Winterizing the Layens Horizontal Beehive

[@raincoast9010]

Wow, they've really closed that entrance down.

[@christinad2896]

Thank you for the great video. We built our Layens hive as well and have been beekeeping for one month. We are learning a lot

[@dennisnorman1181]

Excellent videos. Very well done.

[@jphomebrew]

Great content. Thanks for sharing.

[@Burntbranchcreekbees]

You had many partial frames of honey and nectar during your honey harvest. I would have likely pulled a couple of those frames and placed one at each end of the weak hive (from one of the boxes with 10 or more frames).

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

You are correct and that would have been a good plan - except that this video was made in 2021 and the honey harvest was in 2022. At the time of this video, even though most of the other colonies were strong, none had enough excess honey that I was comfortable taking from one to support the other. But had this video been made this last year I would probably have followed your strategy.

[@yaddahaysmarmalite4059]

this last summer one of my colonies absconded. they left behind 10+ frames each of which had honey and 2 frames with unhatched brood. they must really have not liked the location I put their box in. probably too exposed. it was a strong colony from a swarm I caught this same year. i'm a bit sad about it. they were doing so well.

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

This happened to one of mine this summer, too, and it was a superstar, highly productive hive even though I didn't expect them to survive last winter. It was a disappointing loss but, by chance, I happened to check on the hive (which was located in a remote location) just as robbing was starting. So I was able to salvage and freeze multiple frames for use in strengthening other hives. I've heard of a lot of absconding colonies this summer and fall, just as I heard of (and saw) a lot of swarming this spring.

[@JoSeeFuss]

How close of environment is where your at in Missouri like Central Arkansas? I'm looking to first buy an 70 acre plot of land with the east side border being a year round creek. My thought process is to check out the land, clear a large portion (I'm in the process of retiring) and replant with perennial vegetation that's conducive for bees. Thoughts????

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

I'm in East Central Missouri (St Louis Region), so central Arkansas would be warmer, on average. But close enough that I think winter preparations would be the same. As for your plans, I love the idea of planting especially for the bees, but I wouldn't clear too much forest to do so. My thoughts: a white clover meadow and patches of wildflowers would be great, but bees also thrive in wooded areas. Dr. Leo Sharaskin probably has some thoughts on that - he works to preserve forested areas, that might otherwise be cleared for cattle, for honeybee habitat.

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

P.S. Congratulations, and good luck, on your retirement.

[@Dimitri.Angelopoulos]

Heello. I have a question about the divider board on a Layens hive. Is it necessary to leave a small gap underneath the board when we're getting the bees ready for the winter? I live in southeast Wisconsin.

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

Having a gap at the bottom of the divider over winter allows dense, moist air to vent away from the colony at the bottom without creating a chimney effect. It may not be critical to have the gap, but without it more moisture will be trapped in the hive with the colony. Personally I don't think moisture in the hive is the killer that many say - as long as condensation isn't dripping on the bees - and it's often the bees' only water source over winter. But excess moisture will promote mold on the sides of the hive and the divider board.

[@Dimitri.Angelopoulos]

@@SuburbanSodbuster I totally agree with you. Condensation on the walls and not above the cluster I don't think it's a bad thing because it's a water resource for the bees in the winter. I was more afraid that if I leave a gap under the board, a small colony of bees might not be able to keep the cluster warm. That's my only concern. Thanks again for your help

[@yaddahaysmarmalite4059]

when you are inspecting a hive, bees get all over inside the box. with a gap under the divider board, the bees can find their way back to the frames. when the hive is strong, there will be bees all over inside the box regardless and so they are able to guard the inside of the box well but they will only build comb on the frames. it may make you think the divider board is unnecessary but the bees obviously prefer to have a divider board present.

[@robertthornton9790]

For happier bees try working from the back instead of standing in front of your entrances.

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

I was standing behind the hive. The camera was in front of the hive.

[@benjamindejonge3624]

Where’s the metric for us modern world

[@jphomebrew]

Did they make it?

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

The Cemetery Swarm did not survive winter, but the split colony did. I split them again this year and both resulting colonies have been really strong.

[@mannatuu]

you need to get a wind muffle on that mic...painful .

[@followme8238]

Does the cover compress the wool or do you have a different cover just for winter use?

[@SuburbanSodbuster]

I use ventilated covers (per plans on horizontalhive dot com). These rest on a ledge inside of the lid, leaving space between the frames and the inside of the top of the lid. So there might be a little compression but, for the most part, the pillow just fills the space. If I used insulated lids then the pillow would be unnecessary. I'm thinking about insulating my lids because, besides heat retention in winter, it should be helpful for heat management when the sun's shining on top of the hives in the summer.