Removing Winter Wraps - In stages

 Here's photos to show how I try not to confuse the bees by removing the wraps all at once.

 

I've watched them when they come back and a lot of bees get confused with the sudden change from a black hive with a the wrap pulled low to a suddenly colourful hive.

 

I can do this because I'm a hobby beekeeper and I know this isn't practical for commercial beekeepers.

First I pull up the wrap and tuck it under to expose the entrance, often the entrance reducer is still in place.

 

This year when doing the formic acid mite treatment I removed the entrance reducers but left the wraps on and pulled them up so it wasn't blocked.

 

Then as the weather got warmer I came back to strip off the wraps.  Leaving them on longer won't hurt the bees and can help them to keep the brood warm.