We just had the first accumulating snow fall of the season in St. Louis area, and a several beekeepers were asking at the recent club meeting whether they should remove the snow build up on the landing board or not.



The concerns ranged from bees not being able to get out of the hive for cleansing flights to bees suffocating in the hive with the entrance being blocked.

My response to the question of is it necessary to remove the snow is "probably not".

If your hive has ventilation through the top, outer cover, or screened bottom board then you're OK to leave the snow piled up, they won't suffocate.

If you're in the middle of a cold stretch where the snow isn't melting outside, it's probably too cold for the bees to get out and take cleansing flights anyways, and they're not actively trying to get out .

If the outside temperature suddenly warms up and your hive is in the shade where the snow isn't melting, it wouldn't hurt to help them clear away the snow so they could get out sooner.

However if you're like me and just anxious for spring to arrive so you can at least do something with your bees, go ahead and clear the landing board off.



It gave me something to do while I watched the kids sled through the yard.