Hoop House or other winter structures

GJP · October 22, 2008, 10:11:29 PM

I'm looking for information on wintering colonies in a shed or hoop house. I've seen articles in AMJ about large operators storing hives in pole barns and was wondering if anyone does similar things with smaller numbers. I'm set for this winter but just curious for the future.

Thanks,

Greg

charlotte · October 23, 2008, 12:04:12 AM

Greg-
I am a total newbie- and have read the same info...I was planning next winter to put an old white calf hut over mine for winter with maybe some straw bales around the outside. If it gets warm enough the bees can still get in and out and plenty of light will let in, and keep the wind off. Fortunalty, I happen to have some calf huts laying around and available. Also, I won't have to move the hives...I ran this by a local beek here and he was going to try it this winter...usually he moves them into a root cellar..but what a pain to move the hives. Just my two cents.

GJP · October 23, 2008, 11:33:27 AM

I have a chance to pick up a hoop house this fall for my garden. I'd set it up awful close to where my hives are now and get my garned jump started this spring. I was then thinking about trying one or both of them in the hoop house next winter. I'd have a way in and out for them but was afraind they might get too active and use up their stores because of the higher temps in the hoop house. Thats why I also asked about a shed. A calf crate doesn't sound too bad either.

Thanks,

Greg

charlotte · October 23, 2008, 12:58:12 PM

Good point about using the winter stores up..I hadn't really thought about that. But from what I have read too, a lot of times the bees have plenty of stores, but can't move toward it because they are so cold. Alittle warmer in that case would be good. I suppose the best thing would be to maybe leave a little more honey for them, just in case, and check on them in Feb to be sure they still have enough to last them. Could always add dry sugar with newspaper then if needed, since it would be too cold for syrup. I hope we hear from someone that has tried this out, as I am just a speculator! :)

Shawn · October 23, 2008, 01:45:27 PM

I once thought that and i wrapped my hive for the winter, only have one. I read "Stop wrapping your hives" and it makes since. Here is the link

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm

GJP · October 23, 2008, 02:04:07 PM

I've read an awful lot of stuff as a first year beek and have used a lot of the info from Michael Bush's website. I've gone to top entrances, foundationless or starter strip frames as well as screened bottom boards and no chemicals. I was able to get about 3 gallons of honey off one of the hives and the other one swarmed because I over fed it. I've been trying to get the one that swarmed back up to speed but have not had much luck. The first queen the hive produced was a drone layer or I had a laying worker, so then I introduced a new queen who started strong until the hive supeseded her. I also switch hive positions, fed and anything else I could think of. It is now very light and still has a pretty good number of drones with the vast majority of the brood being drone as well. The idea about the hoop house or indor winter storage is one I wanted some input on for future reference. I built some ventilated top entrances from the Bushy Mountain website and will be adding the 2" of insulation this weekend. Still considering putting an inch of foam around the hive. With top entrances and screened bottom boards I figure they'll have plenty of ventilation and the insulation will help keep the Wisconsin wind out of the hive. I'm also prepared to buy new packages next spring!!!

Greg

charlotte · October 23, 2008, 02:17:19 PM

Greg-
I just now noticed that you too are in WI. I am near LaCrosse. What type of bees do you have? Where did you get them from, if you don't mind me asking. This is a dilema for me, because so many people around here have had a really hard time wintering them, with HUGE losses.. I plan to start a couple hives in the spring, and am kind of leaning toward getting a package of carnies, and one of italian from Dadant in Watertown, for ease of convenience, and see what happens the first year. And me too, planning on replacing if I lose them, maybe with another type if I have bad luck.. :?

GJP · October 23, 2008, 04:27:33 PM

Charlotte,

I got my packages from Lapp Bee Supply in Reesville, WI not too far from Watertown and Dadant. My bees are Italians. I learned a lot this year and the most important thing was that the bees don't read the books and will do what they want when they want most of the time no matter what you try to do. It's been a great time and I'm definitely hooked. Just keep wondering what they will throw at me next year. I'll check the hives out in February and then determine if I need new packages. If I do, I'm looking at trying to find some packages or nucs from other Wisconsin or Minnesota beeks.

Greg

charlotte · October 23, 2008, 04:35:06 PM

Do Lapps actually raise the bees or get them from somewhere else? Dadant says they get them from northern CA. Would be nice to find a place in WI that actually has bees from WI. There is also a place in MN, just over the border by Lacrosse that you can get singles and nucs from. B&B Honey Farm. They have all MN hygenic that come from Texas. If you know of anyone that sells bees from MN or WI that actually raise them here, please let me know. I'm just not sure how well bees from California or Texas, regardless of the breed would adjust to our climate..maybe part of why so many people I have spoke to have such a hard time wintering them. Almost everyone around here has gotten their bees from either one or the other places above. Unless they have some good ol' wild bees :)

GJP · October 24, 2008, 09:08:37 PM

Charlotte,

I'm pretty sure Lapp's gets their bees from California too. I met a beek form Galesville a few months back and they do have nucs available or did late summer. I would guess they would have some next srping as well or could point you to someone else. Her name is Markie Pendlton @ 608-582-3010. Not sure if she is chemical free or not!

Greg

tandemrx · October 24, 2008, 09:34:48 PM

Kind of hijacking the thread - other than I can say one of my neighbors is planning on moving his bees from just outside his barn to inside his barn . . . I was wondering how the bees would orient to such a move, even though it is a fairly short distance.

Also, my mentor beekeeper puts many of his nucs and hives in a root cellar and feels he has great success with this method given our tough winters.

I am in Southeast WI, but got my first two hives from my mentor, a commercial size operator who sells nucs close by me. He is fairly averse to chemicals/antibiotics, although I know he does some formic acid for mites and does some terramycin . . . but overall is a pretty "organic" guy (just a phrase, he doesn't sell organic stuff or advertise as organic).

Anyway, if you wanted to go this far for "Wisconsin" bees I could put you in contact with him. Its close to Delavan/Whitewater.

In regards to the Dadant bees, they sell a ton of packages to people in our area and everyone seems to do o.k. with them, although I don't know numbers in terms of winter survival of these "hollywood" bees.

Michael Bush · October 24, 2008, 10:13:08 PM

What is a "hoop house"? If it's a greenhouse I would NOT put them in a greenhouse. Try a search on here for "greenhouse" for previous discussions of why this is a very bad idea.

Try reading Mel Disselkoen's article on wintering nucs in Minnesota:
http://www.mdasplitter.com/article.htm

He puts these around them:
http://www.mdasplitter.com/pics/articlePic3.JPG
http://www.mdasplitter.com/pics/articlePic2.JPG

And makes some observations on wrapping and not and compares the results.

GJP · October 25, 2008, 10:27:59 PM

Tandemrx,

Who is your mentor in the Delavan/Whitewater area? I grew up in Darien and went to Delavan-Darien High School (30+ years ago). I'd be very interested because there used to be a Harry Reimer in Delavan that kept bees back by the cemetary. He passed away a couple of years ago but someone may have picked up his bees.

Thanks,

Greg

GJP · October 25, 2008, 10:29:27 PM

Michael,

I had heard some things about sheds etc for the winter and was just wondering about hoop houses (small green houses) but decided the extra temp would mess things up. Thanks for the links.

Greg

wisconsin_cur · May 20, 2009, 05:35:38 AM

Quote from: tandemrx on October 24, 2008, 09:34:48 PM

Also, my mentor beekeeper puts many of his nucs and hives in a root cellar and feels he has great success with this method given our tough winters.

Though winter is far away it is never far from my mind.

I am wondering if any special preparation needs to be done before over wintering in a root cellar. I have an earth berm garage that stays between 30-40 degrees all winter and have considered storing hives there during the worse of our winters, from say late Nov to late Feb. I am wondering is moisture a problem since root cellars are generally humid (if they have a dirt floor anyway). Is there anything else that one needs to be aware of or different they need to do in order to successfully store underground?