being followed.
“I enjoy it because of the challenge…plus the benefit the bees provide for the environment,” Braden said.
