Hive Hugger Springtime 2024 Q&A

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This unusually warm winter brought new challenges for beekeepers. Peggy DeSanto, cofounder of the Hive Hugger products, gives a Q & A to discuss common springtime hive thermodynamics questions.

[@JamesMurray-wd2nr]

Thank You Peggy Excellent Presentation! This Data is Hopeful👍100% Survival overwintering 1 Hive using the Hive-Hugger this past winter in Massachusetts BEE Tested and Beekeeper Approved!🐝👍Great Product!

[@PeggyDeSanto-rr7zv]

I really appreciate your positive feedback on the presentation and on the product performance. My best, Peg

[@mr.musiccity3366]

Very interesting, I didn't know we were the major cause of their clustering. Thank you Miss Peggy!

[@PeggyDeSanto-rr7zv]

Yes, with access to in hive thermal sensors and thermal imaging we are able to understand much more what is going on in there. Thank you for your kind feedback. My best, Peg

[@jonathandangers5009]

Hi, thanks so much for this presentation. My wife and I watched your presentation this past fall and modified our insulation/ventilation accordingly. We started beekeeping two springs ago and successfully wintered our first two hives the following winter (with exterior insulation) and five hives this winter. We live in the Kansas City metro. Our major "problem" if you can call it that has been starting the spring with huge colonies that have quickly outgrown their available space in spite of our attempts to add space. All 5 of our colonies started swarm prep in early April (as did both colonies last spring, which is why we have five now). We've made 3 splits so far this spring and given 2 away to friends. We had to let 1 swarm go because we were out of time and equipment. We've been trying to stall the last one while adding more space. We were very much trying not to grow our apiary this year and did not intend to do so last year either. Have you found this "problem" to be common with insulated hives? Any insights into potential solutions apart from selling nucs as a side business? We have two traditional langs, one 30 frame long lang, and two 20 frame Layen's hives (and now a Layen's nuc with unmated queen). All of the long hives have run out of space entirely--the entire structure jam packed with bees, and both traditional langs increased population faster than they could draw new comb on the supers we added. Thanks in advance!

[@PeggyDeSanto-rr7zv]

Hello Jonathan. I am happy that the modification on overwintering your hives made a difference! :) I had to chuckle a bit as I read your comment. You are not alone...yes, robust spring colonies are a "problem" with well insulated, condensing hives. Other beekeepers have been reaching out asking the same question. If they are not in a place to expand their apiary, many are selling nucs from their overwintered hives. Randy Oliver just put out a new KZbin five days ago called Randy Oliver on Spring Management. He gives great recommendations on how to manage strong spring colonies. Thank you for sharing your experiences. My best, Peg

[@mcorne8134]

Great data- My results with Hive Hugger this past winter - 100% survival- 5 of 9 colonies are late March splits and others are split ready early April- Central Indiana.

[@PeggyDeSanto-rr7zv]

So great to hear! Thank you for sharing and for your kind feedback. :) Peg