At 08:16 AM 11/14/2003, Donald Campbell wrote:
>  I came thru it with only one strong hive left- now I'm
>back to 6 and I'd hate to loss them. So any wintering tips would be greatly
>appreciated!


My 2 cents....

Here in NorthWest Ohio we too had a very harsh winter last year.  I know
many beekeepers who lost 50% or more in my area last year.  (state average
was in the 30-40% range last winter I think.)  I however only lost 3 out of
34 (about 9%).  One was due to starvation (plenty of honey, but little in
the top super, which cause problems in our long bitterly cold spells), the
other two were simply weak going into winter.

Not scientific results, but some things I have noted:
- Wrapping seems to have made little difference.  About half of the hives
were wrapped last year and the unwrapped were just as strong as the
wrapped.  (2 of the dead hives were wrapped, the other was not).  (It may
make a bigger difference in dryer and/or colder climates.)
-  Upper ventilation seems key.  All hives for the past two years with
upper ventilation and a sheet of insulation on top (to keep moisture from
condensing under the lid/inner cover) made it.  I use a box instead of an
inner cover that provides cross flow ventilation in the summer,  a
3/8"x2.5" upper entrance and ventilation in winter, and a place to put a
sheet of Styrofoam.

1. Food
2. Bees (Number and Health)
3. Ventilation  (Cold doesn't kill, moisture does)

I think it was Lloyd Spears that told me (or maybe he posted to the list)
that he knew someone in upstate NY that had two mean hives, and to get rid
of them he left the top and inner cover off the hive over the winter...
they survived any ways.

-Tim

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