THE PREPARATION OF BEES FOR OUT- 

 DOOR WINTERING. 



E. F. PHrLL.rpS, ApieuUurist, anil Geokge R. Demttth, ApiouUural Assistant. 



CONTENTS. 



Tlie essentials to success 



Necessity for strong colonies m the fall. 



Arrangement of the apiary 



Insulation of the hive 



Arrangement within the lii\ e 



Page. 



3 



4 



4 



6 



11 



Page. 



Winter schedule 14 



Winter stores IS 



All the factors of good wmt ering are needed. . 19 

 Measures of success in wintering 20 



N'"0 PROBLEM confronting tlie beekeeper in most parts of the 

 United States is of more importance than the proper wintering 

 of bees, yet it is one which is sadly neglected. It is urged that before 

 attempting to make packing cases for the wintering of bees the bee- 

 keeper study Department Bulletin 93, Temperature of the Honeybee 

 Cluster in Winter, and Farmers' Bulletin 695, Outdoor Wintering of 



Bees. 



THE ESSENTIALS TO SUCCESS**' 



I* 

 The essentials to success in caring for a,^ normal colony of bees 

 from the end of one season's honey-flow tq^^he beginning of the next 

 lie in providing three things in abundance: (1) Stores of good 

 quality, (2) protection from wind and cold, and (3) room for the 

 rearing of brood at appropriate times. These factors are all of the 

 greatest importance, and an omission of any one of them may prevent 

 completely the gathering of the honey crop of the following year, 

 and if any of the factors axe given in less degree the honey crop 

 invariably is reduced. The importance of these essentials does not 

 apply equally at all times from the end of one season to the begin- 

 ning of the next, but at some time they are all vitally essential ; and 

 it is the purpose of this bulletin to show how all three may be given 

 in the early fall, so that, without further handling, the colonies will 

 come through the spring with the maximum population. If, for ex- 

 ample, the room for breeding is not provided in the fall, it becomes 

 necessary to handle the colony early in the spring, and this may be 

 detrimental. Similarly, it is the practice of some beekeepers to add to 

 the stores of the colony in the spring, rather than to leave enough 



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