Wintering Honey Bee Colonies With & Without Upper Entrances:Comparing Internal Temperature, Humidity, Food Consumption, Spring Cluster Size & Survival

View the project report

Commodities

• Animals: bees

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health

This project seeks to compare honey bee colonies wintering with and without notched inner covers as upper entrances. The specific objectives are to assess the impacts on internal hive temperature, relative humidity within the hive, winter food consumption, spring cluster size, and over-winter survival. These data will allow a full assessment of the potential costs and benefits of having an upper entrance and ventilation in a cold winter climate. The study will clarify the accuracy of the common belief that without an upper entrance the hive will become too humid and the moisture will condense out and rain down on the bees. This study will allow beekeepers to make an informed, data-based decision about whether to use notched inner covers as upper entrances, instead of just basing that decision on common practice and untested theory. If the results support the suspected detrimental impact on wintering colonies, this study has the potential to overturn a common practice that may well be contributing to the high winter colony mortality in our region.  If so, a simple management change would have a significant impact on northeast farmers and their net farm income.  

This project seeks to compare honey bee colonies wintering with and without notched inner covers as upper entrances. The specific objectives are to assess the impacts on:

1) internal hive temperatures

2) relative humidity within the hive

3) winter food consumption

4) spring cluster size

5) over-winter survival

These data will allow us to assess the potential costs and benefits of having an upper entrance and ventilation in a cold winter climate. The humidity sensors will provide relevant data with regards to the common belief that without an upper entrance the hive will become too humid and the moisture will condense out and rain down on the bees. This study will allow beekeepers to make an informed, data-based decision about whether to use notched inner covers as upper entrances, rather than simply basing the decision on common practice and theory. If the results support the suspected detrimental impact on wintering colonies, this study has the potential to modify a common management practice and thereby help increase winter survival in cold climates.