It wasn't until the weather forecaster called for temperatures in Missouri to be -15F that I decided I needed to bundle up my two honey bee hives.
I'm a first year backyard beekeeper, taking care of two honey bee hives from Don Moore's honey bee farm in St. James, Missouri.
None of my bee books show how to keep honey bee hives warm; one talked about storing the hives in a dark cellar or basement, which I didn't think I would ever have to do.
Another book suggested packing barriers around the honey bee hives like straw, which I didn't have handy.
So here's my solution, hopefully to get them through the next few record cold days:
Cotton quilts lined with mattress pads doubled over themselves and tied up with rope.
I'm a first year backyard beekeeper, taking care of two honey bee hives from Don Moore's honey bee farm in St. James, Missouri.
None of my bee books show how to keep honey bee hives warm; one talked about storing the hives in a dark cellar or basement, which I didn't think I would ever have to do.
Another book suggested packing barriers around the honey bee hives like straw, which I didn't have handy.
So here's my solution, hopefully to get them through the next few record cold days:
Cotton quilts lined with mattress pads doubled over themselves and tied up with rope.
One rock placed over the leftover 1" opening to reduce western wind getting into the bee hive.
I'm still finding dead male honey bees tossed out in the cold. They apparently don't do anything around the hive except wait to mate with the queen.
I read bee hives need air so I didn't want to completely close off the hive entrances. I leaned plastic chairs into the hives to try to reduce more wind currents.
It's not pretty but I hope it works.
Charlotte
Gardening to Distraction on a MO Hill
I'm still finding dead male honey bees tossed out in the cold. They apparently don't do anything around the hive except wait to mate with the queen.
I read bee hives need air so I didn't want to completely close off the hive entrances. I leaned plastic chairs into the hives to try to reduce more wind currents.It's not pretty but I hope it works.
Charlotte
Gardening to Distraction on a MO Hill
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