BBKA Forum

A new tool can predict the odds that honey bee colonies overwintered in cold storage will be large enough to rent for almond pollination in February. Identifying which colonies will not be worth spending dollars to overwinter can improve beekeepers' bottom line.

Does any one put their bees in cold storage? its an interesting thought.


https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190918123034.htm

Been done in Canada for decades...

I thinks it's common across northern US States as well. I thought this research was more to do with raising awareness as much as anything. I'd be amazed if anyone here did it though

Interesting read Chris. Did stop and wonder at the $200 in feed and treatments though - is this shorthand for all husbandry / staffing / overheads and transport costs divided by per colony? Even if they are feeding colonies entirely with provided syrup and supplements, as bulk purchasers it seems high. The varroa loading going into winter seems pretty high as well - not surprised they wither by spring at that rate. Gives a subtext about why they might suffer such high numbers of colony losses overall..

In Northern Canada wintering bees in chillers must be the equivalent of keeping them toasty warm by comparison with the ambient outside temperatures!

I've got a feeling that they leave the entrances open - so it definitely needs to be cold and dark. Imagine what would happen if the chiller was switched off in spring and someone left the light on!

a short video from the canadian beekeeper and his fridge sheds. a red light seems to be order of the day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjyRst-YsVM

The guy in the bbka newsletter puts matchsticks between the boxes in winter -does that count........

Alfred wrote: ↑

08 Oct 2019, 16:52

The guy in the bbka newsletter puts matchsticks between the boxes in winter -does that count........

Oh please, don't get Nigel started

See the letters page of this months BBKA magazine. Maybe there will be an answer to the matchsticks question?

Ahh, yes. I wrote a letter to the magazine. Questions were:-

1) Why every year we get articles telling us to use matchsticks for winter preparation when many roll about on the floor when they see such advice and
2) What's the definition of a winter loss.

See the accompanying answer in the magazine - The next winter loss survey may well have further questions as to how beekeepers hive their bees and the losses as a result!