Beekeeping | When & How To Prepare Your Bees For Winter

[@alanrowse8278]

I believe that, as a physicist, the washboarding is an evolved method of lowering the temp of the hive. If the bees deposit water on the face of the hive, evaporation will reduce the surface temp, just like sweating does.

[@trevormcnutt9756]

I found water experiments to be risky and should done on small scales , mold over time did it for me...

[@WildernessCall]

I wish you would have shared your winter temperatures or average winter temperatures so I could determine whether or not this information applies to me

[@musiclady]

Great video. I did wrap my hives in the past with thin insulation board but now I just leave them unwrapped, bottom screen open and entrance reduced. Two deeps with a candy board. PNW -wet but not too frozen. Sometimes straw or pine shavings or the grandkids old socks above the candy board for condensation. We get a lovely “fake out” February that makes brief inspections possible. I am mentoring my husband to help with the heavy lifting now that he is retired!!. Thanks so much for your fun and informative videos! We enjoy listening to your organized lessons and thoughtful approach to the age old hobby/vocation.

[@tomz9241]

Where in the PNW? I’m East of Yelm Wa. “Pride of the Prairie “. 😉

[@dcrogers59]

Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for the Videos.

[@LIL-RED-BIRD]

I’m going with 2 deeps with lots of honey and I will keep feeding as long as I can. I will also insulate the hives and put up a wind break. 🇨🇦

[@willdelito8561]

Same here in CT

[@thebeecommander]

Great video by the way! As usual

[@Michaels_Music]

David - You're a stud. Thank you for all the helpful information. I'm just starting out and I appreciate your knowledge.

[@BrendaWalton-qp2om]

Congratulations

[@edwinstone6443]

Love your teachings Mr David

[@beek]

Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you at my livestream tonight. Here's the link: kzbin.infoYHm00xW046Y

[@2100suprafreak]

I'm new to beekeeping but I just got done listening to a decade long research proving insulating netted better results. More insulation on the top with less on the sides resulted in the best results. It makes the moisture build up on the sides making it run down to the bottom. The bees stress less during the winter from trying to keep warm resulting in a stronger hive in the spring. It makes sense to me.

[@beek]

Yes I experimented with that 15 years ago and found the same to be true, but I eliminated water in the side walls by absorbing it into my winter bee kind that also has top insulation. I usually don’t wrap my hives but if I do it’s just for wind block.

[@andyme275]

Congrats to the winner! Love these videos on preparing your hives for winter! Some great tips and things to think about. Great to watch as I build some frames for spring.

[@passion125]

🎉🎉Woohoo!! 🎉🎉this is awesome!!! Thank you!!

[@Steele_Wings]

My honey this year was darker also. That late freeze killed the Privet flow but the trees that bloomed late was heavy. Tulip popular and bass wood trees produced more this year.

[@colleenxethakis1455]

Thank you David for all the knowledge. My confidence has skyrocketed since I bought your course and watch your videos. I joined a beekeeping group and Facebook and I recommend you to all the newbies.

[@adamlau6105]

Thanks!

[@beek]

Thank you!!

[@kennethhoward4904]

The wash boarding when the hive gets to hot the bees uses there massive numbers to shade the hive

[@karindinarda8755]

Love your tips! We are looking into starting this spring and I enjoy learning as much as I can before we start and your tips are great!

[@KevinBartlett-dm7ck]

Love your videos, Dave! My wife and I have been watching your channel for about two years now and have taken your Ultimate Course and they have been a big help to us. Can you do a video on ants in a hive? We seem to have a lot more ants than ever before and want to know if that is a problem and what we can do to rid the hive of them.

[@rstlr01]

Decided to over winter singles with candy boards this year. Seeing your bees eat through those while leaving frames full really made me reevaluate my thoughts on needing to overwinter with double deeps if I am doing the candy boards anyway!

[@Michael-yl2iq]

Last night I heard a speaker at our local association describe how he does his that way.

[@BlaineKing-no2vw]

I think washboarding is when the hive heats up, so bees pile up on the side of the hive and flap there wings to cool off the outside of the hive

[@TheWonderfield]

Thanks for this video. Gained a lot of good tips to discern my winterization strategy. I’m in New Jersey where it gets pretty cold. I’d like to keep my screened bottom board open so the debris falls out of the hive. I like the idea of a wind break so cold air doesn’t flow up into the cluster. How do you make that wind break?

[@showmethehoney1475]

You're a god send!!!!!

[@beek]

I'm glad my content is helpful.

[@WoodyCreationz]

Another great video

[@nunofyourbizness5975]

I do think your tips need to include a caveat for northern climates. The honeybee is not indigenous to north America. I lost alot of hives before I figured out i needed an insulated outer cover, foam board insulation tight to the outside and some burlap over the inner cover to prevent dripping. Got 4 swarms after that winter.

[@lauriemillmanrubin50]

Does adding thyme to the sugar water help prevent more or strengthen the brood

[@stevealverson1552]

We really enjoy your videos, my granddaughter and I are new beekeepers and got our first hive in May, so this is our first winter, how much is your winter be kind food supply

[@sigurjonhelgason8943]

DU you run green drone frame in the winter?

[@mark_coyle]

What are your thoughts on filling a frame feeder with dry sugar?

[@beek]

Takes a lot of moisture from the hive to make it dissolve so the bees can consume it. Bee mostly can only consume liquids like nectar and honey.

[@corinneseaside2512]

I believe in wrapping because of my experience. I'm on Cape Cod. I was able to get a hive through 3 winters wrapping with wraps I purchased. Used bottom board burnt added spacer on top for added ventilation. It worked?

[@stevenedwards9471]

Hello David I’m a first time beekeeper so I’m looking forward to overwintering my Hive with your wonderful knowledge and wisdom.l live in a beautiful part of the UK 🇬🇧 and hopefully you can help me with a question please ? I’m about to do an autumnal hive clean. I don’t use a queen excluder so as I break my hive down to clean I’m concerned that the queen may fly off ?.Am I just panicking to much Kind regards Steve 😊

[@gojo1138]

Thanks for sharing all of your wonderfully informative experience and knowledge! My bees are looking great in terms of brood, eggs, larvae, and honey stores in a two brood box configuration. I’m in Northern California and the bees seem to have enough to forage for still but I also fill an in hive frame feeder with 1:1 plus additives in the top brood box. Is it too late to add/should I add an empty brood box or empty honey super at this point?

[@dayman888]

Wouldn't keeping the bees warmer through the winter allow them to consume less honey?

[@pjones1403]

Wish you would have shown a.winter be kind pic or example on screen in this vid. And explained how that works. Since so many keepers put the top cap on in their explanations. But thanks for all.the great info. Hoe can I purchase the winter be kind food. I have a natural hive in my back yard now and have been told that they are more hardy than the ones one might buy.? Could you post yout candy store and supplies page?

[@rugerdogg5316]

If you wrap your hives and have a candy board with a top opening how do the sister bees get the passed older bees out?

[@beek]

I clean out bottom board every 6-8 weeks

[@HengHeng-p6n2o]

can there have more queens for the big hive of bees? or the same box?

[@beek]

Only 1 queen per colony/hive.

[@59trek]

Can i ask you a question, can you feed banana's to your bees , is there any health issues with it

[@ddt1934]

Bananas around bees? Let me know how many times you get stung. Bananas smell like sting pheromones.

[@kathyswim9405]

I would love to order your candy boards, but they are out. When we will have them in stock?

[@corinneseaside2512]

How do you make candy boards?

[@abennett7223]

I believe washboarding is an excited behavior displayed by the bees, like they are standing in line waiting to get in and have nothing to do. They're anxious and releasing some of that energy. Just my guess!

[@bobvilla3079]

You should put your recommendations for winter based on zoning locations, None of this works for me......I'm too far north. Nice video, good basic info for those that live in that same environment

[@beek]

I disagree. This is a simple method of feeding bees when they need it. This applies everywhere. You just have to adjust when you do it. Feeding to raise bees of winter physiology works everywhere, even where it's extremely cold or even where it stays HOT. In hot climates, a nectar flow can end, and bees go into "winter" physiology, which is actually best named "dearth" physiology. This approach just feeds bees when they need it.

[@MarkoBraun-qs6zg]

😊

[@FOXHAVENHIVES]

If I use a double screen to winterize two colonies, and I use candy boards. So I put the candy board on then screen board then second colony, then another candy board? Then a quilt on top of that correct?

[@beek]

No that will defeat the purpose

[@FOXHAVENHIVES]

@@beek I need more explanation. If I tilt the hives forward instead of a quilt box. And not use candy boards? Is it the candy board that will interfere? (For heat) So I need to make sure the colony on the bottom has enough resources on frames? No fondants or candy board?

[@superiorvideoandphotograph375]

Hello Dave, I am planning on putting a hive in my wood working shop for the winter, with a exit going outside. This exit will be a tube of pvc 1/2 ID. The temp will be about 50F in my shop. I live in Waupaca co. Wisconsin. This is my first hive, It has about 30,000 bees in it. A local bee keeper sold them to me. He has been bee keeping for around 50 years. He is now 80 yo and wants to get out of bee keeping. The hive consist of a single deep box and two medium boxes. they are full of honey and brood. I have been feeding them sugar water of 2 to 1 ratio. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks for any info you can give.

[@tracir3128]

Hi David, do you have a video showing how you make the winter bee kinds? Looked around but couldn't find it.

[@beek]

The product or the candy?

[@tracir3128]

@@beek The actual candy itself...already bought a candy board and quilt box before I discovered your winter bee kind boards could be purchased so will have to look into that next year but was hoping to make some of the candy and just set it on wax paper on my empty candy board.

[@Amerc04]

I have your inner cover with the feeder jar holes, can I still use that over winter ? I'm in Central Georgia

[@beek]

As long as temps are above 50 (f) it will likely assist the bees. For me to feed liquid I want the bees to be able to take cleansing flights too.

[@VidKatMA1]

Is that only in heavy Winter regions that the q.e. MUST be removed? Here in (mostly) hot, dry Canyon Country, So. Cal. we tend to leave the q.e. in as the Colony does not heavily cluster. I keep saying I want to remove it, but my husband does not want to risk the queen laying in the Flow Super.

[@beek]

I'm making a video this weekend on this. Keep watching.

[@klocalr]

I guess it depends on where you are located also?

[@kathyw6635]

When my hives come out of the winter strong, they would swarm. They swarm so early that I have to split them in May, too early for MA when there are still cold snaps. I have tried to add super, but it doesn't work. How do you prevent your strong hives from swarming, other than split them?

[@laurameno9595]

What do you think of two brood boxes and two capped over supers with no extra feed assuming my brood and such are great?

[@rstlr01]

According to the video that I just watched here it is overkill. But he did say all beekeeping is local

[@klocalr]

In your previous video you mentioned that Rhododendronshould be avoided but what about this species (Rhododendron schlippenbachii) which are native to east asia? Like korea where i live?

[@davewoods5260]

I'm treating for mites with one dose of Apiguard. It is starting to get cooler in North Idaho. Should I give them the second dose or feed them .while it's still

[@JohnBarnes-jt9yi]

How did the apiguard do? I’m using essential oil of red Thyme and it works from observation of bees.

[@Benham_Design]

I'll trade you a real winter be kind for a 3d printed winter be kind. I have a printer and software to draw it. Just need to measure one.

[@MrSnapper1d]

How many hives do you have?

[@beek]

More than I have time to take care of

[@thebeecommander]

Hey David...whats the best way to get in touch with you about a conference next September? Thank you

[@beek]

Thank you. Email my staff: [e-mail]

[@michaelmorgan1055]

I would love to print a honey bekind for u

[@j.clarkhelton7883]

Washboarding??? Could it be that they are ingesting microscopic algae, bacteria,spores during the growth season?

[@dperkwoopdwoop]

If I use a flow hive, should I still keep the super on and remove the queen excluder?

[@melissamartin8208]

I only saw two honeybees in my yard this season. Lots of bumblebees. Where are the honeybees? Are B. Gates chem trails killing them?

[@businesscommunication5183]

What is the best way to feed bees in cold weather....Winter Patties? Can patties work just as well as 1to1 if your not worried about mites?

[@beek]

Great question for tonight's livestream, every Thur 7pm CT. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live

[@aaronparis4714]

lol how do you afford To feed your bees all winter long 😅your crazy I’m up in Canada you don’t need that big or that much honey for winter the important thing is to have the hive well insulated poly hives if u can and no silly top entrances

[@dariuszdata1431]

Leave the screen bottom board open ?! You gotta be kidding me 😂 maybe where you live but not in CO where it can drop to -50*F I was gonna watch the video but I'm gonna stop right there.

[@AdeleFrizzell-j7e]

Southeast Idaho here - we leave our bottom board open and they’re fine.

[@jesseyoung3039]

it’s like this dude is reading my mind WTF

[@xskydivex]

Thanks!

[@59trek]

Can i ask you a question, can you feed banana's to your bees , is there any health issues with it

[@beek]

People have fed bananas to bees forever. Yes, I know it smells like the alarm pheromone, but bees will still sometimes eat bananas for the sugar.

[@59trek]

@@beek but is there any health issues that can arise from feeding bananas to bees