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WINTERING HONEY BEE COLONIES <br /> 0 <br /> IN NORTHERN CLIMATES <br /> Honey bee colonies can survive long, cold and snowy winters in northern climates if they have the following: <br /> 1. Sufficient honey stores to survive the winter through March. In Minnesota, a colony needs 75-100 lb of <br /> stored honey. <br /> 2. An upper entrance for bees to take cleansing flights. <br /> 3. A material over the inner cover that allows moisture to evaporate from the top portion of the hive, such <br /> as a moisture board. <br /> 4. A healthy queen bee and a large adult bee population covering 15-18 frames when temperatures are <br /> over 60°F, and a cluster covering 8-12 full frames when temperatures are below 50°F (Figure 38). <br /> 5. Low levels of mites and disease. Stay up to date on current information in the Honey Bee Diseases and <br /> Pests manual. <br /> Colonies with all five of these requirements have a higher probability of survival over the winter compared to <br /> colonies that lack even one of them. Colony health going into winter is much more important than how the <br /> colonies are wrapped. See Figure 39 for seasonal management practices that help ensure a colony is healthy <br /> enough to overwinter. <br /> Figure 38.A good winter cluster. • <br /> wrt <br /> is <br /> - , f„Y <br /> ! '4' <br /> ' d P <br /> ' -"+.,. r 'xi V.gkel •-,ai.,..% yeit. mr•itlt ,,_ <br /> y. <br /> \ ''' :'"'. ti•; .'' 1.41$141 : :;iir; <br /> \ • <br /> z <br /> ,.'.‘, '' irCA'\ <br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 46 <br />