Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-11-12
Dry Cellar for
Wintering Bees
Where Temperature Falls
Below 25 Degrees Good
Quarters Needed.
prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.]


prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.)
In localities where the average win
ter temperature falls below % de-
grees Fahrenheit it is usually best to
winter bees in a cellar, especially if
the apiary is unprotected from the
winter winds and when the winter
stores are of satisfactory quality. The
placing of bees in a cellar is only an
other way of insulating the entire
number of hives in one lot instead of
insulating them in groups or singly,
as is done in outdoor wintering.
A good dry cellar under residence
heated by a furnace ordinarily makes
a desirable place to winter bees. Par
tition off a portion of the cellar
through which some of the furnace
pipes run in order to provide sufi-
Gent heat for the bees. If the room
becomes too warm, insulate the pipes
somewhat A temperature of so de-
grees Fahrenheit is suitable for a Gel
lar in which bees are being wintered.
If the dwelling has no cellar of the
kind required it may be possible to
construct one in sandy hillside,
using the soil as a floor and building
wooden walls to prevent the cellar
from caving in. A cellar excavated in
moist soil will require walls and floor
OF waterproof concrete Locate the
ceiling below the frost level, which, in
regions where bees are best wintered
in cellars, is at least PA feet below
the level of the ground. Leave a dis
lance of 61s feet between the floor
and ceiling. If the ceiling is higher
than this it will usually result in too
low temperature at the floor.
Insulate Ceiling.
Cover the ceiling completely on top
with some insulating material, such
as sawdust, to a depth of IL feet. If
the cellar is built in a sandy soil it
is possible to use the soil as a cover
for the ceiling, 3-foot layer of soil
over the inner roof Of the cellar being
sufficient. The entire insulating mate
rial of whatever kind used should then
be protected by a roof projecting at
least 2 feet, preferably more, beyond
the outside of the cellar wall Make
provision for carrying off the water
from the roof. Locate the cellar, If
possible, close to the apiary, not
farther away than 80 yards at most
where the drainage is good and where
the snow drifts deeply, thus providing
additional insulation for the cellar. If
the cellar is on level ground the drift
Ing of snow may be increased by the
construction of open fences such as
are used to prevent drifting over rail-
way tracks.
A ventilating shaft six inches square
running through the ceiling of the
cellar to the outside and so construct
ed as to admit no light will be suffi-
Gent for any cellar adapted to win
tering of bees. The top of the venti-
lating shaft, which should extend at
least six feet above the outer roof,
may be painted black in order to in
duce greater movement of air when
the sun shines. At times during the
coolest weather the ventilator may be
nearly or entirely closed. In a warm
cellar built in a sandy hillside no ven
tilating shaft need be constructed.
Best Type of VestibuIe.
In constructing an entrance to the
cellar proper insulation must not be
overlooked. The best type of vesti-
bule is long narrow passage leading
into the cellar, with heavy doors at
each end Of the vestibule. The heavier
and thicker the doors the better for
the bees. 1t is important that the
vestibule be built and protected so
that the temperature within it will
never fall below freezing. 1t is de-
sirable also that the vestibule be con-
structed so that bees may readily be
carried in and out of the cellar.
The cellar must be well drained
either by natural or artificial means.
Before carrying the bees into the
cellar give it good cleaning and
leave it open to air several days.