They were given to me in 1977 on a cold night in central Iowa. I had spent a long day digging bees out of snow drifts and called my friend John to see if he needed any help digging out his bees. After enjoying a hearty laugh, John invited me to meet him for coffee and gave this southern-born beekeeper some useful advice on wintering bees in cold climates. He began by telling me that I had wasted my day digging my bees out of their protective winter blanket of snow. I am still learning, but John's advice is timeless and insightful.
Honey bees generate heat by consuming honey and shivering their muscles.
In addition to its role as a food source, combs of honey buffer extreme changes in temperature. They absorb heat during the day and release it at night. Food consumption is low in winter until colonies begin to rear brood. Colonies can survive until early spring on less than 60 lbs. of honey, but they must consume more honey to maintain tolerable nest temperatures. Increased food consumption leads to an increase in the need for cleansing flights and stress.