We will remove the entrance reducer around the middle of February – which is when our solar radiation levels are strong enough for plants to take notice. Keep in mind that this entrance will also soon be buried in snow, and our bees will not be able to fly out for any reason until February or March, so blocking this entrance is not the same concern as it may be in warmer climates. Yes, this makes it difficult for our bees to clear out their dead and effectively blocks this entrance over the season. We put our entrance reducer in front of the mouse guard to slow the wind. You can use staples or push pins to secure them to the hive. Just buy 1/4″ mesh from the hardware store and cut them to fit. These are an easy and inexpensive DIY project. In September, when the leaves start to change color, we put on our mouse guards. We had a severe drought this summer, so we used robber screens for all of August and September. They started to dip into their reserves during the August drought, so we did some supplemental feeding. We monitored the bees for food levels as we headed into the fall. This gave the bees 1 1/2 months to reseal their home. That is also when we did our last Oxalic acid dribble to treat for mites. We stopped pulling apart the boxes and frames in early August. We went into 2020 with all of this in check. Mouse guards go on as soon as the leaves change color.In Minnesota, we want our bees to have built up 3 deep 10-frame boxes so they have adequate food for a 6 month winter.We want to be sure we treated for mites throughout the season.This keeps out wind and helps the bees maintain their heat. We want to maintain a propolis seal in all the of the boxes.Nights dipping into the 40F range mean we are cooling down rapidly and we need to finish up our fall preparations.Ī few things to keep in mind when you are preparing for winter.
They have long since changed color, but when they start to fall, the trees are telling us winter is just moments away. For example, we stop taking out frames for inspections by the time the leaves have started to fall off the trees. Read below to see our winter hive configuration and all the steps we take to make it through a long 6 month winter.īecause our weather is variable, we follow plant cues more than dates. That means, we prepped the bees earlier than usual. Temperatures fell below 30F and snow was flying. This year, our winter started in mid October. Winter comes quickly in North America, and it lasts a long time.
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