Vital Gaudreau wrote:

> Today, April 17, 2003, Rick writes:
>> Just visited 100 hives, 18 or so dead ones, made 40 splits, great
>> strength

> 1. Rick, could you please explain the idea of *not wrapping* in an area
>   that reaches easily -10/-15 dF for several days in winter?

>    Could you be kind enough and explain the kinds of
> experiments you have done in the past (good and bad)? This is a puzzle
>   for me!!!

> 3. Those who said that cold does not kill the bees...i suppose here
>   is the proof...or?

Rick's results are in line with pre varroa winter kills, about 20%. Some
do better some worse.

To wrap or not to wrap is a subject of discussion with adherents on both
sides here in Maine, where the temperatures are similar to Northern NY.
I do not wrap and have better results than a friend who wraps, but also
the same or a bit worse than another who also wraps. The difference,
from what I can see, is the one who does better is a better beekeeper
than me (I am a "student" of his). The other beekeeper has other
practices which I see as the real reasons for his wintering to be not as
successful, even though he wraps.

I have found that you lose most of your colonies either in the beginning
or the end of winter, not during the winter. If they start bad, they
usually die early. They might also starve by early spring.

We are in a classic early spring period where I expect lots of
beekeepers who reported successful overwintering to lose colonies. Bees
have been brooding up. We have had nectar and pollen available and they
have been bringing it in. They may still be heavy with honey. But this
cold (21F this am and only in the 30s during the day) over several days
is deadly to bees. They will stay with the brood and are generating heat
and burning stores. The cold will keep them away from honey even if it
is within a few inches and they have none over them. They starve in a
hive filled with honey. Candy placed over them solves that problem.

Wrapping may also help, because the black tar paper might warm the hive
enough for them to move to the stores in the spring when the temperature
outside the hive is above freezing. I paint my hives dark blue to
achieve the same results.

So there are many variables in what happens from an experiment with tar
paper wrap. Most of what I have read says that with winters above an
average of 28F wrapping will help, but not when winters are below 28F
average. In both cases, you are actually trying to keep them cold.
Wrapping tends to keep the temperature more stable over the long run in
warmer winters. Do not eat as much so will last longer on the stores
available.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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