Winter Prep

1. Make Sure the Colony is Strong​​

• A strong hive going into winter should cover at least 6–8 frames of bees.

• Ensure the queen is healthy and still laying enough brood in late summer to build up winter bees.

2. Check and Manage Food Stores

• Remove honey supers.  It is best to winter your hive in brood chambers only. 

• Bees in Colorado typically need 60–90 pounds of honey to survive winter.

• If stores are low, feed 2:1 sugar syrup in the fall, then switch to solid feed (sugar bricks) once temperatures drop. 

3. Protect Against Pests and Diseases

• Test your hive then treat for Varroa mites before winter bees are raised in late summer/early fall.

• Check for signs of diseases.

• Healthy bees are more likely to survive cold months.

4. Insulate and Ventilate the Hive

• Wrap hives or add insulation to reduce wind chill, but make sure there’s top ventilation to prevent condensation dripping on the cluster.

• Use a quilt box.

5. Reduce Entrances and Protect from Wind & Critters

• Use entrance reducers to keep out mice and reduce drafts.

• Place hives in a wind-sheltered spot (facing south/southeast is best).

• Add a windbreak if the site is exposed.