Winterizing Hives

Winterizing your hives, strong fall hives make strong spring hives. Here are some notes on helping your hives survive the winter.

• Combine weak hives
• Ensure at least 40lbs of honey for winter.
  • Full deep frame: 6lbs
  • Full medium frame: 3.5 lbs
  • Beekeeping is local. Ask a local beekeepers for hive overwintering needs.
• Feed 2:1 sugar syrup to get your weight up to 40lbs.
  • Added weight is the sugar weight, not the total syrup weight.
  • A gallon of 2:1 is 8lbs of “weight” for feeding purposes.
• Put a paper plate with dry sugar.
  • Sugar feeds and is hygroscopic (absorbs water)
• Put a piece of foam insulation on top of your hive with a brick on top.
  • Decreased condensation on the top dripping down onto the bees.
  • Excess condensation will happen on the sides of the hive, harmlessly flowing down the side and out of the hive.