616 



GI-EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



OOTOBBR, 1921 



THE WINTERING PROBLEM 



IN spite of all 

 that has been 



wr i 1 1 e n on 

 the subject, win- 

 t c r i n ,g still 

 stands out as 

 one of the big 

 problems in bee- 

 keeping. Every 

 V e a r, winter . , • 



takes its toll of colonies of bees in this 

 country, often 10% and sometimes, in re- 

 stricted areas, even 60% or more of the 

 colonies. Even in the sunny South, winter 

 losses are quite common, often being as 

 heavy as in the far North. 



In addition to the loss of colonies, some- 

 times a large percentage of those which sur- 

 vive the winter are so depleted that they 

 can be of but little value in honey produc- 

 tion the following season. How many in- 

 dustries could stand such losses and con- 

 tinue to exist? But there are beekeepers 

 scattered thruout the country who not only 

 winter practically all their colonies even 

 during severe winters, but who succeed year 

 after year in carrying them thru in good 

 condition to build lip for the harvest. What 

 do these men do that others fail to do? 



There are but a few factors essential to 

 successful wintering. When these are pres- 

 ent to a sufficient degree in the fall, good 

 wintering should result even during severe 

 winters. These factors are so well known 

 that it seems unnecessary to enumerate 

 them here. Since they are almost wholly 

 within control of the beekeeper, w'inter 

 losses and depletion of colonies are not nec- 

 essary, provided the beekeeper is willing 

 to pay the price of having the conditions 

 right before winter begins. 



The factors essential to good wintering 

 are: 



(1) Normal colonies of vigorous bees in 

 the fall, most of which are young. 



(2) An ample supply of food easily avail- 

 able thruout the winter. (In the North the 

 winter stores must be of the best quality.) 



(3) Protection that is adequate for the 

 most severe winter that may come in the 

 particular location. 



What Constitutes a Normal Colony in 

 October. 



As pointed out in an editorial in the 

 August issue of this journal, preparation 

 for winter begins in August, so far as hay- 

 ing the colonies in a normal condition in 

 October is concerned. In many cases the 

 first step in preparing the bees for winter 

 is that of replacing old or otherwise infe- 

 rior queens with young ones, doing this in 

 time for the young queen to have at least 

 six weeks, before brood-rearing is suspended 

 for winter, to lay the eggs that produce the 

 winter bees. In other cases the first step in 

 preparation for winter is that of giving 

 several combs of honey to colonies not al- 

 ready amply supplied at the middle of Aug- 



The Three Essentials for Successful 

 Wintering. oA Winter Case Cost- 

 ing Only a Few Cents for Material 



By Geo. S. Demuth 



nst, in order 

 that the number 

 of winter bees 

 shall not be re- 

 d u c e d because 

 of a threatened 

 famine. In other 

 words, the first 

 steps in prepar- 

 ing for winter 

 pertain to brood-rearing during the six 

 weeks just preceding the time that brood- 

 rearing is usually suspended in the fall. This 

 important brood-rearing period is usually 

 the latter half of August and all of Septem- 

 ber in the North, and a little later farther 

 south. If brood-rearing is normal in extent 

 during this period, there should be plenty 

 of young bees for winter. The beekeeper 

 needs only to correct any condition which 

 may prevent the bees carrying out their own 

 program as to brood-rearing during this pe- 

 riod, such as poor queens, lack of stores, or 

 lack of room. The bees will usually do the 

 rest. 



Fortunately thruout large areas in the 

 northeastern part of the United States a 

 good fall honey flow has put the bees in 

 splendid condition for winter, so far as the 

 bees themselves are concerned. In some places 

 late brood-rearing has been excessive, and 

 the hives are now full of young bees, but in 

 some cases they have almost no stores. In 

 other localities there may be plenty of 

 stores for winter, but not many young bees. 

 The deficiency in stores can be corrected, 

 but there is now no remedy for a lack of 

 young bees. To this extent at least, it has 

 already been determined how the bees will 

 winter. Nothing that can be done now can 

 entirely retrieve a situation lost last August. 

 There should be at least about three 

 pounds of young bees in each colony now, 

 in addition to the older ones, for that many 

 (still young if they winter well) will be 

 needed next spring at the beginning of the 

 building-up period. 



Amount of Stores Needed for Winter. 



The second essential for good wintering 

 is an ample supply of stores so arranged 

 that it is within easy reach of the bees 

 thruout the winter. Just how much is need- 

 ed is a question on which beekeepers in dif- 

 ferent localities may never agree, but the 

 mistake of leaving too little is certainly 

 more common than leaving too much. 



Strong colonies wintering perfectly in a 

 northern bee-cellar may consume less than 

 10 pounds of honey during the four or four 

 and a half months they are in the cellar. In 

 fact, there are records of strong colonies 

 consuming even less than five pounds while 

 in the cellar, but after they are put out- 

 side their stores disappear ra^dly. Colo- 

 nies that are well protected outside will con- 

 sume but little more than those in the cellar 

 if they are quiet; but, if active,, they may 

 consume manv times the above amounts. In 



