Beekeeping Tips That Are Just Plain Wrong!

Beekeeping can mean getting wrong advice and wrong tips on how to get your bees through the winter. Let's talk about bad tips for winter survival that are just wrong.

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[dougstucki]

I have to challenge you on one point. I'm curious if you've ever heated your hives to test your theory? Many beekeepers say this is the case, but anyone who actually uses heaters will tell you that the bees do not fly out on cold days, thinking that it is warmer outside than it is. I don't heat my hives currently, but I have in the past and not only did they survive winter, but they came out stronger and with more stores than the unheated hives. I have since switched to insulation, and I insulate them so well that the hives inside maintain temps of 75-80F (26C) without extra heat...and the bees don't leave thinking that it's as warm outside as it is in the hive.

[bluelab]

For the British viewers.. When David says coons he's talking about racoons and definitely not what you're thinking. It's a word lost in translation

[sherryortiz]

What about the observation hives inside

[mschroed]

Where is your snow tip you promised at the end of the video?

[henryparrott]

Top entrance no problem airflow.. mouse guards all the time.

[dotmiller]

How do protect your entrances from snow?

[VeritasOmniaVinculaVincit]

Tip number 1 I have been doing with my hives for the last 7 years in northern Maine, I have a reptile ceramic 75w heat lamp in an empty brood box I put in the bottom connected to a digital wifi thermostat so I can monitor their temp throughout the winter along with 2nd wifi thermostat and humidity monitor all in one (2nd opinion device). I keep my hive auto thermostats in the bitter cold of winter around 65 degrees F with the lamp as an emergency measure so they only come on when the temp inside of the hive goes below that and they turn off at 70 F, but I find the hives don't reach those lower temps often on their own because of the wraps on the hives. So the heat is really only on late in the evening at most of a few hours in late December though the end of February, but I also 3D printed little winter vestibules / covers / reducers for each hive entrance that they can go out on and check the temp before flying away. Most turn back a few venture out, I have not had a real issue with hive loss since related to being too cold, however in the early spring they are READY to go way more so than without the heat throughout the winter, I often find an over crowded hive getting ready to split off and leave, so I just help them to a new home I constructed for them. Not for everyone, but it works for what I am doing. I will also mention it took me three years to get the system down and working for me, lost some hives along the way as we all do at some point. Just one mans two cents... :D

[garyRtBees]

How do you feel about tilting hives to direct moisture down the wall?

[rodneybruin]

Good Morning, Dave, I have a very pleasant situation that I need your advice for. I lost my colony last year in November. Now this year, I have a colony moved into my vacant hive. I'm in Colorado and need to know what to do to keep them thriving.

[mhlevi]

Who closes the hole in a natural tree hive? I have a hive with a hole as s.hown as main hive access to mimick a natural hive….cannot close it!😊

[geanitsucuneli]

David when is coming to ventilate a hive, 12 moths of the year you must to have vertical ventilation.CO2 doesn't get out only if you have air curent.Cold air, will afect the bees, only, if is coming side way.I have 2000 hives (2 deeps each) and about 500 nucs .W.O. good vertical ventilation, that colony will never function well.Also, under the box put plastic, with a old car tire... never have humidity and ants in your hive.All my migratory pallets, are sitting on plastic with old tires.

[beemanrunning]

Great advice Dave. Three quick questions regarding wintering bees: 1) Should I close the notch on the inner cover? 2)Close the opening in the center of the inner cover? And 3) Should I reduce the entrance? Thanks

[kentuckybob]

I am a new bee keeper with my first swarm of bees this spring. Thanks for all the information that you have shared it's has been really helpful. There is so much to learn. My question is if you wanted to change the location of the placement of my hive is the winter time a good time to do it. Again thanks for what you do

[joetripp]

At what point in the season, central NC here, is it bad to feed syrup? We are still feeding 2:1 if they will take it. Temps have been in the high 70-80's up till today but now it looks like the next week is turning colder - highs in the 50-60's and lows 40-30's and one day going down to just at freezing.

[JoeHHarrell]

Great video, I keep learning from you each video. Getting ready to mix up my first winter bee kind's and put one one later this week, gonna wrap it as well, temps are fixin to plummet down to highs of 29 here. You're giving me confidence going into winter, thank you.

[WildwoodsBeekeeping]

Thank you for sharing David, you are 1, 100 Subscriber till you hit 100, 000!!!! And body who has not Subscribed to David’s channel SUBSCRIBE NOW! God bless you and your bees 🐝!

[marobroski]

Word do you recommend it for the best trip for yellow jackets wasps wanna kill the bees?

[QuigleysBees]

Another wonderful video David. I subscribed last year when I started studying Beekeeping at MSU. I hope you make your goal of 100k Subs. I have suggested your channel to my friends at our local bee club so maybe one of them will put you over the top. Your style of presenting information is very friendly and welcoming. It inspired me to try making a few videos and it's great fun even for someone with less experience. I appreciate your dedication to getting good solid information out there and I will follow your lead. Thanks from all us 1st year newbees.

[DialedN_]

I lost a once great 10 frame hive this year. I was given a 5 frame Nuc as a condolence from a friend. After figuring out that this Nuc was weak, he told me to take any empty frames and fill the empty comb with powdered sugar. It sounded great, but then I researched it and found out that powdered sugar has corn starch in it. Apparently this is bad for the bees. I'm really glad I didn't do it!

[barbaraschmidt]

Love all your videos Dave. Great information as always.