Methods and Precautions for Keeping Bees Safe Through Winter in Rural Areas of North and South China
Overwintering bees is something every apiary and beekeeper must face, and how well it is done directly affects the harvest of the coming year. It must never be treated carelessly. Below, the editor will explain in detail: How should bees farmed in rural areas of North and South China be kept safe through winter? What needs attention?
I. How should bees farmed in rural areas of North and South China be kept safe through winter?
1. Outdoor overwintering method (this method is suitable for the South).
If bee colonies overwinter outdoors, the hives can be packed with rice straw. There are two packing methods: The first is the single-colony packing method. First use a straw curtain to surround the front wall, back wall and lid of the hive, then use another straw curtain to surround the lid, bottom and both side walls, leaving the entrance open, and then wrap it with plastic film to protect against rain. The second is the combined packing method. First lay bricks or stones on the ground, then arrange a row of empty hives, spread a 10 cm thick layer of rice straw on the lids, then place the hives in groups of 3 to 5 colonies, with each group not exceeding 7 colonies at most, arranged on the straw. Fill the gaps between the hives with rice straw, and at the same time surround the front, back, left, right and top with straw curtains, and finally wrap with plastic film to protect against rain. The entrances should all be kept 10 mm high, and the width should be 20 mm for every 4 frames of bees. The external packing of the colonies should begin when the temperature drops below 0°C, and it must be completed in one go to prevent mice from getting in and harming the bees, causing economic losses.
2. Cellar overwintering method (this method is suitable for the North).
After the weather turns cold, that is, before the Start of Winter, the bee cellar should be dug. When digging the cellar, choose a place with high terrain, a low water table, hard soil, and a sunny, wind-sheltered location. When the ground freezes, the bees can be moved into the cellar. When moving them in, remove the outer cover, block the entrance, carry them into the cellar and place them on the hive racks. During management, attention should be paid to keeping warm, preventing light, and preventing moisture. It should also be kept quiet. When spot-checking the colonies, do not disturb or get close to the colonies. In the early and late stages of overwintering, the cellar temperature changes greatly, so you should frequently (preferably once a day) go into the cellar to check the cellar temperature and other conditions, to prevent accidents in the colonies. When checking, if the colony makes a crackling sound, it indicates that the cellar temperature is too low; if the colony makes an even tone, it indicates that it is suitable, neither too cold nor too hot. According to the different sounds made by the colony, measures should be taken to raise or lower the cellar temperature, so as to ensure the health of the bees and safe overwintering.
II. What needs attention?
1. Pay attention to the location of the hive
Generally, it should be placed in a wind-sheltered, sunny, dry and warm place, so that the colony is not attacked by cold waves and cold air. The hive is best placed under the eaves facing south, 10 cm to 15 cm above the ground, and can also be placed in a dry cave to overwinter the bees. Because caves are warm in winter and cool in summer, the entrance and exit holes of the hive should face into the cave.
2. Pay attention to adjusting the entrance
The entrance height is generally 7 mm, and the width is 60 mm to 70 mm. Before severe cold arrives, the entrance should be properly shaded to reduce direct sunlight entering the hive and encourage the colony to cluster for warmth. After the hive is fixed, it must not be moved or shifted at will, so as not to disturb the bees and cause the bees in the hive to consume heat due to agitation.
3. Pay attention to storing enough winter honey
Before the beginning of winter, carefully check the honey reserves in the hive. Although bees are in a semi-dormant state during overwintering, hunger is still one of the causes of bee death in winter. Make sure the bees have enough food to overwinter; each hive should be stocked with 1.5 kg to 2.5 kg of honey. If honey is insufficient, mix 1 part ripe honey with 4 parts white sugar, knead it into pills and add them to the comb for feeding, so that spring decline will not occur. When adding honey combs, it is best to do so at noon on a sunny day.
4. Pay attention to merging weak colonies
Usually, when the queen bee stops laying eggs, remove the old queen bee to be culled, and merge its bees and brood combs into other colonies.
5. Pay attention to covering and keeping warm
According to the principle of “thick for weak colonies, thin for strong colonies”, cover the hive with 3 to 5 layers of thick paper or straw curtains, and after the Winter Solstice cover the top of the hive with gunny sacks, but an exit entrance must be left at the front of the hive.
III. There are also ten precautions for overwintering bees:
1. Prevent overheating. The suitable temperature for overwintering bees is -2-8°C. At this time, the bees cluster in the hive and rely on eating honey to maintain life, being in a dormant state. But if there are many days during the entire overwintering period when the temperature is above 8°C, the bees will be highly active, consume more feed, and the worker bees will age quickly, making spring reproduction difficult and delaying the production period. Methods to prevent overheating include ventilation, sprinkling water, or using an electric fan to cool down.
2. Prevent cold. Overwintering bees in temperatures below -2°C will also become more active. They mainly increase food intake, keep swinging their abdomens, and rely on activity to generate heat to resist severe cold. This not only consumes a large amount of feed but also ages the worker bees and shortens their lifespan. Methods to prevent cold are: small colonies should be exposed to more sunlight during the day, and at night the entrance should be closed as much as possible, filling gaps and holes in the hive.
3. Prevent dryness. In dry winters with no snow or rain for a long time, prevent the bees from being thirsty and dry. Spray an appropriate amount of water in the apiary to increase humidity and prevent the bees from suffering from dry thirst.
4. Prevent dampness. In winter, the humidity inside the hive is best at 70%-80%. Above 80%, the feed easily becomes thin and deteriorates, and bees are prone to big-belly disease and diarrhea after eating it. If the humidity is relatively high, a layer of plastic film should be placed under the hive, or quicklime and dry furnace slag should be scattered around the hive. On clear days above 10°C, the bees can be allowed to defecate and fly freely in a planned way.
5. Prevent stuffiness. Bees cannot do without fresh air at any time inside the hive. Prevent corpses and debris from blocking the entrance and suffocating the colony. On heavy snowy days, especially prevent snow from sealing the entrance.
6. Prevent diseases and pests. The hive should be kept clean and hygienic, and attention should be paid to disinfection. In winter, mice will gnaw the hive, eat bees and destroy combs. If mouse activity is found in the apiary, use poisoned bait and traps to capture and kill them.
7. Prevent vibration. Bees like quiet and fear vibration. Especially in the late overwintering period, the bees are very weak, and the accumulated feces in their abdomens are hard to bear; if they are subjected to vibration, they often drop from the combs, freeze stiff and die. Therefore, in the apiary, it is strictly forbidden to strike loudly sounding instruments or set off firecrackers.
8. Prevent starvation. Whether the feed throughout the overwintering period is of good quality and sufficient quantity is the foundation of successful overwintering. Most high-quality feed is digested after the bees eat it; the colony is quiet and stable, has a long lifespan, reproduces quickly in spring, and does not suffer spring decline. After bees eat low-quality feed, little is digested and much residue remains; the feces cannot be contained in the intestines, and big-belly disease and severe diarrhea easily form; in mild cases some die of illness, and in severe cases the whole colony dies. High-quality feed should be capped honey combs taken in late autumn. If the nectar flow has passed, high-quality syrup should be fed early to let the bees fully brew it.
9. Prevent light. Bees are phototactic. If the winter apiary is outdoors, it should be covered to avoid light, minimizing empty flights by the bees.
10. Prevent feed crystallization. Bees have no teeth, and they cannot eat crystallized feed. Methods to prevent crystallization: First, use high-quality honey as feed, such as acacia honey and jujube honey; second, use white sugar solution as feed. When the apiary is too dry, sprinkle water to maintain suitable humidity, and the position of the hive must not be moved at will.