Author Topic: Crazy weather ?  (Read 1585 times)

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Offline Mikey N.C.

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Crazy weather ?
« on: December 24, 2019, 05:12:44 pm »
Crazy here how about y'all ?

Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: Crazy weather ?
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2019, 02:00:03 pm »
Supposed to be in high 50's-60's until Jan.4,
Thinking about community feeder, what do y'all think?

Offline Jen

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Re: Crazy weather ?
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2019, 12:26:21 pm »
My philosophy is 'As long as it can't hurt them, Why Not!'  ;)

Number one killer of winter hives is Mites.

Number two killer of winter hives is Starvation.

Here's the trick Mikey... If it's nice and warm for the bees to fly out to the community feeder, the day may turn cold quickly. That chill can make the bees lethargic and might not make it back to the hive. I have seen this and have had other beekeepers wonder why for no apparent reason there is a couple hundred dead bees in front of the hive. Well, they got too cold to make it back into the entrance. So keep that in mind Mikey.

Love that you ask a bunch of questions! It's good for everyone  ;D
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: Crazy weather ?
« Reply #3 on: December 26, 2019, 01:59:10 pm »
68° now , 45° tonight. Hives have 2" shims with sugar hard cakes, on top.

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Crazy weather ?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2019, 07:01:05 pm »
I would caution against a community feeder during a dearth.  This can start robbing.  It doesn't take long for robbers to clean out another colony and they can kill the queen.