Many think, like most of nature's creatures, the Honey Bee goes into a state of hibernation during the winter months. This could not be further from the truth. The hive must continually move and workers need to vibrate their flight muscles, maintaining a hive temperature in the mid/upper 90's. Without this warmth, the winter cluster would be unable to move in the hive to eat honey/pollen stores.
My father, being the builder he is, decided to create a wooden encasement for my hive. This has proved to be a very effective method of helping the cluster to maintain a consistent temperature, shielding the hive from the elements. There is a quarter-size hole to allow for cleansing flights - when the outside weather permits.
All drone bees were cast from the hive in late autumn to succumb to the cold.
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