Bees on blacktop

[CBT]

Have a friend that has bad luck with bees. We we’re wondering if having them on an old tennis court asphalt my be an issue. Everything else seems normal but the bees leave after staying for months.

[Jen]

Hi CBT, when I think of old tennis courts, the only thing I can think of is if there is enough forage around to last a full season? maybe mite?

[Lburou]

The question in my mind is how hot the surface of the tennis court gets at the end of a long and hot day.  Humidity is a big factor as well, as you know, honey bees cool their hive with evaporative cooling.  The concrete in my driveway can get well over 130 degrees with partial shade.  Asphalt can get MUCH hotter!  Brood in hives at those temperatures could be baked on those hot days.  A honey bee's life or death limit is approximately 118-119 degrees F.     Just a thought. 

P.S.  My bees have tolerated 115 degree temps here for a week at a time, (in afternoon shade), but they have water readily available.  The brood chamber ceased production for several weeks. In those hot times, I have provided water in feeders to ease their water carrying burdens. 

[Jen]

Good call Lee, I too have placed jars of water in my boardman feeders during our droughts, and have place aluminum foil over the glass jars to help the water not get so hot. But I now have feeder buckets that I would put on covered by another hive box and lid.

That is a contemplative thought CBT, a water source.

[Bakersdozen]

My step daughter has a colony placed on a concrete driveway.  It receives some shade in the afternoon.  There are no SHB in her hive.  That's a plus. 

[CBT]

There is shade nearby. Being it’s a start over we can easily change locations and try again.

[riverbee]

cbt,
apshalt or blacktop? stuff gets pretty hot, with the bees 'parked' on it i would have to agree with what lee said:

"The question in my mind is how hot the surface of the tennis court gets at the end of a long and hot day.  Humidity is a big factor as well, as you know, honey bees cool their hive with evaporative cooling.  The concrete in my driveway can get well over 130 degrees with partial shade.  Asphalt can get MUCH hotter!  Brood in hives at those temperatures could be baked on those hot days.  A honey bee's life or death limit is approximately 118-119 degrees F."

good luck and keep us posted as to what you guys figured out what might be the problem.