Moving bees into the Barn

Just thought about doing this but I need some insight. I have never wintered bees before, I have done a fair bit of reading but I need some advice. I have 2 hives, one is small and the other is quite large, both are this years nucs and its starting to get cold up here so the wintering planning has begun. I was thinking about moving the bees into a small barn that we have over the winter to keep them sheltered. The one problem is that the barn is only 100 feet away from where the bees are right now, I have been told that moving bees a short distance is not a good idea and it can cause confusion... is this the case?

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Originally Posted by Strawhouse

Just thought about doing this but I need some insight. I have never wintered bees before, I have done a fair bit of reading but I need some advice. I have 2 hives, one is small and the other is quite large, both are this years nucs and its starting to get cold up here so the wintering planning has begun. I was thinking about moving the bees into a small barn that we have over the winter to keep them sheltered. The one problem is that the barn is only 100 feet away from where the bees are right now, I have been told that moving bees a short distance is not a good idea and it can cause confusion... is this the case?

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Hi,
I would move them in the barn not until it is so cold that you know bees are done for the year. I also
read that after about 5 days locked in the hive, bees have to reset their " GPS "
That is my plan.
Good luck!

I am new too---I have 2 hives out back and I was told that stacking some hay bales around them can give good insulation during the rough sonwy winters in Upstate NY.

Is the barn insulated and is there additional heat source?

If not, the barn is not much more than a wind break and there is no heating of the hive by the sun that one gets with black paper on a sunny day.

Think if this is the case, you are better off with the hive in the open with a windbreak and black paper around the hive.

I have tried it and it really didn't make much difference in survival rate. I can tell ya they will crap on everything so cove anything you dont want painted yellow

Wintering in a barn works very well.

few things you have to watch for though

it has to be completely dark inside
temp can not exceed 10 or 15 degrees or they will beard and try to leave the hive
set them out on a nice flight weather day in the spring

but to winter indoors in my area is easier and more feasible than your area. When winter hits here, we usually do not see plus temps for 3 or 4 months. I makes our job of keeping the temp down around 4 degrees easy. In your country you have a winter that regularly warms. You will have trouble keeping the bees in their boxes when the temp rises, they might as well be flying outside.
Your biggest challenge is humidity and relieving the hive from condensation.
Wrap your hives outside, leave an upper entrance and insulate the top cover. That will winter your bees the best in southern Ontario