Winter can be a worrying time for beekeepers.  Between the freezing temperatures and a limited food source for bees, how can beekeepers ensure that their colonies will survive winter?   Bees spend the whole year preparing for the cold months.  They stockpile honey to eat and generate heat with their bodies.  As beekeepers, we can help them stay warm by insulating beehives for winter.  When the temperature drops to the 50’s it signals to the bees that it’s time to form a winter cluster.  To do this, they gather closely together, with the queen in the center. They are so close to one another that the hairs on their bodies interlace. …