A November checklist from extension guides: food, mice, moisture, wraps and when not to open the hive.
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This checklist puts three extension sources side by side: Utah State University Extension's winterizing guide (USU), University of Illinois Extension's fall and winter prep notes (Illinois), and Cornell CALS' overwintering guidance for colder climates. Amounts of honey, wrap needs and dates vary by region, so treat this as a map of the steps and ask your local extension service or beekeeping club for your climate.
USU says an established Utah colony usually needs about 80 to 100 pounds of capped honey (roughly 10 to 12 deep frames filled on both sides). Illinois Extension's blog says its hives should have at least about 90 pounds, described as a full deep hive box or two medium supers of honey. Those numbers are regional examples, not a national rule.
On colder days, USU says you can gently lift the back of the hive to judge its weight instead of opening it. Cornell says that if you lift the outer cover on a day that reaches about 40°F (about 4–5°C) and see bees at the hole in the inner cover, the colony is running short of food and needs a quick feed.
USU says to reduce the entrance so the colony can guard against robbing and cold wind, and to add a mouse guard that does not block the bees. Illinois says to install a mouse or rodent guard at the lower entrance (bought, or made from large-mesh wire such as 3/8-inch square). Cornell says mice look for warm hives in fall once bees cluster and stop guarding the door, and that a commercial mouse guard or folded hardware cloth in the entrance helps. Keep the guard removable so you can clear dead bees from the entrance in winter.
Bees can handle cold better than a wet cluster. USU says not to seal the hive airtight: warm, damp air must leave so water does not drip onto the bees. Illinois says condensation under the inner cover can chill the cluster, and to provide ventilation at the top and bottom; tilting the hive slightly toward the front helps drain moisture. Cornell says metabolic moisture must escape, and that a small upper entrance (a shim under the inner cover or a notch in it) lets moisture out and gives bees a second exit if snow or dead bees block the bottom.
USU says wrapping helps at high elevation or in strong winter wind; many hives in protected places do not need a wrap, and if you wrap, keep entrances and airflow openings clear. Illinois says wraps can cut wind through cracks between boxes but must not close top and bottom entrances. Weight the outer cover so wind cannot lift it.
USU: bees form a tight cluster in the cold; opening the hive can chill them. If you must lift the lid, pick a calm day warmer than 55°F and work fast. On colder days, check the entrance, clear deep snow, and judge weight by lifting the back of the hive. Cornell: make feed checks brief; leaving the outer cover off is stressful. Do not knock on or disturb a clustered colony.
Source: USU Extension, How Do You Winterize a Beehive?; Illinois Extension, Prepare your bees for winter; Cornell CALS, Overwintering; Maine DACF Apiary, Summary of Fall and Winter Management (PDF). Checked Nov 9, 2026.