As a backyard beekeeper in Central New York, your primary concern at this time of year should be setting your hives up for a long, cold, snowy winter. Getting your colonies through those months is less about doing lots of dramatic things and more about doing the right things ahead of time — strong, healthy colonies, adequate stores, good insulation and ventilation, and minimal stress. Below I’ve pulled together a practical and realistic guide you can follow for your apiary at BeeBuzzGardens, tailored for the kind of winters we face up here.
1. Colony health and strength entering winter
Before you worry about insulation or covering hives, you’ve got to make sure the bees and the colony are ready.
- A key point: your colony needs to be “queen-right” (meaning a laying queen is present) and free of major pest/disease loads. According to the UK’s fact-sheet, “colonies should be queen-right, disease free and secured in weather-proofed hives.”
- For our region, that means checking your late-summer mite levels (especially Varroa destructor) and making sure you haven’t got significant disease pressure. A stressed colony going into winter simply has lower odds.
- Also ensure your hive has a good population of winter bees. As daylight fades and temperatures drop, your colony shifts from summer foragers to long-lived winter bees that will carry the hive through to spring. Timing is critical.
In short: take care of the biological side now. If the bees are weak or diseased, no amount of wrap or insulation will reliably save them.
2. Ensure ample food stores
One of the most common reasons a hive fails in winter is simply “running out of food” (starvation) despite honey being around. For a long northern winter, you can’t assume the bees will have enough if you haven’t set them up properly.
- The fact-sheet states: “One of the most important parameters that predicts the overwintering success of a colony is the quantity of food stores going into winter.”
- For our climate, aim for a well-fed hive: some sources suggest a full-sized colony should have at least 30+ kg (≈ 65+ lb) of stores going into winter.
- If you find hives are light, feed now with a 2:1 sugar-water syrup (or fondant/brick sugar) before the bees stop being able to access it due to cold.
Action for your apiary: weigh (or at least lift) your hives in late fall. If a hive feels light (lift the back of the box—if it comes up easily, it may be under-fed) you may need to top it off. Don’t wait until the deep cold sets in.
3. Hive location, orientation and wind protection
Where you place your hives matters a lot when snow and ice are going to be the norm. Good exposure and wind protection make a difference.
- In northern climates, hives “must be sheltered from the wind but still have adequate air flow to discourage the buildup of moisture within the hive.”
- Good morning sun is a bonus: it helps warm the hive early and allow a “cleansing flight” on mild days.
- Consider adding a wind-break: shrubs, hay bales, or a fence on the windward side can reduce cold drafts.
So: for BeeBuzzGardens, pick a spot that sees morning sun, is elevated from pooling water/snow, and has some shielding from prevailing winds (especially those bitter January/February gusts).
4. Insulation, ventilation & moisture control
This is where many beekeepers struggle: you may think “I just wrap the hive and we’re done,” but the reality is a bit more nuanced — especially in a cold, snowy region.
Insulation
- Wrapping hives with insulating materials (e.g., rigid foam board on the roof, hive wraps, tar paper) is widely used in cold climates.
- However, insulation isn’t just about keeping the bees warm — it’s about reducing heat loss and moisture problems. In fact, one beekeeping forum advice: “The bigger threat to bees in the winter is not cold in particular, but cold water dripping on the bee cluster.”
- For our environment: I’d suggest adding a foam board (2″ rigid foam) under the cover, ensure the hive is in good condition (no gaps where snow/wind could penetrate), and wrap the sides if your location is exposed.
Ventilation & moisture
- A cluster of bees generates heat but also moisture from respiration and metabolism of stores. That moisture needs to escape — otherwise it condenses and can drip onto the cluster, chill the bees, and cause loss.
- Two common systems:
- Ventilated system: Provide a top-vent or upper entrance so warm, moist air rises and escapes.
- Condensing system: Seal off the upper entrance, provide insulation so moisture condenses above and drains or wicks away safely from the cluster.
- My recommendation: In Central New York, where we’ll have periods of deep cold and large snow loads, I lean toward the condensing approach — good insulation, a tight hive, minimal large upper openings, but still a very small upper vent or moisture-board so condensation doesn’t drip on the bees. A tiny open vent is better than none.
- One practical tip: Prop the outer cover slightly at the front so warm moist air can escape from the top but not flood the cluster with drafts.
Entrance management
- Use an entrance reducer to limit cold drafts and keep pest intruders out (mice, etc.).
- Make sure snow or ice doesn’t block the entrance — bees need to be able to fly on warm days and get out for cleansing flights. Monitor after heavy snow.
5. Stable hive structure & equipment checks
Don’t overlook mechanical issues. A hive in winter will be under stress (wind, snow, ice, temperature swings).
- Make sure boxes are firmly strapped together (hive pressure, snow sliding, wind). One beekeeper’s rule: “strap everything together securely.”
- Check for any damage to frames, cracks in the boxes, worn inner/outer covers. Better to fix now than discover it under snow.
- Remove or reduce unused space: If you have lots of supers with empty combs, reduce the cavity size so the cluster doesn’t have to heat a huge volume of space. A tight fit = less energy used by the bees.
- Remove or secure equipment that might be pushed by snow/ice (outer covers, hive stands, etc.). Consider placing a weight or stone on the cover to prevent wind or snow lifting it.
6. Final timing and winter-monitoring
- Don’t wait too late to prepare. Many hive failures come from “winter prep delayed too long.”
- Once the brood rearing slows, once nectar flow ends, shift focus to overwintering rather than expansion.
- During winter: On mild days, you can lean the back of the hive to “lift test” its weight. If the hive feels very light in February, you may need to intervene (feed fondant, sugar cakes) before the cluster starves.
- Keep the hive entrance clear of snow/ice. Watch for evidence of mice or pests.
- In spring, the first risk is starvation (cluster alive, but no access to stores). Be ready for early supplemental feeding.
7. Summary – the winter-prep checklist for BeeBuzzGardens
Here’s a quick checklist you can print and tick off for each hive:
- [ ] Queen is present and laying, colony population strong
- [ ] Varroa/disease load under control
- [ ] Hive location chosen: morning sun, wind protected
- [ ] Hive entrance reduced, mouse guard in place
- [ ] Honey stores adequate (weigh or lift test)
- [ ] Extra feed added if needed (2:1 syrup, fondant)
- [ ] Hive structure sound, boxes strapped, snow-safe
- [ ] Hive cavity size appropriate (no excess empty space)
- [ ] Insulation applied (foam board at top & wrapping if needed)
- [ ] Moisture-control/ventilation strategy set (moisture board or small vent)
- [ ] Snow/ice entrance barrier checked periodically
- [ ] Winter-monitoring plan: lift test in February, cleansing-flight opportunities
Final thoughts
Winter beekeeping is as much about prevention as it is about intervention. The cluster of bees in mid-winter doesn’t need your help to build comb, forage, or swarm—they need you to get everything right ahead of time so they can simply survive until spring. If you follow the key steps above, you give your colonies the best possible chance to make it through a long, cold, snowy winter.