CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How do bees survive the winter?

1. Two ways for bees to overwinter:

1. Wintering outdoors (this method is suitable for the south)

If bees overwinter outdoors, you can use straw to pack the hives. There are two ways to pack: one is the single-group packing method, which is to first use a straw curtain to surround the beehive, front wall, back wall, and lid, and then use another straw curtain to surround the bottom of the box, the bottom of the lid, and the two side walls, and then leave the nest door, and then add plastic film to wrap it to prevent rain. The second is the joint wrapping method, now lay bricks or stones on the ground, and then put a row of empty beehives, and then put a ten-centimeter-thick layer of straw on the lid, and then put the beehives in groups of 3-5, preferably no more than seven groups in a group, on the straw, and then fill the gaps between the boxes with straw, and at the same time use super fiber on the front, back, left, right, and top, and finally wrap it with plastic film to prevent rain.

2. Wintering in cellar (this method is suitable for the north)

When the weather turns cooler, that is, before the beginning of winter, the beehive should be dug. When digging oil, choose a place with high terrain, low water level, and sunny and wind-sheltered soil. When the ground is sealed with wind-moving stones, you can enter the kiln. When entering the kiln, take out the big cover, block the nest door, lift it into the cellar, and place it on the beehive. During the management process, you must pay attention to insulation and moisture-proofing, and keep it quiet. When checking the bee colony, do not disturb the nearby bee colony. In the early and late stages of wintering, the cellar temperature changes greatly. Check the cellar temperature and other conditions frequently to avoid accidents to the bee colony.

2. Precautions for safe wintering of bees:

1. Pay attention to the location of the bellows: Generally, it should be placed in a dry and warm place that is sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, so that the bee colony will not be attacked by cold waves and cold air. The beehive should be placed about 10 to 15 cm above the ground, preferably under the eaves facing north and south. It can also be placed in a dry cave to hide the bees for the winter, because the cave is warm in winter and cool in summer. The entrance and exit of the beehive should face the cave.

2. Pay attention to the adjustment of the nest door: the height of the nest is generally 7 mm, and the width is about 60 mm to 70 mm. Before the severe cold arrives, the nest door should be properly shaded to reduce the direct sunlight into the hive. This is to promote the reunion and warmth of the bee colony. After the beehive is fixed, do not move it at will to avoid waking up the bees.

Bees will form bee colonies to hibernate in winter. The worker bees inside the colony consume honey or feed to generate heat, while the outer worker bees are arranged closely to keep warm (the queen bee is usually located at the innermost part of the colony, and the inner and outer worker bees swap positions according to the situation). At the same time, the colony can achieve insulation and heat dissipation through contraction and looseness, so that the temperature inside the colony is not lower than 15°C. Therefore, even in an external low temperature environment of -30°C, the bee colony can successfully overwinter.