# Summer is officially over



## PuebloCO (Oct 1, 2010)

Beeing a new beek (pun intended), I have yet to winter a hive and was wondering if there was an offical way to wrap/cover a hive with blanket, etc. to help keep the ladies warm. Thanks for posting this! Looks great.


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## NDnewbeek (Jul 4, 2008)

The wraps I use just slide over the boxes. 

Everybody has different methods. Many who have more hives than I wrap with 30lb roofing felt. It is less expensive and works well. There isn't really a technique - you just wrap it around the hive.


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## PuebloCO (Oct 1, 2010)

I was just considering a blanket. Is it possible to keep the bees too warm? Will they want to go flying if you do?


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## NDnewbeek (Jul 4, 2008)

I wouldn't wrap a hive with anything that could absorb water. I would think that would almost surely stress the bees too death.

Hives can get too warm - but that usually happens if you wrap too early in the fall and the hive population is large. Generally, they will just beard on the front until the temperatures drop. 

Overwinter, I don't have to worry about bees ever getting 'too warm'. Besides, if you are trying to overwinter in a northern climate, 'too warm' is a good problem to have. Trust the bees. They know when they should and shouldn't be flying.

In the spring, I leave the wraps on as long as possible. The surviving, overwintered clusters are generally smaller and need all the help they can get in our cold, wet springs. Too warm in the spring means that you can start feeding earlier, brood rearing starts earlier and the colony gets a head start on summer. I start early feeding around the 2nd or 3rd week or March - I need the hive to be warm then because temps are typically in the high 40's/low 50's.


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## PuebloCO (Oct 1, 2010)

Thanks for the good advice!


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