If you live in a cold climate or worry about your bees’ survival, it is essential to get them set up ahead of time. This includes having enough honey stored, slowing their metabolism down, and providing them with plenty of emergency food sources.
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Insulation
If your beehive winter feeder box is cold, adding insulation can be a beneficial step to help them survive the winter and may even prevent starvation. This relatively straightforward task can make all the difference for these hardy insects.
One common form of bee hive insulation is a wrap that goes around the sides of a box stack. This usually consists of waterproof cloth or fabric with insulation material sandwiched in between.
One common form of winter hive insulation is a quilt box. This separate container sits atop your brood boxes and is filled with wood shavings or sawdust by beekeepers.
Ventilation
In cold temperatures, bees require ventilation to stay warm. Without it, their colony could struggle and possibly even die without adequate air exchange.
As a beekeeper, it’s essential that you consider ventilation when setting up your winter feeder box. Ventilation allows moisture-laden air to escape the hive and dry before it condenses into liquid water.
One common way to provide ventilation in the inner cover is by adding a wooden shim, carpet tack or small stone/stick at the top. Another popular management technique involves adding a quilt box or ventilating (Vivaldi) board which traps excess moisture and exhausts it outside of the hive.
The insulated telescoping outer cover is an ideal solution for this, as it contains 1″ of R5 insulation and can also be wrapped in polystyrene to reduce heat loss from within the hive. It’s lightweight yet durable – perfect for protecting your bees during wintertime!
Moisture Absorber
Moisture absorbers are an easy-to-use addition to your bee hive winter feeder box that can help keep the hive dry and warm. Moisture absorbers work by trapping water vapor in a small container before releasing it into the atmosphere.
Honey bees metabolize their honeycomb to release water vapor that condenses on the lid of their hive, creating an overly moist atmosphere and an environment susceptible to mold growth.
Water vapor, cold weather and lack of ventilation can combine to create an environment highly hazardous for bees during the wintertime. With these elements combined, bees are especially vulnerable to harm from frostbite.
To address this problem, some beekeepers install a quilt box with material to absorb moisture in the air and vent it from their hive. This type of quilt box typically features holes for beehive ventilation as well.
Top Entrance
One of the most essential elements in a beehive winter feeder box is the top entrance. This section allows air flow and reduces moisture build-up in the hive, as well as providing access for bees to exit for cleansing flights.
Another advantage of a top entrance is that it helps safeguard the colony against robbers, who can be an issue in both Langstroth and Warre hives.
One effective and simple method of decreasing robbers is installing entrance reducers at the lower hive entrance. These are easy to install and help keep out robbing bees and their thieves.
Additionally, installing a wired mouse guard or tar paper over the lower entrance of the hive can be effective in preventing mice from entering. Rodents often destroy comb and honey, leaving little food for bees.
