Overwintering Honey Bee Colonies in Northern Climates

Figure 1.  Hives getting supplemental sugar syrup through top feeders. Other feeders also can be used to deliver sugar or high fructose corn syrup to colonies. One of the many challenges beekeepers face is minimizing honey bee colony losses during winter. This can be especially challenging to beekeepers in extreme northerly climates. Special preparations must be made during the fall to ensure that colonies survive the winter months with minimal loss. This 3-page fact sheet was written by James D. Ellis and Katherine Hammons, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, September 2013.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1006