U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Carl Hayden Bee Research Center: Tucson, AZ
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Information
                        Africanized Honey Bees
                                    Bee Safety
                                    Online Books
                                    Other NewsSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Pacific West Area Tucson, Arizona Carl Hayden Bee Research Center Research Cold Storage





- Cold Storage Overview
- Why put colonies in cold storage to overwinter?
- When to put colonies in cold storage?
- Which colonies to put into cold storage?
- Cold Storage Overwintering Tool
- Overview
- Objective 1: Climate effects on bloom and floral rewards
- Objective 2. Landscape level nutrition models
- Objective 3: Determine pollinator number, diversity and pathogen load
- Objective 4: Develop a management plan for overwintering colonies in cold storage
- Outcomes
- Varroa Overview
- Varroa mite life cycle and reproduction
- Varroosis
- How to Monitor, Sample, and Treat for Varroa
- Current Research: Mite Migration
- Introduction
- BEEPOP+ Model

Predictions
 FAQ
 Help

 Predictions for February Bees

  The following will predict the probabilities of colonies reaching target size in February:
  Target colony size [Frames of bees]: [?]45678910111213141516
  Frames of bees in September: [?]
  Mites per 100 bees in September: [?]Predict!Probability of colony reaching target size:

 Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use colony size and mite numbers taken in October if I put colonies into cold storage?
When we measured colony sizes and mite populations in October and tested for a relationship between
those values and colony size in February, we found that there were no significant correlation. This might
be because the overwintering population is being created in September. If the colony population is
infested with mites during development in September, the effects on the adults will be in place in
October and throughout the winter.

Will this tool work for colonies overwintered in outside apiaries?
We conducted an analysis similar to that used to generate predictions for colonies overwintered in cold
storage using colonies overwintered in apiaries. The analysis indicated that colony size and mite
numbers in September were not significantly related to colony size in February. A second analysis was
conducted that included frames of bees and mite populations in October, but again there was not a
significant relationship between colony size and mite numbers in the fall and colony size the following
February.
Our findings may be because when colonies are put in cold storage, the colony size in February
is determined by the population size and longevity of workers in the colonies when they were put in the
facility. When colonies are overwintered in apiaries especially in areas with warmer winters, colonies
will rear brood and small colonies can be fed to stimulate brood rearing. The added variability due to
management practices and colony responses make it difficult to derive relationships between
September colony conditions and February colony sizes when colonies are overwintered outdoors.
Will this tool work if my colonies are in southern latitudes before going into cold storage?
That is a great question. We have one year of data, but it shows that colonies that are in southern
latitudes where brood can be reared throughout the winter behave very differently in cold storage than
those that were in northern latitudes in the fall. I do not think the program will accurately predict
chances of reaching target colony sizes in February if the colonies were in southern apiaries the previous
fall.
If you have questions, please email: GLORIA.HOFFMAN@USDA.GOV. We will answer them, and post the
information for others.
Refer to the ? mark under Predictions Tab on how to use the Cold Storage Overwintering Tool

 Help
Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos.


        
        
        Return to top
            Last Modified:
8/26/2020

    

    
    Connect with ARSSign up

    
    ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov