« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Another cold spell  (Read 2261 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline gtrr4

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 183
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Piqua, Ohio
Another cold spell
« on: April 20, 2015, 08:20:35 pm »
I know some of you are still waiting for the snow to melt and some of us like myself are waiting for the first big bloom.  This week we have four nights that will be down to freezing.  I am wondering how will the brood fair through these nights.  My three hives all have 5-6 frames of brood at different stages.  I am wanting to know what the experienced beeks knowledge is on this.
Logged

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2015, 09:04:20 pm »
The coldest we are expecting is ONE night at 34 degrees.. I hope it doesnt get much colder than predicted..  about six nights total below 40 degrees, then its supposed to start warming back up...
    Experience tells me that I might lose some brood of the cluster contracts, but with it being 60 degrees during the day I am hoping the bees can keep up with the temps inside.
   I also have multiple frames of brood going on in most of my hives. we have a major bloom in progress. dandelions everywhere. cherry trees, ornamental pear etc, etc...   if it freezes, all but the dandelions will end overnight..  My concern is with the flow rather than the brood.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Logged
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2015, 06:39:35 am »
It's nature, and we can't do much about it. There may be some loss of brood, but even so they will rebound.
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2015, 10:32:36 pm »
you may lose some brood and some bees trying to cover the brood. my main concern would be that the bees have the stores to get through crazy weather when we can't feed syrup because of the cold.  if they have the stores, they will do alright. we have two weeks (predicted of very cold weather) in now, and coming up.  the brood and  bees covering the brood are always at loss in cold snaps, just as long as i don't lose an entire colony of bees to starvation this late, and it can happen. 
Logged
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline Ray

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 200
  • Thanked: 10 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: A 1 hour drive North of Grand Rapids Michigan
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2015, 08:57:05 pm »
In my neck of the woods, the bees managed to get into the Red Maples and Willow pollen. I have been feeding deadout honey, so I'm not worried about starvation. I have 5 packages coming Friday, won't be the first time I've hived packages in cold weather.


The picture is from April 16 of last year.
Logged

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2015, 08:25:18 am »
Packages arrived up here the last week or two as well. The ones from New Zealand are hived really easily because of the tubes they arrive in. The ones from Australia come in the old style wooden cages and they get shook up a lot during hiving. If you can get the majority of the bees in the hive quickly, even if it's cold, it will minimize the drifting that occurs if they get all shook up and it's warmer.


Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Curtchann

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
  • Thanked: 13 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Hopkins, MI
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2015, 09:52:56 am »
Hoping that the weather breaks next week as bees will be arriving next Friday or Saturday.
Logged

Offline Ray4852

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 533
  • Thanked: 24 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Western New York State
Re: Another cold spell
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2015, 11:16:38 am »
My bees are off to a good start. All six hives have at least 50 lbs of honey stored so far. My guess they robbed out the dead hives from the commercial guy cross the street. Last night temps went down to 27 degrees with 3 inches of snow and more to come tonight with lows down to 25 degrees. My bees have enough honey now to weather out this cold front. I hope its the last of it for awhile.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »