Usually, we don’t put the jackets on the bee hives until December. But we don’t usually have temperatures in the teens and a foot of snow until late December. (Okay–I’m exagerating with the foot of snow–we aren’t there yet–but we will be by tomorrow if the forecast is correct.)
There’s a sweet spot with winter bees, between 37 and 43 degrees Fahrenheit, at which it’s cool enough for them to be ‘semi-dormant,’ but warm enough not to make excessive demands on their stores of winter honey. Usually, at this time of year the hives stay ‘in the zone,’ without insulation.
Then as the winter catches its stride and cools, we suit up for the duration.
Usually.
According to the prognosticators, this is just a cold snap. They say December will be mild. But right now, the bees could use some extra help. So, today was a lovely day to do a little winterizing, in a light snowfall.
(If things seem a little out of order, yesterday I was gardening–in the snow–puting in bulbs for spring. It felt like, if I didn’t do it then, I wouldn’t get another chance until April. Those new gardens are now under seven inches–so maybe I was right.)
So much for usual in the weather department.
There, snug for winter. (We have just the two hives populated this year.)
It’s pretty, though.
tworockchronicles 
I don’t think you could go far wrong insulating the hives at this time of year with your weather. Our bees are not out much at the moment because of the rain :). A bit like us. Amelia
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We’re still considering moving the hives into the barn in December–it’s not heated, but will temper the extremes and avoid the ‘roller-coaster’ shock of early spring. Of course, if it keeps snowing like this, we won’t be able to get the tractor up there to fetch them!
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