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FARMERS 
BULLETIN 
Wasurnerton, D. C. - 695 OcroBER, 12, 1915 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. Howard, Chief. 
OUTDOOR WINTERING OF BEES. 
By 3B. F. Puriiies, In Charge of Bee Culture Investigations, 
and 
GrorGE 8S. DemMuTH, Apicultwral Assistant. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The beekeepers of the United States lose at least one-tenth of their 
colonies of bees every winter. This is a minimum loss, which is fre- 
quently increased to one-half and sometimes more in certain sections. 
This decrease is largely due to carelessness or to lack of knowledge, 
and it is entirely practical to reduce it to less than 1 per cent, the 
small loss covering various accidents which can not be foreseen. An 
industry which can survive in the face of such a decrease must have 
great possibilities for commercial advancement when the loss is 
properly reduced. 
An important reason for the unnecessary death of colonies in win- 
ter is the belief of many beekeepers that, since unprotected colonies 
often live over winter, no protection is needed. When, for example, 
heavy insulation of bees is advocated at a beekeepers’ convention, 
some beekeeper usually replies that he has never protected his 
colonies and never loses any. His reported success is often unin- 
tentionally exaggerated, and he indicates by such statements that 
he may not know what constitutes moderately successful wintering. 
Although probably nothing on a farm gives a better return on the in- 
vestment than do bees if well cared for, the majority of beekeepers 
neglect them. It need scarcely be stated that the best beekeepers do 
not follow such a parsimonious and unwise policy. 
It is usually believed that winter loss is confined to the northern 
portions of the country, but this is far from true. The beekeepers 
of the South lose many colonies during this season, and, peculiarly 
Norr.—This bulletin deals with the care of bees.in winter when wintered outside and 
is of interest to beekeepers in all parts sf the United States. 
8058 °—15 
