Marietta Daisies Garden Club
- mariettadaisies
- Mar 8
- 2 min read
"What's the Buzz"
BEE HIVE
EDUCATIONAL NEWS
from the Hive
Laura Guilmette
A year long
educational series.
Honey bee winter survival in North Georgia
Do honeybees die in the winter?
Yes, unfortunately, some colonies inevitably die in the winter. This can happen if the population is not large enough, the food stores are insufficient, or the colony enters the winter with a disease or virus.
Clustering: As temperatures fall, bees form a tight cluster around the queen and the brood. The center of the cluster can be maintained at approximately 95∘ F95 raised to the composed with power cap F 95∘𝐹 to keep the queen and developing brood warm.
Heat generation: Bees generate heat by shivering their wing muscles. They rotate within the cluster so that all bees get a chance to be in the warmer center, using honey for energy to fuel this process.
Movement and food: The cluster slowly moves up through the hive as they consume the stored honey and pollen. It's crucial to have food stores available both above and around the cluster, especially during late winter when brood production increases, notes CAES Field Report.
Hive preparation:
Food: Ensure the hive has sufficient honey and pollen stores, which is critical for survival.
Moisture: Make sure lids are watertight and consider adding a rain shelter. Ventilation holes should be angled to let water drip outside, not in.
Wind and insulation: Wrap the hive to protect it from harsh winds. A piece of foam can provide insulation on top of the frames, says Honey Bee Suite.
Entrance reducer: A small entrance is important to protect the cluster from cold and predators. Beekeepers often use a reducer to make the entrance smaller during winter.
Queen excluder: Remove any queen excluders before winter. As the cluster moves up, the queen can become trapped below and be unable to migrate with the cluster, according to Ask IFAS.
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