How I am preparing my Fall hives for Winter

I have been run off my feet recently as my hives need so many different things done to them to prepare for Winter. Finally I am into my my last yard so I had to slow down and make a video.

[@glennsnaturalhoney4571]

One thing I've goen to is only using plastic excluders over double nucs. It is easy for the metal excluders to get a little warped and a queen gets through to the other side and kills the other queen. Since changing I havent lost any queens on one side. Just a thought to consider.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I could see that being a solution. thanks

[@rtxhoneybees]

I did several double nucs except mine were 10 frame boxes with a divider board. Several were medium to smallish caught swarms that i wanted to contribute to honey production. That part worked. However, probably 4 out of 5 lost queens on one side. I believe the reason was that one side robbed the other out during the dearth. I intend to do it again next year but i plan to split them up immediately after pulling honey. Im about a month behind you here in Texas. Loioking forward to pulling some fall honey over the next few weeks. Good luck for a successful winter.

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

Good morning, Peter. I'm a bit behind as well. Been hard to stick to a schedule with all the rain we've gotten this year. Thanks for posting, have a great week!

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Thanks, you too!

[@tooldiebum]

Hi Peter is it beneficial to wrap your hive for winter I’ve had bees make it with and without If Cold don’t kill the bees moisture does why do People do it just wondering your opinion thanks

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Bees are very tolerant of cold and many years would be fine without insulation, BUT under certain conditions it can wipe them out. This is particularly true where they have modest to small clusters. On Winter days that are warm and the bees are happily dispersed throughout the hive then the sun sets and temps drop to -5F in a few hours....those are the days that kill hives that are not insulated. This is because they often can not get back into a cluster fast enough and they form many small clusters round the hive , each too small to survive the cold.

[@tooldiebum]

@@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer I see I often forget they do remain somewhat active in the winter not always clustered up thanks for the input Peter have a great weekend

[@framcesmoore]

Ha Peter hope u have a good winter I have a question if u do not mind. did u do your queen check evaluating? combining ect. glad u are posting videos again been a while since you did 1 have a blessed week

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I kind of do that as I go along in the late summer early Fall.

[@brucecarow2511]

Peter, do you winter those 5frame nukes outside for the winter. If so how do you wrap and insulate them?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Keep watching for that video!

[@DIYELEKTRONICKITS]

I save all of my old toilet paper cardboard rolls and they work great to start a smoker as it creates a chimney effect then I used grass clippings, What type of wood pellets do you use? the type used for livestock bedding or pellet stoves?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Pellet stove because thats what I have. I'm sure both would work.