Ventilation, Insulation, & Mouse Protection
Ventilation, Insulation, & Mouse Protection
Provide Top and Bottom Entrances
One way to help increase a colony's chances of winter survival is to provide both a top and bottom entrance. The two main reasons for a top entrance are to:
- Provide additional ventilation to remove excess moisture from the hive
- Create an alternative exit for bees should the entrance become blocked with dead bees or snow
Insulation and Heat Preservation
The degree of insulation needed for your colonies depends on the kind of winter their location typically experiences. For instance, Mid-Atlantic colonies are insulated with just a reduced entrance, while northern colonies may be insulated by wrapping hives with tar paper and placing straw or other insulating material under the cover.
Using entrance cleats to restrict the entrance can reduce wind entry and preserve heat in the colony, but it can also get clogged more easily with dead bees.
Protection from Mice
Mice are attracted to the warmth in hives and sometimes make them their homes, although they usually do not disturb the bee clusters. Even so, they are a significant pest to hives, because they chew large holes in adjacent combs to make space for their nests. An effective way to keep them out is to place hardware cloth or a cleat in the main hive entrance in early fall.
For more information, see Section 7.3: Ants, Mice, and Small Mammals.
Bend a piece of 3-mesh-to-the-inch hardware cloth into an appropriate shape to fit snugly into your hive, then secure it into the entrance.
Lesson List
- 6.2 Requeening Duration:
- When to Requeen Duration:
- How to Requeen Duration:
- 6.3 Food Stores Duration:
- Winter Food Duration:
- 6.4 Hive Check Duration:
- Ventilation, Insulation, & Mouse Protection Duration:
- 6.5 Check Your Learning Duration:
Teachers Info
Bee doctor
- Website: http://www.example.com
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