If you’re reading this from Virginia on January 6, 2014, you are joining me on the coldest day we’ve had in many, many years.   We have a low predicted tonight in Southwest Virginia ranging from -1 to 4 degrees.   My cats step outside, shiver and run right back inside.  While they don’t normally use “indoor facilities”, they are pleased to have that option today.

What about the honeybees?   This Artic blast of winter is not typical for Virginia.  While my honeybees have a wind barrier from the barn and they get morning sunshine, this only gives them so much protection.   Someone asked me if I could move them to the barn.  Nope, the hives are a stacked arrangement and must stay in one place.  However, yesterday, Gerald and I decided that we had to do something to give additional protection and insulation.   So…we wrapped the hives in bubblewrap left over from holiday mail shipments.  Merry Christmas honeybees! Necessity is the mother of invention.

We left the opening (it’s only about 1/2 inch opening) for their coming and going and to get air inside the hive, but the remaining exterior is wrapped in bubble wrap taped into place with duct table.   It looks a little strange…

The white part of the hive you see in the picture is completely covered in bubble wrap. The trash bag is on top of the hive and taped across the bubble wrap. If it rains, the trashbag provides a “tent” of protection so water doesn’t get down under the bubblewrap. Genius. I know.

And notice the top of the hive. What is that you may ask? The Artic blast is bringing wind gusts which could tear apart the whole bubble wrap/trash bag protection system, so for additional protection, there is one heavy bag of mulch on each hive — which also provides additional insultation to keep heat inside the hive. I might just become an architect!

We’ll leave this on for the next few day until temperatures return to normal winter temperatures.

Onto other things…check out the beautiful winterberries in my backyard. It’s so nice to have color in the landscape during this time of year.

And a few for the table.

Stay warm!!