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Author Topic: How warm?  (Read 4575 times)

Offline colbees

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How warm?
« on: January 05, 2013, 11:57:55 am »
How warm does it have to be for bees to come out in the winter?
A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay; A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon; A swarm of bees in July isn't worth a fly.

Offline mikecva

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2013, 12:17:02 pm »
It depends on the type of bees you have, the sun, wind, etc. but you did not ask for all of that. Usually my bees will come out at 40-45F with bright sun and no wind. 45-50F with sun and mild breeze. They will make very short flights (2-5 feet) below 40F.   -Mike
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Offline tefer2

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2013, 12:25:39 pm »
Mine are usually out for potty break at fifty degrees. Lower temperature if they are wrapped in tar paper. The tar paper sometimes makes the hive too warm, fools them into flying to their death.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2013, 01:23:05 pm »
I've seen potty breaks on a sunny calm 20 some degree day.  They don't usually actually fly anywhere until it hits 50 or so, but the darker bees sometimes do at colder temps.
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Offline dirt road

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2013, 08:31:40 pm »
Mine are usually out for potty break at fifty degrees. Lower temperature if they are wrapped in tar paper. The tar paper sometimes makes the hive too warm, fools them into flying to their death.
I've been wondering about this, since I watched mine dragging bodies out of the hive at 34 deg. F, about 10 days ago. Only about half of the cleaners were making it back to the entrance. Now the snow is littered with dead bees. I think I'm going to remove the tar paper. This is the first time I ever wrapped a hive, and I'm thinking it was a mistake.

Offline Maryland Beekeeper

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2013, 02:50:35 am »
dirt road,
 surely add porch roof, perhaps increase bottom ventilation, I'd leave the paper for now, inspect(read dissect) dead B's if you suspect disease or parasite report findings,  overheating is an uncommon problem @ 34 deg.
Cheers,
Drew

Offline Finski

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2013, 04:57:05 pm »
It depends the angle of sun too, how it heats the bee body on snow surface.

Here succesfull cleansing flight is possible in March when sun is bright, no wind and temp is 41F. Then bees can rise up from snow.
Wind drifting may kill then thousands on snow.


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Offline bailey

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2013, 11:45:40 pm »
Mine fly at 55 on calm days with sun.   Some a bit colder but not too many.
We have it nice down here.  Checked a nuc 2 days age. Loads of capped brood in 3 of 5 frames
Bailey
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Offline Fox Creek

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2013, 01:41:56 am »
Was 50 and sunny today. Checked my bees and saw them in cleansing flight. Then I saw bees going in with bright orange pollen. Don't ask where its coming from. The bees were not talking.

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2013, 06:28:05 am »
I have seen my bees flying and bringing back pollen at 43 degrees. Last week was mostly in the 50's and it looks like a major flow in on. I know that maple is starting to bloom but I am seeing several different colors of pollen.
Jim
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Offline Finski

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2013, 08:14:35 am »
I have seen my bees flying and bringing back pollen at 43 degrees. Last week was mostly in the 50's and it looks like a major flow in on. I know that maple is starting to bloom but I am seeing several different colors of pollen.
Jim


What is your snow cover now in Jacksonville?

Sorry, I could not pass that

Forecast jacksonville winter  

day 25°C  night  16°C

25°....16°

26°.....16°

25°......16°

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Here - 10C and -16C
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Online BeeMaster2

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2013, 01:30:35 pm »
SNOW, most people here don't even know what that is. I actually have a snow shovel and sleds. They came in handy in 1989 when we had 2" of snow. Shut the whole town down. I grew up in Pennsylvania and lived in Maryland. I also took my daughter ice skating.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline CapnChkn

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2013, 12:43:12 am »
I remember those three days.  My next door neighbors' were out in the street sliding around on the ice.

We had some sun and 70°F weather here in middle TN Friday, and I opened all the hives.  To my surprise they're gathering nectar from somewhere.  Frames are 3/4 full.  I'm guessing it has to be the Maples.  It's been as low as 23°F since the end of the year.
"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!"  -Josh Billings.

Offline greenbtree

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Re: How warm?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2013, 01:28:15 am »
Mine will fly on a calm, sunny day at 40. My hives are down in a cut in the woods, in a dip, that helps because it holds the heat from the sun and calms the air.

JC
"Rise again, rise again - though your heart it be broken, or life about to end.  No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend, like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again!"

 

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