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Offline tedh

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Temperature question
« on: March 28, 2016, 09:59:47 am »
I'm hoping to start OAV treatments this weekend.  In preperation I'd like to clean the bottom boards and remove reducers.  A few of the hives have built comb in the reversible inner cover where the sugar cakes used to be and  the queen has been laying in that area, so I'd also like  to clean that up.  While I feel that I should know the answer, if I do I can't bring it to mind so, what temps will I need to safely accomplish those tasks?   Thanks, Ted.
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2016, 11:55:01 am »
I feel safe at 65 F with no or a light wind. If they are building comb you must of had some warm mild days. JMHO. Jack
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Offline tedh

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2016, 01:04:14 pm »
We did indeed have som pleasant weather a while back.  I saw some capped drone cells along with capped worker cells in the areas with the new comb.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2016, 08:36:38 pm »
Do you have a hand truck Ted?     If you do, slide it under the back of the hive, and tilt the hive down on its side. Pop the bottom board, clean, replace, stand the hive back up. Then your not really disturbing the cluster or breaking down every box.
   I try to wait for a 60 degree sunny day with little wind before breaking the boxes down...... having said that, this weather is nutz...    I have seen a foot of snow on April 12th... I remember it well because it was my birthday. I was excited because school was canceled, then ended up spending the day shoveling the 12 foot drift away from the front door and driveway......
   I hate to see the bees get started this soon, it adds to the worry that they will go too far and die trying to save the brood...   But then, I have Packages arriving tomorrow.. Russian Hybrids... 18 of them...   Hope we dont end up with that foot of snow next week!
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2016, 10:18:15 pm »
How many packages, and are you ready for them?  :o
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2016, 05:53:57 am »
Quote
Russian Hybrids... 18 of them... 
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2016, 08:10:51 am »
... I'm an idiot...
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Offline tedh

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2016, 08:30:30 am »
The thermometer hit 63°F with sunny skies and little to no wind yesterday.  Got 5 hives and 1 nuc prepped during that window.  It was a quick operation, break down, place fresh bottom board, rebuild, clean bottom board, repeat.  All bottom boxes were light to lift,  top boxes were heavy at approx. 50/60 pounds.  All five hives and the 1 nuc were bursting with bees (makes me nervous) and appeared healthy, from what I could see.

We did lose 1 nuc.  A couple of dead bees head first in cells,  a couple dead drone capped cells, lot's of small wax debree on bottom board,  ragged opening of honey cells, no pile of dead bees on bottom board.  My guess is abscounded and robbed.  Ted
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2016, 08:32:37 am »
Not an idiot...  just failed to notice Some time as we speed read we skip over key points. I have asked valid questions on forms to have the post then edited and corrected. It can make a person look like a complete moron to some one reading the thread from the beginning.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2016, 07:37:32 pm »
What Apis said.. been there and done that!!   :yes:

   Ended up with 17, and have an extra queen. Dont know if she will make it past tomorrow but will give it a go with her sitting on the counter. Fed her, will feed again tomorrow, etc...  Supposed to rain and be thunderstorms tomorrow...
   Checked a couple of hives while I waited for the call to pick up the packages..  I have four to five frames of brood in those hives as well as capped drone cells..   NOT good...  I would be MUCH happier if they were about a week or two behind where they are now. if the weather cooperates all will be fine, if it doesnt, I have a lot of hives in trouble....

   Forecast says....  next fifteen days fiftys and sixtys, but a couple of the nights will dip to freezing..  I really dont want to start splitting yet, not READY, but apparently the bees are..   Two weeks tops I am going to have to start making queens!
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Offline Zweefer

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2016, 08:40:29 pm »
 :o good luck with that!   I'm pulling for you Lazy!  ;D
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2016, 09:32:53 pm »
.Lazy there are attendants in the cage I hope. When we would get packages the queen cages did not have attendants or candy in the cage. Every 20th package would have 2 queens in case of dead ones. to hold the extra queens we would put them above a queen excluder in a super so the bees could com up thru and attend to the queens.
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2016, 06:08:18 pm »
yes, there are attendants. Shes still doing fine.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Temperature question
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2016, 11:37:14 pm »
With attended she should be good for a week or 3 as long as you keep them watered.
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