DECEMBER 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 67 TIP Of course, that all depends on the health of the hive, which largely depends on the varroa mite population. Mites While it’s important to get mite popula- tions under control before winter sets in, Traynor explains that in some instances, winter can be helpful for managing mite populations. There are specific varroa mite control products that can be applied while the colony is broodless and they can be even more effective because the mites cannot hide under the brood cappings in this season. “As much as 70-80% of mites are in the brood nest, so when the colony is not brooding, you can use different miticides,” Traynor said. “So, even though it’s challenging, winter can actually be a good time to clean up the hive and have it come out very strong in the spring.” However, Oliver says that method is not enough on its own. Mites must be combat- ted all year to ensure healthy hives. “One of the biggest problems is that beekeepers may wait until too late in the season to control varroa. It needs to be controlled prior to the bees rearing the last rounds of brood in fall, or those bees, which are destined to become the long- lived ‘winter bees’ will be weakened by mite-transmitted viruses. “The other winter disease is due to the microscopic gut parasite nosema, which is generally only a serious problem in areas with extended winter dormancy,” Oliver said. Inside the Hive While beekeepers can’t open the hive to check on colonies, they can use infrared cameras to see the size of the clustering bees, which can give them an indication of how well the bees are managing to stay warm. It’s difficult to monitor popu- lation losses during the winter. “In general, for beekeepers with almond contracts, pollination begins in mid-February, so they aren’t sure of their loss rate until mid-January. Most other beekeepers don’t inspect until early spring,” Oliver said. He said colonies winter optimally at around 42 degrees F. “So long as they are healthy and the hive is full of good honey, colonies can survive temperatures well below freezing. They can survive Canadian and Vermont winters,” he said, adding colonies can even survive in Alaska if the proper prepa- rations are taken. “The colony forms a tight cluster to con- serve heat, keeping the outer shell of bees at around 50-55 degrees F,” Oliver said. Traynor describes the outer part of the cluster as a dense outer mantle that sur- rounds a looser inner core of bees. “That outer core functions a bit like feathers, to keep the heat from escaping,” she said. This adaptation is specifically unique to honeybees. With 4000 species of bees, honeybees are the only ones that survive the winter as a whole unit. “Bumble bees, for example, are also a social unit, but only the reproductive bees survive the winter. Honeybees are unique in that they have adapted to survive in this way,” Traynor said. The bigger the colony, the more likely they are to survive. “The more bees in the cluster, the better they can maintain the heat. In a small cluster, the outside bees can suc- cumb to cold and fall off, which means the cluster just continues to shrink,” Traynor said. “About three inches outside the clus- ter, it’s cold, even in the hive, so having a large population is key,” she said. If a hive is small, many beekeepers will attempt to combine in with another colony to give it a better chance of sur- vival. If the hive is unhealthy, it could be sacrificed. Alternative Options It’s also important to note that backyard and commercial beekeeping operations are very different, and even commercial operations vary widely in how winter preparations are handled. Many bee- keepers move their colonies south for the winter, through transporting colonies can be tricky and cause stress on a hive. Others move the hives into temperature- controlled environments. These shelters are usually potato sheds in Idaho, temperature controlled with air- circulation fans as well, Traynor said. These sheds are often used to help bees maintain their hibernation-like state until time to move to California in January or February for the almond pollination season. There are problems with this practice too, including diseases that can more easily spread through a colony without the opportunity for cleansing flights. Or a breakdown in the tempera- ture control or air circulation is also always a possibility. Ready for Spring No matter the method for helping bees survive harsh winter conditions, the springtime warm-up is a season of new beginning. Not only do bees come out of cluster mode and begin pollination again, but brood rearing also begins, which means the winter bees die off and are replaced by summer bees, which have a shorter lifespan. “The trigger for initiation of serious broodrearing in spring is the early tree pollens,” Oliver said. “Beekeepers preparing hives for almond pollination may feed protein at that time of year if the weather isn’t favorable for foraging.” And while the bees’ focus may have shifted from winter to summer, the cold season is always in the back of a bee- keeper’s mind. They must ensure bees have adequate nutrition and healthy hives during the summer months. “We’re always thinking about nutrition and food stores to ensure our hives our healthy,” Traynor said. SW It’simperativethatasanindustrywetakeaproactiveapproachinprotecting pollinators.operationpollinator.com