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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: RHBee on March 26, 2013, 06:23:31 pm

Title: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: RHBee on March 26, 2013, 06:23:31 pm
There's nothing that can be done now but I was wondering what effect these cooler temperatures could have on the development and mating of the new queens in the splits I made on March 15th. Where I live the night time lows could get in the low 30s for the next four days.
There were capped cells or a queen in all splits. From what I know,  cells are capped in day 7 1/2 or 8. The queen emerges day 16 or 17, depending on temps.  Mating is day 17 to 20.
This puts my new queens in jeopardy for their mating flights if my calculations are correct. I figure the worst I'll have to do is recombine a couple of colonies.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: 10framer on March 26, 2013, 06:27:59 pm
ray,
tonight is the last cold night we're expecting down this way.  i wouldn't worry just yet. 
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Intheswamp on March 26, 2013, 06:32:18 pm
I was thinking that after emerging that the virgin had to harden up for a few days and that it wasl close to a week before the virgin would go out on mating flights...  :?  
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: RHBee on March 26, 2013, 09:35:39 pm
ray,
tonight is the last cold night we're expecting down this way.  i wouldn't worry just yet. 

Thanks 10framer,  we have colder nights until Friday. I'm just saying that's just  my luck. I'll deal with whatever comes out of this.

I was thinking that after emerging that the virgin had to harden up for a few days and that it was close to a week before the virgin would go out on mating flights...  :? 

You may be right. I don't know for sure about that. Maybe some others can throw out some information. I also understand that if the queen is a virgin you don't want to disturb the hive much or they may ball her.
The first day I can go for a look is Sunday. The high  temp is supposed to be 75F.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: hardwood on March 26, 2013, 10:22:24 pm
Don't worry about it, they'll do fine. I don't check for mated queens for at least 3 weeks.

Scott
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: RHBee on March 27, 2013, 05:56:33 am
Don't worry about it, they'll do fine. I don't check for mated queens for at least 3 weeks.

Scott

Thanks Scott will do. Looks like April 6th then. I'll settle for putting some feed on them this weekend.

I appreciate the help everyone.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Jim134 on March 27, 2013, 06:20:28 am
Ray Bayless
Don't worry about the night time temperatures. If the day time get to about 60F it will bee OK



               BEE  HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Finski on March 27, 2013, 08:23:13 am
T1/2 or 8. The queen emerges day 16 or 17, depending on temps.  Mating is day 17 to 20.


queens start to mate after age of 7 days.
Then they have 3 weeks to mate.

Queens mate during 1-3 days. Most often during 2 days.

Normally the  queen start to lay after10 days old.

.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: capt44 on March 27, 2013, 09:16:26 am
Here in Central Arkansas this is the coldest night.
The temps this morning are 22.9F on my front porch.
The temps are suppose to be 60F today and lows in the upper 30's then highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's over the weekend.
I'm going to start splits and grafting larva tomorrow, hope I'm not jumping the gun.
I'm way behind this year because of the temps.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: rbinhood on March 27, 2013, 10:02:17 am
Here in east central Alabama the temp dropped to 26 degrees last night.  Here you can look for a couple of nights of below 32 degrees untill  around April 5th or 6th.  Will be nice to see warmer nighttime temps after that.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Intheswamp on March 27, 2013, 11:36:15 am
50 miles south of Montgomery we got down to 28F last night.   Looks like tonight we *may* touch freezing and then start heading into a nice warming trend...April 1 is supposed to be 80F!!!  Lows at night moving into the mid-50's.

Do queens leave on their mating flights at any particular time of day...morning?....afternoon?....when the mood strikes? :-*  :-D

Ed
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: RHBee on March 27, 2013, 12:05:15 pm
Finski thanks for the time line. Good to have your help. I don't have 40yrs to get to your level of understanding. Learning from all of you is a real unexpected advantage.

Capt44--I wish you good fortune with your Increaitses. Keep us informed  on your progress.

You know reading about other peoples plans helps me keep focused on my own.  Looking at what I did and why I did it helps me too.
I guess this endeavor is a form of farming. You do your best, make your choices and then live with them.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 27, 2013, 12:53:26 pm
50 miles south of Montgomery we got down to 28F last night.   Looks like tonight we *may* touch freezing and then start heading into a nice warming trend...April 1 is supposed to be 80F!!!  Lows at night moving into the mid-50's.

Do queens leave on their mating flights at any particular time of day...morning?....afternoon?....when the mood strikes? :-*  :-D

Ed

Ed
According to our German instructor (sorry, I don't remember her name) at the bee college in St Augustine last month, the queens usually go on their mating flights from noon to 3:00 PM. that was in the mountains of Germany and may vary by area. The Drone congregation areas were in the valleys over cleared fields.
Jim
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Jim134 on March 28, 2013, 07:38:08 pm
Here in Central Arkansas this is the coldest night.
The temps this morning are 22.9F on my front porch.
The temps are suppose to be 60F today and lows in the upper 30's then highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's over the weekend.
I'm going to start splits and grafting larva tomorrow, hope I'm not jumping the gun.
I'm way behind this year because of the temps.

 Do you have purple eye drone brood ???


             BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Intheswamp on March 28, 2013, 08:54:14 pm
Ed
According to our German instructor (sorry, I don't remember her name) at the bee college in St Augustine last month, the queens usually go on their mating flights from noon to 3:00 PM. that was in the mountains of Germany and may vary by area. The Drone congregation areas were in the valleys over cleared fields.
Jim
Thanks, Jim.   I've read that cemetaries have been noted as congregation areas, also,...I guess the non-changing structures and layout of the graves.  :?

Ed
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: Michael Bush on March 29, 2013, 12:44:21 pm
Do you have drones flying?  If so, I'll bet the queens will manage to get mated.
Title: Re: Worrying about colder temps.
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 31, 2013, 10:54:58 pm
Ed
According to our German instructor (sorry, I don't remember her name) at the bee college in St Augustine last month, the queens usually go on their mating flights from noon to 3:00 PM. that was in the mountains of Germany and may vary by area. The Drone congregation areas were in the valleys over cleared fields.
Jim
Thanks, Jim.   I've read that cemeteries have been noted as congregation areas, also,...I guess the non-changing structures and layout of the graves.  :?

Ed

Ed,
It is the lay of the land they are looking for. A clearing and the tallest structure next to it is what they seem to look for. I saw one that was a parking lot with a tall tree in it.
Jim