The best option for organizing wintering for bees is the will, that is, on the street. Even severe Russian winters, subject to the necessary warming measures, will allow insects to survive this period safely. In this case, special requirements for the design of hives are not presented. The main thing is compliance with hygroscopicity, thermal insulation and the accompanying comfort conditions. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that wintering of bees on the street in different regions has its own characteristics. And not always cold climatic conditions complicate preparation for this period. In each case, one should use the advantages of the region and strive to minimize negative factors.
Key preparatory activities
Strong bee families hibernate safely in the wild, if the hives are provided with appropriate insulation, feed reserves and wind protection. In many regions, wintering on the street is more popular than indoor, for the reason that after this period there is a more intensive development of families in springtime with early circuits. Experts also emphasize that the constant maintenance of insects in the wild ensures their high productivity and livelihoods. This is evidenced by the volume of honey consumption, which is superior to similar indicators in winter houses.
To achieve these and other positive results, you should understand the question of how to prepare bees for wintering on the street. There are several options for organizing the period. If you plan to leave bees in apiaries, it is advisable to use covers. But this method is not suitable for everyone due to unnecessary costs and hassle. Hives must be combined into common houses, which are subsequently covered with a casing made of any insulating material. In warm regions, hives are left in their original places, making light thermal insulation. If in winter a little snow falls, then you can leave the houses under the snow, which in itself creates an insulating effect. In all cases, it is necessary to provide reliable protection against water and consider good ventilation.
Organization of wintering in sunbeds
The hive-lounger is characterized in that the beekeeper does not form the structure with buildings, but with frames. This optimizes space and generally simplifies maintenance. Rather, it expands the functionality of the hive, providing opportunities for more subtle "settings" of the internal microclimate. The expansion or reduction of space is carried out on the sides - this is, in particular, the classic Dadanov and Ukrainian types of frames. They have almost the same organization of wintering. And yet there is one difference. The fact is that wintering of bees in sunbeds on the street with the use of the Ukrainian model involves the location of feed reserves in a vertical plane. This means that the upper layer will receive benefits in access to bee bread and honey. In Dadanov hives, the frames have a lower height, which is not so beneficial from the point of view of the quality of the content of bees.
So, now it’s worth moving on to the very preparation of the hive lounger for wintering. It is worth starting the audit in the fall, determining the amount of feed reserves, the condition of the fetal uterus, and also the need for feeding. For insulation, you can use polystyrene, customizing the sheets in accordance with the parameters of the hive. You can leave a small gap of 5-7 mm, without bringing the panel close to the wall. This will not harm the insulation, but will ensure the removal of moisture from the nest. In general, the preparation of bees for wintering on the street involves focusing on materials that “breathe”. This applies to wall insulation and ceiling insulation.
The optimal number of frames
For strong families, an 8-10 frame design is usually used. In this case, it is assumed that the family will occupy the entire surface of the elements horizontally. This nuance defines the Dadanov configuration as a more successful option compared to the Ukrainian sunbed. Versions on 18–20 frames are also quite common. This configuration can be varied by removing or adding multiple components.
In determining the number of frames should be guided by the strength of families. Again, a 10-frame design is suitable for strong bees, and options for 5-6 elements are suitable for medium ones. Separately, it is worth considering the situation with weak families, when it is planned to winter the bees on the street on the 2nd framework of the hive. The problem with such nests is that bees are forced to spend more life resources on heating the club. Therefore, there is a risk that they simply will not survive until spring. There can be several ways out of the situation. First of all, it is worth placing such a nest next to a strong family, but through a solid partition. Another effective measure may be to provide each weak family with a separate entrance.
The nuances of ventilation and insulation
Ensuring high-grade air exchange helps eliminate the main danger to bees - dampness. Many mistakenly assume that two letoks in the upper and lower parts are enough. However, exits in severe frosts are covered with layers of hoarfrost, and then the bees themselves are clinging to them. As a result, ventilation is difficult. The solution may be to provide ventilation in the roof, but it is important to provide protection from wind and birds. In this case, the wintering of bees on the street under the film will not help either, since the formation of condensate will lead to even greater accumulations of moisture, which is detrimental even for strong families. It is best to equip the hives with metal ventilation nets.
Another problem in terms of providing microclimate is the sun. In winter, it would seem that this phenomenon should be beneficial, however, sunlight can provoke early oviposition, which is undesirable. Wooden shields, which are used to protect against wind, will help in creating the shade. The greatest attention still requires thermal insulation. There is one caveat in its creation. It is connected with the fact that the bees form the club precisely in the places of warming, which is undesirable. For this reason, wintering of bees on the street without warming is organized, which is also wrong. Insulation should be carried out immediately before the frost, so that families do not have time to create a club near this material. Also, in most cases, it makes no sense to make enhanced insulation on the sides - as a rule, it is enough to warm the roof with high quality.
What should be the honey supply?
When preparing for winter, one rule should be taken into account: feed reserves are better to increase than miscalculated in the direction of their decrease. It would be better if the excess honey would remain unclaimed in the hives than the family would die or starve. Under no circumstances do bees consume food in vain, so parsimony is inappropriate in this case. If a multihull nest is planned, then the preparation of bees for wintering on the street will require a feed supply of about 40 kg. It should also be borne in mind that in winter, families move only vertically. It is best if the stocks are in the upper part - insects will fly up to them from below. The most natural configuration may be a two-tier nest, in which bees can easily move around the streets. In an extreme case, to ensure more free movement, the inter-frame space should be expanded.
If you plan to use traditional nests in sunbeds, then the calculation of honey should be done from the number of frames. For example, in a 12-component hive, 2.5 kg of feed per frame should be left. In addition, wintering of bees on the street will be successful, if you keep full-time shops. This will at least prevent starvation of families and also allow them to conserve vital resources.
Features of wintering in the Urals
In this region, the requirements for microclimate and for top dressing are increasing. You should not forget about the features of preparation in the autumn, before the onset of cold weather. Although the arrival of frost in the Urals is often observed in November, it is not worth rushing to harvest bees in the winter. Insects in these parts are deficient in heat and light, so you need to give them the opportunity to fly before being placed in stuffy and dry houses. However, it was in November that the beekeeper should decide what the wintering of bees on the street would be like. In the Urals, in particular, there are special requirements for the formation of honey reserves. It is advisable to use fireweed honey, white clover, as well as from acacia and clover. And vice versa, the fodder base in the form of honey from colza, rape and mustard should not be left to bees during this period.
During the wintering process, the beekeeper should regularly monitor the microclimate in the hives. Again, the dampness problem is acute in this region, so effective ventilation is necessary. By the way, increased humidity contributes to the deterioration of honey and the death of toilers. Folk advice also helps to combat dampness. For example, experienced beekeepers recommend, in order to preserve feed, in the autumn, renew the provisions with propolis. Oddly enough, wintering of bees on a street in the Urals may include the opening of the upper summers. But this is a justifiable measure to ensure ventilation. In general, so that the bees do not leave the house, it is recommended to maintain a cool microclimate in the hives. But it should be remembered that in such conditions it should be dark.
Features of wintering in the Kuban
Although the Kuban is a southern region, the conditions for wintering here are not the most favorable. The main problems are caused by climate unpredictability. So, if wintering of bees on a street in Siberia involves intensive work with thermal insulation, preparing large feed reserves and all kinds of resistance to frost, then the Kuban can bring surprises in the form of a thaw, which requires the beekeeper to take appropriate measures. The usual story is when during the first November cold weather the beekeeper insulates the houses, counting on winter frosts. However, in January, a sharp increase in temperature may occur. And in March, on the contrary, frosts are possible. Such dynamic climatic conditions may result in weakening families or premature fertility of the uterus.
Only timely measures to adapt the hives to the current temperature and humidity indicators on the street will help to solve problems with microclimatic conditions. But in any case, quality ventilation should be provided. Also, do not overfeed the bees. This is a rare case when excess honey is not good. In addition, wintering of bees on the street in warm regions requires good protection from rodents. The fact is that insects do not tolerate a mouse smell, therefore, special poisonous agents should be provided.
Wintering in the Northwest Region
The place is not the most problematic in terms of severe frosts, but this does not eliminate the need for appropriate insulation and moisture protection. The work should be carried out in three directions: the construction of the hive with the expectation of a long winter, thermal insulation and air exchange. As for the design, in this zone more often use hull two- and single-wall hives, in which it is more convenient to store honey and carry out top dressing. The next question about how to prepare bees for wintering on the street in the Northwest region, relates to thermal insulation and air exchange. These measures should be combined, since the insulation affects ventilation, and vice versa. As practice shows, it is best to use insulating material with high thermophysical properties. It will help to remove water vapor from the hive, and the family in such a house will consume less honey.
Features of wintering in the suburbs
In this case, a balanced approach to all the nuances of ensuring wintering is important. As the experience of beekeepers of the Moscow Region shows, one can count on a successful wintering under the following conditions: the absence of snow embankments (even taking into account their heat-insulating properties), the exclusion of any coatings and wrapping materials, the organization of ventilation through a round notch in the upper part. A sufficient amount of feed is also placed on the frame, but so that the filling takes place by half the element. Such a decision will allow the family to organize the basis of the club on the frame. But there is another opinion - that the wintering of bees on the street in the suburbs should be organized with full-time limits, otherwise the family will be exhausted or die of hunger. But here a lot depends on the state of the bees. For example, it is better for a strong family to leave more free space, and a weak one - to provide a sufficient amount of feed.
Conclusion
From what the outcome of the wintering will be, the vital activity of the bees in the spring time, which is responsible in terms of productivity, depends. A well-wintered family is rapidly developing and gaining strength for the upcoming honey collection. Conversely, in poor conditions, families become exhausted and lose their queens. In this sense, wintering of bees on the street is considered by experts as the most successful option for organizing favorable conditions in such a difficult period. For comparison, in the premises in which they live until spring, the conditions are unnatural, which negatively affects the condition of families. Another thing is that wintering in the wild alone imposes a lot of worries on the beekeeper, who needs to create a suitable microclimate. In addition to temperature and ventilation, proper feed calculation is required. In the complex, all the described activities will allow you to survive until spring with strong and healthy bee families.