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Need Tips on Wintering

2K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  BGhoney 
#1 ·
I have a first year kenya and lang long hive. The kenya is 80% drawn and full. the long has 24 frames drawn and full. ( I started a couple of hives off of some frames and set it back)

I have read about moving all the brood either to the front or back of each hive this fall to keep them from eating from the middle out and leaving half there stores uneaten.

I was wondering what I can do to help them winter , ie.. wrap the hives ? mountain man feeding method ? neither have open bottoms so I'll drill another small vent hole .

We don't have very cold winters, a couple weeks in the 20's but we are very wet.

They both were just a test and very fun to work with, I have a window in the kenya, covered. If they live this winter, I'll have to make a queen excluder for each and get comb honey off them, tried this year but the queen put brood on almost every frame.

Oh I also have a follower board on the long keeping down the void.

Thanks for the Tips.
 
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#3 ·
Some of the local Lang beeks here in Ohio wrap their hives with tarpaper in the winter. It adds a bit of insulation and the black color absorbs a little heat. I hear if you over-insulate the bees will fly too soon and freeze outside of the hive. The cluster will also eat more of their stores if it is too warm inside the hive.
 
#4 ·
They both have 1.5 inch styrofoam lids, they both are slowly chewing the lids away , so I'm going to put a piece of painted plywood on top as a rain preventer. I often wrap my lang hives with tar paper, wraping the kenya with its triagle shape dosn't seem very practicle.

I've got a A.I.Root catalog from 1928 it has very cool equipment and ideas for wintering from that time. Double walled hive bodies, filling supers with leaves or walnuts over the brood. Nothing covers alternative hives , Thanks for the tips.
 
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