Honey bee colonies survive cold winters better if they are wrapped with corrugated polypropylene

What is it about?

This was a study aimed at discovering whether or not covering honey bee hives with corrugated polypropylene hive wraps during the winter would have a positive effect on their health and survivability. In the 40s and 50s it was often recommended to wrap hives and in recent years (2010s and onwards) it has been resurfacing as a recommendation again. Despite this, almost no peer reviewed publications investigating whether or not doing so provided an added benefit exist, and those that do are from the 50s and before. Here we performed the first highly replicated rigorous scientific experimentation of the efficacy of such wraps on colony survivorship as well as metrics of health such as, body fat content, hive cluster temperature, food consumption, and colony population.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Honey bee colony mortality in high in the US. In the Midwestern and Norther Great Plains regions of the US colony mortality is often at or above 50% annually. This region of the US is notable for agricultural production which stresses bee colonies in complex ways during the summer, often leading to poor health prior to overwintering. In combination with the stress and growing unpredictability of temperate climates, beekeepers are experiencing high winter losses in these regions. Here, we show that covering honey bee colonies in these regions with corrugated polypropylene hive wraps reduces mortality as well as the total quantity of food consumed during the winter. Managed honey bees are a vital agricultural product due to their role as an essential pollinator of many crops. Continued colony losses create concerns for future food security. This research shows a simple and effective solution to boosting colony health and survivorship in an area where beekeepers otherwise experience high mortality.

Perspectives