Hibernate under the snow
Its bees I keep in standard twelve-frame hives. I do not go to the nomad. Annually from each family I get 70-80 kg of marketable honey. For wintering I leave about 30 kg. Bee bees.
For 32 years I tried all wintering options and I think that the best winter in our area is under snow. The hives are left in their places. They stand on pegs 30 cm high. I fill the space under the hive with the wormwood collected in the summer.
Bees winter on 12 frames. If the family is very strong, I leave the store on 12 semi-frames. In the first half of September, each family gives 5 kg of sugar syrup. In the syrup I add KAS-81 according to the instructions. Before the onset of frosts at the corners of each hive, I score four colas to fix the insulation mats. Mats lash from reeds, adding rye straw or dry sedge, I enclose them hives from the sides and behind, tie with wire and cover with roofing material. When snow falls, at the front wall of the hive I put an inclined sheet of plywood, so that the wind does not blow into the tapholes. Opposite to the gates level with the roof I score a stake.
To each peg, I tie metal or rubber ventilation tubes diameters from one to three inches in front of each other. The lower end of the first tube is combined with the lower tap, and the lower end of the second tube with the upper end. One tube is supply air, the other is exhaust. The exhaust in the frost is covered from the inside with frost, so it is necessary to periodically clean it with a stick.
As soon as the snow falls, the hives are covered with snow so that the upper ends of the tubes remain outside and keep them in this position throughout the winter. Before putting on the hives for the winter, I change the canvas. I place an empty store on the hives, where I put the mat and the cushion stuffed with small shavings. The windows in front and behind the roof are barred with a net through which moisture comes out. Both tap holes are open for 2 – 3 cm throughout the winter. I remove the pallet for picking mites, put a plastic sheet instead. In the spring, during the summer of bees, I remove the film together with the sub-surface and debris. The hive is clean, there is neither damp nor mold on the frame, as it happens in the winter hut.
Approximately on March 20, the shield covering the front part of the hive, and the guardrail from the lower gate I remove. As soon as the sun warms up, the bees fly around, although the snow lies on the point. To the flowering of willows in families there are four or five frames of brood. When the snow melts, I remove the mats and roofing felt. Beehives clean or transplant the family into clean housing, if there are spare.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)Hibernate under the snow