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Author Topic: Boston Baked Bees  (Read 3834 times)

salvo

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Boston Baked Bees
« on: November 23, 2012, 12:43:37 am »
Hi Folks,

Plymouth County, Massachusetts beek here, second year, three hives, two nucs.

Temps got about 54/12 degrees F/C here today. Lots of bees in the air today. Tonight it's 29/-2 degrees F/C.

My hives are in full sun, wrapped with black "weed block" material and tar paper. All the seams are pretty tight. I have low/bottom and high/top entrances/holes. I think good ventilation, albeit not really "open".

However,...how hot is it getting inside my hives on days like this? The outside is very warm to the hand.

Am I cooking my bees????

Salvo


Offline BlueBee

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2012, 01:00:47 am »
I’ve been to Plimoth Plantation and seen The Rock many years ago.  Cool place, but no bees.  

Do I smell cooked bees?  Probably not, but the Sun can impart quite a few watts of power during the day.  However there is a LOT of mass in a bee hive to heat (honey, wax, wood) and that should prevent the temps from cooking the bees for now.  The problem is at night  :(  The Moon doesn't add any heating watts, the tar paper is not a good insulator, and it's the coldest time of the day.  But when all is said and done, bee keepers have been doing it that way for decades.  Just make sure they don't get too light on the stores.      

salvo

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2012, 01:35:24 am »



They must have raised bees in Plimoth. Look at this big skep!

Salvo

Offline AllenF

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2012, 11:00:53 am »
If it gets too hot in there, the bees will just beard on the outside like in summer.   No big deal.   Don't worry about it. 

Offline Jim134

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2012, 11:23:50 am »



They must have raised bees in Plimoth. Look at this big skep!

Salvo


                          LOL X:X X:X




                  BEE HAPPY Jim 134     
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline tjc1

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2012, 02:02:53 pm »
Just make sure they don't get too light on the stores.    


I'm in the same circumstances (also in Plymouth!). But what can one do this late in the year about the low stores? Finski told me not to feed them even on a warm day this time of year...

salvo

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2012, 02:49:03 pm »
Hi TJ,

I saw your other post last night.

Are you a member of the Plymouth County Beekeepers Assoc.? Take it up at the next meeting next Wednesday, or post to your group. If you're not a member,...might I suggest you become one.

We'll talk.

Salvo

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2012, 03:34:32 pm »
TJC1, having lived in metro Boston I know you can get some warm spells in the winter and the ocean moderates your temps a bit more than NH and VT.  There are options if you are you running low on stores.  As Finski says, you really shouldn’t be light so early in the winter.  However things don’t always go as planned.

I don’t generally open feed and Finski is right you’re not going to get a lot of food into a hive in cool conditions (mid 50s) because most of the bees are going to be staying inside the hive.  If you’re really running low, you can add hard candy as Robo shows on his website or maybe try to dry sugar on a news paper (I’ve never tried it).   Just don’t feed anything really runny this time of year!

Insulation will keep the hive warmer and hence the bees won’t need as much food to overwinter so that is an option too.

Offline Jim134

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2012, 03:42:45 pm »
salvo ..............

Are you a member of Plymouth County Beekeepers' Association on facebook ???
IMHO You can find a lot of local beekeeping information for Plymouth County MA. USA

 On facebook Search:" Plymouth County Beekeepers' Association"

Candy Boards
http://www.beverlybees.com/i-want-candy-so-lets-make-a-candyboard-for-winter-feeding/

Plymouth County Beekeepers Association
http://www.plymouthcountybeekeepers.org/

Massachusetts Beekeeper's Association
http://massbee.org/          

Just remember ALL beekeeping is location,location,location and local    

              

              BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
« Last Edit: November 23, 2012, 04:13:40 pm by Jim 134 »
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline Jim134

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2012, 05:54:58 pm »
TJC1, having lived in metro Boston I know you can get some warm spells in the winter and the ocean moderates your temps a bit more than NH and VT.  There are options if you are you running low on stores.  As Finski says, you really shouldn’t be light so early in the winter.  However things don’t always go as planned.

I don’t generally open feed and Finski is right you’re not going to get a lot of food into a hive in cool conditions (mid 50s) because most of the bees are going to be staying inside the hive.  If you’re really running low, you can add hard candy as Robo shows on his website or maybe try to dry sugar on a news paper (I’ve never tried it).   Just don’t feed anything really runny this time of year!

Insulation will keep the hive warmer and hence the bees won’t need as much food to overwinter so that is an option too.


Robo wedsite

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/emergency-feeding/


          BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline tjc1

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2012, 05:57:28 pm »
Hi Salvo,

I originally joined the Barnstable association because I teach on the Cape and was aiming to keep bees at school (still working on that). At the time, I couldn't find much on the Plymouth association - seemed it was defunct from what I found, but I since know that it is quite lively - I should check in with them!

TJ

Offline Jim134

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2012, 06:43:57 pm »
Hi Salvo,

I originally joined the Barnstable association because I teach on the Cape and was aiming to keep bees at school (still working on that). At the time, I couldn't find much on the Plymouth association - seemed it was defunct from what I found, but I since know that it is quite lively - I should check in with them!

TJ

   The next meeting of Plymouth County Beekeepers' Association  is Wednesday, November 28th, at 7 pm Pembroke Center School which is obviously on Center Street. If you drive into the Police Departments driveway and follow it behind the old school you'll see where we park in the lower parking lot out behind the school.

                     BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
« Last Edit: November 23, 2012, 08:28:25 pm by Jim 134 »
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

salvo

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2012, 09:39:19 pm »
Hi TJ,

Ditto what Jim said. I plan to be at the PCBA meeting, Wednesday at 7 PM, also.

Come and introduce yourself.

Salvo

Offline tjc1

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2012, 10:48:16 pm »
Thanks for the invite, guys - a busy week, but I'll try to make it. If not this one, maybe next month...

Ted

salvo

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2012, 12:03:04 am »
Hi TJ,

We'll see you soon at the PCBA.

Jim, I am a member of PCBA. It appears you might be also!? If you're at Wednesdays meeting, I'll see you there. BTW; Salvo is my "nom de plume". If you're a member,...you know me. :-D

I just thought this was a good subject, "wrapping, warm sunny days".

Mike Palmer recently spoke, and recommended wrapping in TP (No. Not that kind of TP.  :roll: Tar paper).

My wrapping is a little bit beyond just the TP (over thunk). I use: a trapped airspace, plastic window shutters along the sides and back; a weed block material (a fuzzy, woven erosion fence)wrap around for moisture permiability; a top shallow super filled with shaved cedar chips (keeps the moths at bay ;)). The TP is only around the top super as a rainwater shed. I have baffles around the entrances similar to those I think I saw on your site last year, and copied (in theory).

 Mal verte el miércoles!

Salvo

Offline Bees In Miami

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2012, 01:53:08 am »
Trying to get my Mom & Bro to the next meeting up there....Any beeks in the Hingham area that you know of?  Bro is in Pembroke, Mom is in Hingham, and now that they have played with my girls, both want to start bees in Spring.  (I told them not to start late and then try to winter them!)  Thanks!  
« Last Edit: November 26, 2012, 02:54:03 am by Bees In Miami »

salvo

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Re: Boston Baked Bees
« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2012, 10:36:21 pm »
Hello Miami,

http://www.plymouthcountybeekeepers.org/club-events/beeschool

Click on the link. We have an annual "Bee School" starting in January. That which is posted may be last year's schedule. The PCBA also imports thousands of packages for our club/student needs as well as other commitments.

I don't know how to "private message" somebody, but if you can figure it out, don't hesitate to contact me.

Bro can stop in Wednesday night,...behind the Pembroke police station. See Jim's post above.

Jim, I spoke with Greg. Hola!

Salvo