overwintering and storms

Hi, I'm new here and new to beekeeping. I built a TBH start with and caught a swarm. I am wondering if there are any people here near or in Idaho who have experience with the top bar style hives and how to keep the girls cozy over winter in our unpredictable wait 15 min climate? Wondering which diseases are the most trouble in this area? I already have the varroa mites I think because I saw a few new hatch runt bees with deformed wings. I also had a huge T-storm blow my hive over and all the comb fell down, such fun. Has anyone else found some designs hold up better in high wind? There is a bee club but they meet 25 mi from here. I will probably visit them too. Anyway, hi and nice to meet you. :D

What kind of legs do you have? If they are straight up and down, they will tip over again. Mine are splayed outwards. A tree fell over on one of mine last year and it didn't fall over.

Nosema, chalkbrood, and Varroa are greater concerns when the bees remain inside. The legs on our KTBH are spread like a picnic table. It has never moved even in the tropical storm that came through recently.

If you are already seeing signs of DWV (deformed wing virus) and you don't take action now you won't need to worry about overwintering as they will be dead by fall.

I have it sitting on concrete blocks, hive is knee high. I will make legs like that. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Keth Comollo

If you are already seeing signs of DWV (deformed wing virus) and you don't take action now you won't need to worry about overwintering as they will be dead by fall.

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I know! I am trying the powder sugar dust and hopefully that works. I have a screened bottom. What do you use?

I don't have TBH, but the beekeeper I bought my packages from does and he has no legs on his hives, he uses a ratchet strap and straps them onto pallets, this method is also useful if your in bear country as a bear can not open it or tip it over. Best of luck and welcome

@Bonnie That's a great idea too, thanks! I am the only bear wrecking things here in the valley, but they did catch a moose and cougars downtown Boise... My mom wants to keep bees too so I bet that would be a good plan if she keeps them out where the horses are.

I would imagine this method will not be good if you get deep snow, something else to consider.

The dog tie out cork-screw steaks and a ratchet strap work well. If it won't come up off the ground, it won't blow over unless
the legs break on it.

Yeah I might raise it higher for winter just in case, if I still have bees :( It has been weird lately and this past year really mild and dry, wrecked my ski season grr. Sometimes we get maybe a foot that sticks down here.