# General beekeeping > Bee health >  Winter losses - more stuff

## Jon

This document by Medhat Nasr has some useful comment about winter losses, avoiding them or tidying up afterwards.

Medhat Nasr, Ph.D. Pest Management Branch Alberta Agriculture and Food




> After the unusually high overwintering losses during the winter of 2006-2007, beekeepers were
> concerned about honey bee health and what should be done to reduce bee winterkill. Because
> winterkill can be attributed to several possible causes, best management practices have been
> developed to provide beekeepers with some options to minimize the amount of winterkill in any
> given year.


I did far too many splits in mine late summer to make use of extra queens I had and I see that is highlighted as a big risk factor.
Add in poor weather in autumn and you have colonies heading into winter not ideally prepared.

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## The Drone Ranger

In fairness though we can't predict the weather and it all could have worked out wonderfully
It's a roll of the dice

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## Jon

That is the problem DR.
The previous winter was so benign I was even able to overwinter several apideas.
Nothing simple in beekeeping.

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