« previous next »
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Down

Author Topic: How Cold is to Cold  (Read 29933 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline pistolpete

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 786
  • Thanked: 20 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #20 on: January 05, 2014, 11:14:28 pm »
Last winter we had about a week of -30C and lots of -20 days.  My bees did fine and I did not hear of anyone else suffering abnormal winter losses. 
Logged
My advice: worth price charged :)

Offline Waverlybees

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 46
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: East central Alabama
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #21 on: January 06, 2014, 12:51:19 pm »
It is supposed to get down to 9 here tonight. I realize that for some of you that might be a heat wave this time of year, but I am still concered about my girls. It has been suggested that I put blankets over the hives and I plan to do that. I am wondering if it would help to place a heating element such as one used for reptiles (no light) under the screened bottom board to provide some source of additional heat?

Or do I just need to let Mother Nature and the bees work it out?

Thanks,

Dan
Logged

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #22 on: January 06, 2014, 12:59:58 pm »
I've never heard of putting blankets over hives. Let Mother Nature do her thing.  ;)
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6155
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #23 on: January 06, 2014, 02:05:44 pm »
No heat. If it gets to 43 or higher, they will move outside and freeze.

Perry, you aren't in Alabama. You prepared your hives better in the fall. A blanket, or anything for insulation, just for the days it is at record cold. Within 48 hours, the temps will be back to normal. 9 in Al. is like 80 below for you.
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Waverlybees

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 46
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: East central Alabama
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #24 on: January 06, 2014, 03:37:15 pm »
Yea, I would just cover them tonight and remove the blanket lat tomorrow morning once temps got back to something reasonable, say mid 20's. Clear on the heat. I did not think about them taking that as a signal to take flight. Thanks Iddee.

Dan
Logged

Offline 40 Acre Bees

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
  • Thanked: 12 times
  • Location: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia Canada
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #25 on: January 07, 2014, 07:18:52 pm »
This is crazy.....   +11 degrees Celsius yesterday, heavy rains  -18 tonight with heavy snow squalls, really can't be good for the girls....  We are really worried about our one hive.  My wife tried what Perry said -  ear to the side and a few good raps on the side.  Not a buzz to be heard.  If we lose a hive our first year we are both going to be pretty devastated, as we have tried our best to do what was right for them since day one.  Only time will tell now.
Logged

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #26 on: January 07, 2014, 07:24:07 pm »
Keep in mind that there will be times where we do everything "perfectly", and it will not work out like we planned. It is after all Nature we are dealing with, and sometimes it can be unfair.
I know you two have done most everything you could, and sometimes that's all we can do.
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Finally Home

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 291
  • Gender: Male
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #27 on: January 07, 2014, 07:29:11 pm »
I tried knocking on all my hives a few weeks ago and never heard a sound.  When the temps came up a little all were out stretching their wings???  Not sure why they didn't answer when I knocked unless there's a secret knock  :-\ :-\
Logged

Offline Slowmodem

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1551
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
    • http://gregsbees.blogspot.com/
  • Location: Ten Mile, TN
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #28 on: January 07, 2014, 07:58:37 pm »
Quote from: Finally Home on January 07, 2014, 07:29:11 pm
I tried knocking on all my hives a few weeks ago and never heard a sound.  When the temps came up a little all were out stretching their wings???  Not sure why they didn't answer when I knocked unless there's a secret knock  :-\ :-\

My experience, too.
Logged
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #29 on: January 07, 2014, 08:07:22 pm »
When all else fails, use a stethoscope...............or call me!  :o :o :o :laugh:

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

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #30 on: January 08, 2014, 09:29:13 pm »
I was gonna take a funny Picture... but... as She took the picture, the THOUGHT of Perry, with a stethoscope, and rubber gloves came to mind...
 
   

Logged
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Slowmodem

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1551
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
    • http://gregsbees.blogspot.com/
  • Location: Ten Mile, TN
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #31 on: January 08, 2014, 09:53:53 pm »
Quote from: LazyBkpr on January 08, 2014, 09:29:13 pm
I was gonna take a funny Picture... but... as She took the picture, the THOUGHT of Perry, with a stethoscope, and rubber gloves came to mind...

I've got that exact cap!  I wear it everywhere.   ;)
Logged
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #32 on: January 08, 2014, 09:59:33 pm »
Last winter I still had my little patio hive, it's half the size of a standard langstroth. Not much heat can hold up in a small hive like that so I blanketed my hive every night during winter.

Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #33 on: January 08, 2014, 10:08:34 pm »
40 and Finally! If you really need to see or hear your bees, continue knocking on the porch and the sides of the hive, and blow your breath into the entrance of the hive. they will think you are a bear sniffing and huffing around the hive.

We apitherapist are taught some tricks to get the guard bees to come to the entrance. Once I see a guard bee or two I nab them with long tweezers and put them into a jar. I do it quickly so that they will not come out of the entrance, or not very far anyway.

It may take 2-3 minutes, they are reluctant
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline pistolpete

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 786
  • Thanked: 20 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #34 on: January 09, 2014, 01:46:47 am »
I'm not so sure I'd want to bother the bees to that point in the cold.  Can't be good for the cluster.   A cheap stethoscope is the way to go for checking on hives.   
Logged
My advice: worth price charged :)

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #35 on: January 09, 2014, 05:44:18 am »
Quote from: LazyBkpr on January 08, 2014, 09:29:13 pm
I was gonna take a funny Picture... but... as She took the picture, the THOUGHT of Perry, with a stethoscope, and rubber gloves came to mind...
 
   

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

Offline kebee

  • WorldWide Beekeeper Emeritus
  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1095
  • Thanked: 55 times
  • Gender: Male
  • May GOD be with us
  • Location: eastcentral Al
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #36 on: January 09, 2014, 08:18:55 am »
Well I know one hive made it, it got up to 45f here yesterday and one hive scramble  out to see the sun, saw nothing from the other one though, if it gets up in high 50 today like they say and see no bees I will be lifting the top to take a peek. Here hoping.

Ken
Logged

Offline riverbee

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8924
  • Thanked: 410 times
  • Gender: Female
  • ***Forum Sponsor***
  • Location: El Paso Twp, Wisconsin
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #37 on: January 09, 2014, 11:38:10 am »
lol lazy......... :D

"blow your breath into the entrance of the hive. they will think you are a bear sniffing and huffing around the hive."

lol jen, you really don't want your bees thinking there is a bear sniffing and huffing around the hive........ :D
pete had a good point about not disturbing the cluster in our colder climates.  i don't use a stethoscope, just put my ear to the hives, and just a tap or two will bring an elevated hum.

Logged
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
Forum Sponsor

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #38 on: January 09, 2014, 04:37:20 pm »
riv- I do it every week when I need bees for sting clients. If I blow into the entrance, the bees think it is an intruder, and one or two or three work their way down to the entrance to check it out.

If my husband blows his beer cigarette breath into the hive...  Well I stay in the house and watch out the window   :D

My hive is insulated in ridged board. I cannot tap on the hive and hear a buzz, so I have to put my ear right on the entrance and tap, and even then it's iffy.
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline 40 Acre Bees

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 211
  • Thanked: 12 times
  • Location: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia Canada
Re: How Cold is to Cold
« Reply #39 on: January 11, 2014, 02:09:02 pm »
Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!   Well a cheap stethoscope, did the trick.  There is a pretty good hum coming from the hive I thought we lost.  It appears to be quite a bit lighter than the other on, but still a little bit of weight to it.  We are so happy.  Thanks for the stethoscope idea, just took a load off our minds.  Thanks :laugh: :D ;D ;D
Logged
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Up
« previous next »