bees die at KU

[Riverrat]

http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/Cold-kills-bees-at-KU-museum-244900971.html

[LazyBkpr]

Kind of odd.. it was INSIDE with an external entrance and the cold killed them?

[Riverrat]

 I have seen the tube they use for an entrance it has 2 90 degree elbows and runs 4 foot down an inside wall then out the east side of the building. KU has some good bee researcher going on. I'm guessing the museum didn't consult with them about the hive dying

[LazyBkpr]

kk, that would make more sense.

[Perry]

My friend Henry has his ob hive year round. It's in it's 5th winter with the same queen (I made 3 queens successfully off her). The tube leading outside is very short (maybe 6 inches), and there are times when Henry has seen snow blow in so that the bottom corner of the frame has snow on it. Doesn't seem to bother those bees. If they make it through winter I am going to make more queens off her.

[LazyBkpr]

wow, Old queen!  I'd want queens from her too if I was you!!
   I have two three year old queens I will be keeping a close eye on this year. I will be splitting them into Nuc's and giving their hives new queens. We will see how they do. Great overwintering queens, good temperament and produced about 120 lbs of honey each... Hoping they keep right on rolling.

   With temps this winter at -45 below with the wind chill, and the winds being 50 mph at times...  I can testify to the fact that COLD doesn't kill bees... well, good bees.. my Italian crosses starved with two boxes of reserves and SUGAR on the top board above them. The rest are still kicking somehow.  Maybe those Museum bees were snowbirds?   

[Bakersdozen]

I guess they will need to consult with Chip Taylor next time.  That's a shame.  Sometimes you just learn the hard way.

[Riverrat]

I guess they will need to consult with Chip Taylor next time.  That's a shame.  Sometimes you just learn the hard way.

I don't think the hive died from cold. They have had that OB hive at the museum  50 plus years. I don't understand why they didn't go talk to Chip, Rudolph Jander or Deb smith any one of the 3 are top notch on bee research. Jander was Dr Karl von frisch last doctoral student.