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Author Topic: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?  (Read 5266 times)

Offline misfyredOhio

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Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« on: January 04, 2008, 07:36:07 pm »
As of today, weather forecasters predict a high of 67 degrees on Tuesday in Central Ohio, possibly record-breaking temp. (It's 34 degrees right now.) I have one hive over-wintering (new beekeeper). Is it ok to take a peak inside the hive on Tuesday? If so, what kind of things should I be looking for (symptoms of disease, etc.)? Will the bees be flying around? Thanks.

Offline Jerrymac

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2008, 07:43:27 pm »
My bees fly at around 45 degrees so yes they will be flying. About all I would do is pick up one end of the hive to see what the weight of it is to determine if they still have stores to make it through the rest of the winter, I'm sure it isn't over with up there yet. I really hate to break all the weather seals the bees have put into the hive.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2008, 10:26:42 pm »
Mine fly at 45 F on a sunny calm day.  They will definitely be flying at 60 something.
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Offline qa33010

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2008, 01:39:16 am »
   We hit the sixties today and they really came out!!   
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline bassman1977

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2008, 12:02:31 pm »
Did you open them up?
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Offline Bennettoid

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2008, 02:26:51 pm »
Its almost 70 here now, I'm feeding.

Offline misfyredOhio

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2008, 09:49:45 pm »
Got to 60+ degrees today (spring fever). I got all my gear on and smoker smoking. I walked to the hive in the mud and knew it was bad when I got there. No bees flying. Opened up the hive and they are all dead. I'm very disappointed. I have no idea what happened.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2008, 09:54:23 pm »
can you take pictures of the frames and get one of the mods to post them for you?  it will be educational for all and maybe someone can help you determine what happened.  i know it sucks, but chalk it up to learning if you can.
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Offline misfyredOhio

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #8 on: January 07, 2008, 09:59:40 pm »
I will take pics tomorrow and post more details. Watching national championship. Go bucks.

Offline bassman1977

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2008, 10:40:04 pm »
Quote
Got to 60+ degrees today (spring fever). I got all my gear on and smoker smoking. I walked to the hive in the mud and knew it was bad when I got there. No bees flying. Opened up the hive and they are all dead. I'm very disappointed. I have no idea what happened.


:(  Sorry to hear that.
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Offline indypartridge

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2008, 07:50:01 am »
Quote from: misfyredOhio
Opened up the hive and they are all dead. I'm very disappointed.

Quote from: misfyredOhio
Watching national championship. Go bucks.

Ouch! Now that's one bad day.... 

Offline mlewis48

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2008, 01:18:38 pm »
 Sorry to hear of your loss. That sucks. I too am new to the art of beekeeping and live in Southern Ohio. The warm winter that we have had is helping me make it out of the winters that we normally have. The dry summer that we had, took its tole on any chance of a honey crop that I could have had. So far all 9 of my hives are alive and flying like crazy, as of today. Went out and added some dry sugar to the hives to help them if they need it. Also, the game hurt about as bad as loosing a hive. I said almost. There is always the thought of the new season for football and bees. Hang in there and good luck if you get more bees.                                           Marcus :(
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Offline SteveSC

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #12 on: January 08, 2008, 01:32:45 pm »
Here in SC we've had the roller coaster weather patterns all fall and winter.  Teens - 20 - 30 degs one week and 60 to 70 degs. the next week. I wish it would level off.

I'm not feeding bees yet.  They're flying on the 45+ deg. days.  Just last week I treated them with OA  -checked all the hives and they seemed to have good stores left.   That could change pretty fast if we get a prelonged warming trend and the lady starts laying - so I'll keep an eye open for that.

It's amazing how one day when it's cold you'll see no signs of bees at all......the next day it warms to 50 degs. and there's 1000s out flying.

Sorry about the bees Ohio....do take some pictures like KathyP said.  We'd like to see what happened. 

Offline misfyredOhio

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2008, 10:29:05 pm »
Thank you for the sympathy. I will try again in the spring.

I had 3 medium boxes. When I opened the hive, the top box was full of honey and I found a small cluster of dead bees on 2 sides of a frame. The bottom and middle boxes were mostly empty of honey. Most dead bees were on the bottom board. I gathered them up into a plastic bag. There was some moisture in the hive and the bees felt damp. Shouldn't there be more bees? Did the queen die in the fall? Or maybe I did not have adequate ventilation? Or the bulk of the cluster didn't make it up to the honey in the top box? I looked at the bees very carefully. The wings did not appear to be deformed.

I am open to any ideas. I will ask the moderator to post my photos.

Also, what do I do now with the 20 frames of drawn out combs and the 10 frames of honey










« Last Edit: January 09, 2008, 09:11:06 am by Robo »

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #14 on: January 09, 2008, 09:42:11 pm »
Quote
I had 3 medium boxes. When I opened the hive, the top box was full of honey and I found a small cluster of dead bees on 2 sides of a frame. The bottom and middle boxes were mostly empty of honey. Most dead bees were on the bottom board. I gathered them up into a plastic bag. There was some moisture in the hive and the bees felt damp.

What type of bottom board and top are you using.  It sounds like condensation may be the culprit.  A screened bottom board (SBB) with an Imbrie shim (notched opening) under the top will create the ventilation required to reduce condensation within the hive.  Condensation can be a real killer.

Quote
Shouldn't there be more bees? Did the queen die in the fall?


The bees die off during the winter (see above comment) and are usually removed from the hive by the other bees during periods that are warm enough for cleansing flights and other house keeping chores.  Once the cluster shrinks below a soft ball sized cluster the remainder of the bees can die off rapidly, especially if there is a lot of condensation and a lot of empty space (space not comb) that requires them to generate more heat.

Quote
Or maybe I did not have adequate ventilation?

I would have to say no, I suggest using a SBB, Imbrie shim, and a slatted rack between the hive body and the SBB.  The SBB and Imbrie shim provide the ventilation and the slatted rack provides a thermal barrier that insolates the bees against cold winds.

Quote
Or the bulk of the cluster didn't make it up to the honey in the top box? I looked at the bees very carefully. The wings did not appear to be deformed.

The cluster got to small to sustain itself and the weather stayed cold too long for the bees to move far enough to relocated the cluster over the stores or move the stores to where the cluster was.

Quote
I am open to any ideas. I will ask the moderator to post my photos.

Very Good photos BTW.

Quote
Also, what do I do now with the 20 frames of drawn out combs and the 10 frames of honey

Freeze the frames and/or use them to bolster the stores on your remaining hives.  The combs, along with a little lemon grass oil, will make a good swarm lure in the spring or home for a new package.

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Offline misfyredOhio

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #15 on: January 09, 2008, 10:09:18 pm »
That would confirm my initial suspicion that condensation killed them, given the moisture inside the hive. I had a screened bottom board with an entrance reducer. Per Backyard Beekeeper, I turned the inner cover flat side up and propped it up 3/8" with nails. Then put telescoping cover on top. I thought that was going to be enough ventilation going into winter.  :(

Thanks for the advice.

Offline misfyredOhio

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #16 on: January 09, 2008, 10:13:33 pm »
I just looked up the slatted rack. Never heard of it before. I will try that and drill top entrance holes next time.

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2008, 10:26:00 pm »
Did you have the hive elevated slightly at the rear so any condensation would run out the front and to keep any precipitation that lands on the entrance from running in?

Offline misfyredOhio

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2008, 10:36:57 pm »
To be honest, I was much more worried about starvation than ventilation. I did prop the back with shims. Maybe not enough height to drain thoroughly though. That location is VERY windy, surrounded by nothing but flat fields. I did have some wind blockage but I imagine that hive still took a pounding and the bees had to work hard on temperature regulation. Next year, I will be starting hives in my backyard in the city.

I'm going to search the bag of bees that I collected for the queen, out of curiosity.

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Warm weather expected in Ohio: open hive?
« Reply #19 on: January 09, 2008, 11:25:08 pm »
I just looked up the slatted rack. Never heard of it before. I will try that and drill top entrance holes next time.

Every time I see holes in hives I cringe.  Almost everyone I've known over the years that drill holes, of any kind, in their hives ends up regretting it.  That is why I suggested the shim.  If nothing else tack a strip of lathing along the bottom edge of the top to allow moisture to vent.  A quarter inch square notch sill work, the bees can use it if they want and you don't damage your woodenware.
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