Saving a hive

[apisbees]

It was the 5th of January and I had a single hive that was light on food. There was no weight to the hive. The weather man was calling for a 2 weeks of cold weather and I knew this hive would not survive if left out side on its own. So I picked it up and placed in the basement in the dark and placed a feed jar on it.
It was a nice warm day yesterday and the weather is suppost to be nice for the next 2 week so decided it was time to put the hive back outside. I placed the hive and opened the hive and gave it some frames of honey, 6 frames with a good capping of honey on them.
Here are some observations. The bees did not start talking the syrup for the first 3 weeks until they had consumed all the stored honey in the colony. From the first of February when the bees started taking the syrup, the bees (that covered 8 deep frames) only consumed a pint of syrup. When I went thru the hive the bees had not stored any of the syrup in the cells all the combs in the hive were completely empty of honey and syrup. There was no eggs of brood in the hive which I knew would be the case as bees need the light of day to trigger and stimulate brood rearing. I did not place the hive in the same location as where it was before moving it into the basement and so I did not know whether the bees would reorient to the new location or would they go to where the hive was before? because I opened the hive right away after moving it and shaking the bees off of 5 frames, and placing 6 frames into the hive, after getting the hive put back together there was bees orientating to the new hive location but there was also bees flying around where the hive was originally located also. The new location as only 6 feet from the original location so the bees eventually found their way to the colony.

[Perry]

I have thought about moving a small hive indoors but was never sure what the results might be (although my wife seems awfully sure). 
Interesting.

[apisbees]

it was not even that cool the basement would be 65 deg f at hive on the floor level. Once a light was turned and left on and a few dozen bees ended up dead on the floor under the light.

[LazyBkpr]

it was not even that cool the basement would be 65 deg f at hive on the floor level. Once a light was turned and left on and a few dozen bees ended up dead on the floor under the light.

 
   Interesting indeed..   I would think at 65 they would be boiling out...  Thanks for posting Apis. Food for thought.

[apisbees]

It is down stairs, the house temp is set at 72 day and 68 at night and there are register vents in the basement so it is not a real cool place. The darkness keeps the bees in the hive. The bees will consume less feed if kept at a cooler temp but even being kept at 65 deg they probably used less than if they had to try and heat the hive against the frigid outside temperatures.

[Slowmodem]

I did not place the hive in the same location as where it was before moving it into the basement and so I did not know whether the bees would reorient to the new location or would they go to where the hive was before? because I opened the hive right away after moving it and shaking the bees off of 5 frames, and placing 6 frames into the hive, after getting the hive put back together there was bees orientating to the new hive location but there was also bees flying around where the hive was originally located also. The new location as only 6 feet from the original location so the bees eventually found their way to the colony.

From what I have read, I thought after 5 days or so, the bees forgot where they used to live.

[apisbees]

But they were in the dark so they did not reorientate. I was not sure if the bees would orientate to the old location but they definitely did. that is why I did not move them to far from where they were originally so they would find their way to the new location.