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Warm weather in December

We are currently experiencing an unusually warm December. So warm, in fact, that it isn't even possible for the ski resorts to make snow for the skiers. While I am all for tourism and the positive affects that the tourist industry has, I see a far more formidable problem. The warm temperatures prove to be problematic for the natural course of nature. Plants are beginning to bud and insects that normally die in winter are not dying. Wildlife populations will not naturally decline and the number of predators and diseases they carry will increase. Honey bees are also effected by this warm weather.

Normally, during the cold months of winter, a bee colony concentrates on keeping the hive and its queen warm. Consumption of food goes up, but is well managed, and the beekeeper can provide the proper amount of food before-hand. In the case that the weather does not drop below 5°C, the colony doesn't quite go into this energy saving mode, but rather allows the queen to lay more eggs! More eggs logically equates to more larvae and brood that require food. Unfortunately, the winter stores were not calculated to compensate brood production, a possible consequence is the starvation of the entire colony between January and February. Luckily for the bees, beekeepers are diligent, and are capable of stepping in and providing emergency rations for the colonies. For the hobby beekeeper this isn't too bad, but an industrial beekeeper may face certain economical hardships due to an unexpected increase of food stores.

Another issue is the combating of varroa mites within the colony. Colder temps force the colony to become brood free and gives the beekeeper an opportunity to treat the bees with oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is a natural acid that is sold in granulate form and is mixed by the beekeeper with water and sugar. A 3.5% solution is created and is trickled over the bees once during the final weeks of December. The perfect Christmas gift for the six-legged ladies! The reason the colony should be brood free is because the acid does not penetrate capped cells, making the treatment useless on mites already attached to brood. With the warmer temps, we do not get these brood free colonies. Of course, it probably doesn't hurt to do the treatment as at least some mites will be destroyed, but opening the hives in December causes a lot of hard earned heat to escape.

So now we have quite a predicament. The bees will more than likely not be well treated against varroa this year. This will give us weaker colonies, who will in turn be more susceptible to various diseases. Sick and weak colonies are just not what we want. We want them to be strong and healthy. As of now, we can only hope for the best. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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