Snow on my hives in North Alabama

[Bamabww]

Something I never thought I'd have to do in Alabama is clean snow off my hives. Last week I had to do that twice.

Here's the first snow that blocked the entrance completely off. I cleaned it off for two reasons: to restore the ventilation and to help keep the melting snow from adding moisture inside the hive.  Is that what I should have done? My hives are placed where the entrance drains away from the hive.


Here is the second snow.

[iddee]

We got 6 inches last Thursday. I never even looked at my hives until today. The snow was gone, and I didn't have to do a thing.    

[LazyBkpr]

Spent some time in Bessemer Alabama back when I got out of the Navy.  Had a couple snows that winter, I wasn't impressed either!

[riverbee]

"Here's the first snow that blocked the entrance completely off. I cleaned it off for two reasons: to restore the ventilation and to help keep the melting snow from adding moisture inside the hive.  Is that what I should have done? My hives are placed where the entrance drains away from the hive."

great pics bama, i clear the snow away up here, especially if it turns to ice and dams up the front entrance and prevents moisture/water from running out, so you did fine. i also tilt my hives from the back just a smidge to aid in having the moisture run out.

[GLOCK]

I put pieces of ply wood over the fronts and that helps with the snow build up and I have a top entrance on all my hives in the winter even my nucs  no moisture build up in the hive.
My hives are 3 foot off the ground and the snow just keeps piling up I hate this time of year.