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Author Topic: Bitter Cold  (Read 9839 times)

Offline BlueBee

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Bitter Cold
« on: January 21, 2013, 02:20:31 am »
How are the beeks in the upper Midwest doing in the current arctic blast?  And how about your bees?  I’m seeing some -30F/-34C in store for Minnesota.  Looks like the Great Lakes are going to keep my bees from falling below 0F (for now), but that's still plenty cold for this bee keeper.  I've been crawling around working on some plumbing in this cold  :(  

Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2013, 09:32:41 am »
I'm a Texas, and I truly don't know how you cope with below zero temperatures over the long haul.  I have worked drilling projects in that kind of cold, but I knew at the end of the day that I would be leaving in a few days or weeks.  Good luck with the bees and the plumbing.

Offline danno

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2013, 09:57:46 am »
It seldom get below zero in lower michigan.   It is just 8 today and lake effect snow is pounding us

Offline T Beek

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2013, 10:07:18 am »
Had 16 below zero this am, 14 below right now.  But its the wind that's a killer, literally, and its blowing/gusting like mad, making the possibility of doing anything outside a chore.  Our current wind chills are 30-40 below.

Not sure what it means because I've never seen it before, but yesterday around noon, it was zero degrees w/ bright sunshine so I walked down to my beeyard for a look/see and at the entrance of one of the NUCs I purchased from "beeNuts" (he used to post here) had bees milling about at the entrance and one even flew off.  I doubt she made it very far.

I had just checked and added more dry sugar, mixed up w/ some of BlueBees "honeyballs, in all 8 colonies when we had temps in the upper 30's a week ago, so the strange behavior exhibited during such extreme temps is disconcerting to say the least.  I fear they may have consumed their stored honey with the very warm 'beginning' of winter and are rejecting the sugar and thus will likely starve.  C'mon Spring!  

I'm kind of at a loss for any other explanation.
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline tefer2

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2013, 10:14:52 am »
14 here this am. We have about two inches here now. I was enjoying this winter till now. :(

Offline Parksguyy

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2013, 11:31:56 am »
Hello all,
We woke up to -22 celius but the wind has backed off.  Yesterday, the temp started at 0 degrees and proceeded to drop thru the day but the wind was blowing very hard, making it feel colder ...  trees down across our laneway too.  This week is looking very cold, nite time temperatures are going to be close to -30 celius.  The girls will be wanting their thermals on ... thats for sure.  First year beek, so alittle concerned to say the least.
   

Offline Joe D

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2013, 11:41:55 am »
I feel for all of you above I-20.  Down here we have had a little cold, but very little.  A few nights that were in the 20's F.  Last week had a touch of snow, was gone before lunch.  It does get hot in the summer, but not to cold in the winter.  Good luck to you.




Joe

Offline sterling

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2013, 12:32:47 pm »
It's a little chilly here right now and supposed get down to around 14F tonight and thats too cold for me. But the bees were flying this past weekend and bringing in some pollen Saturday.     Ya'll bundle up now.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2013, 01:58:27 pm »
Up to 6 inches now, we are getting the lake effect snow.

Moots

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2013, 02:03:39 pm »
Up to 6 inches now, we are getting the lake effect snow.

Not sure how y'all or the bees deal with that!  :)

Good luck.

Offline tefer2

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2013, 02:49:10 pm »
Bees handle the snow fine, it's the single digits that worry me. The little dog just stands at the door, has to be thrown out to pee. Guess it's just cause he's got short legs. I normally shovel a race track around the back yard for him. Makes him mad that he can't go where the big dogs can. :-D

I almost forgot, 8 inches and still snowing!

Offline pawallinsr

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2013, 03:21:10 pm »
Jan. 4, 18F in NY, headed to VA :-\
Jan. 19, 29F in VA, Headed to SC on the road SOUTH
Jan. 20, 31F in Taylors, SC
Jan. 21, 38F in Auburn, AL Getting better  :lol:

Peter

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #12 on: January 21, 2013, 04:41:55 pm »
The bitter cold isn’t going to last long here, but it should be a pretty good test for my surviving baby mating nucs.  

T Beek, I’ve had a few bees roaming around on very cold sunny days and have seen a few fly off to never return again.  I assumed/hoped they were old bees going out for that one last trip.  It hasn’t been a bad omen for my hives yet, but you never know.  I do prefer they simply stay put and “sleep” as Finski says.  The Great Lakes usually keep us pretty cloudy all winter so the bees don't have much sunshine to tempt them to fly.

Offline T Beek

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #13 on: January 21, 2013, 05:43:25 pm »
Glad you posted BluBee.  Last night was 'supposed' our coldest for us for the next week but the real cold isn't too far away and its moving our way.  Its still nothing like it used to be though, with 2-3 weeks never getting above zero, usually in January.  Its been roughly 10 years since we've had an extended cold snap like that. 

Since I've never seen my bees fly at temps much below 30F I was wondering if it had anything to do w/ the foam shells I'm using for the first time this winter, to see them out at zero degrees was/is a new one for me.

You're right, they 'should' be in cluster, not roaming around the entrance, hence my concern.

My major argument against insulating hives for several years was that they would hold cold in as well as warmth, this experience may yet prove it.  :-\ :-\  Time will tell. 

Alas......
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline danno

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #14 on: January 21, 2013, 06:26:59 pm »
I lived in Wisconsin from 58 to 83.    Michigan doesn't come close to what you guys get.   Lake michigan softens your cold before it gets to us.   Right now we have 5 F with 20MPH wind.   Windchill is - 12.   This is rare though and after this front passes it will be back to  normal

Offline bailey

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2013, 07:49:38 pm »
Used to live in Arkansas a few years back.  The cold is
One of the main reasons I fled that weather to louisiana.
Back below I 10 where I belong! 
Y'all making me cold just talking about it !!
My girls were bringing in honey in 60 degree weather today.
  :-D
Bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline danno

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2013, 08:51:24 pm »
Temp  dropped to 3F,  winds still whipping, lake effect snow still pounding us and about a hour ago the power went out.  Some moron hauling a bunch of balloons into a party at the bowling alley out on the highway let the wind take them away from him.   They blew right up in the primary and nocked out 100 homes. 

Offline tefer2

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2013, 08:59:54 pm »
Temp  dropped to 3F,  winds still whipping, lake effect snow still pounding us and about a hour ago the power went out.  Some moron hauling a bunch of balloons into a party at the bowling alley out on the highway let the wind take them away from him.   They blew right up in the primary and nocked out 100 homes.  

Now that is freckin weird! Hope you have a generator gassed up?

Offline lazy shooter

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2013, 09:36:34 pm »
Hey Bailey, eat some Satsumas for me.  I love them and South Louisiana is the only place I have ever seen them.  I have an old pal in Thibodaux and sends me satsumas and oranges that are grown on his property.  I bet the tulip trees are blooming.  Do the bees forage on them?

Offline rgy

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Re: Bitter Cold
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2013, 09:40:16 pm »
Hey Bluebee and Tefer, it was just over 60 today, close to 70 yesterday and did I mention SUNNY! Shorts and outside bar watching football yesterday! Man I don't miss that  grey weather!  Lake Michigan Yes, snow and cold NO!

Yeah you can get your digs in in August:) while I'm cooking!