Winter Hive

a place where bee colonies are kept in winter; they can be underground, partially underground, or above ground. Underground and semiunderground beehives are built in dry, elevated places with the floor at least 1 m above the water table.

Beehives in the USSR are built according to standard plans (for 100, 150, 250, 300, 500, and 800 colonies) or individual plans prepared by local design organizations. The hives are arranged in three stories on shelves laid out in rows with branches connecting them. Winter beehives are not heated (the bees generate heat) but are equipped with exhaust ventilation. A lamp with a red filter is used in inspections in order to protect the bees from daylight. The optimum temperature for a beehive is 0°-2°C (no more than 4°C) with 75-85 percent humidity.