Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: BlueBee on January 21, 2013, 02:20:31 am
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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 :(
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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.
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It seldom get below zero in lower michigan. It is just 8 today and lake effect snow is pounding us
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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.
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14 here this am. We have about two inches here now. I was enjoying this winter till now. :(
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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.
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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
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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.
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Up to 6 inches now, we are getting the lake effect snow.
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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.
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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!
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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:
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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.
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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......
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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
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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
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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.
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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?
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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?
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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!
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rgy digs, were just wondering if you have an extra bedroom down there?
Just wanted to add that your now in Weaver country son!
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rgy, you been down to Greenville Ave Yet?
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Yes we were down there in Aug. when the company sent us down to try and find a house. We looked at some houses there on the M streets. Neat area but we have found it will be to much of a commute back to the Allen office even going against traffic for the most part.
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Wonder what happened to Danno? I would sure hate to lose power in this weather! He's probably building a fire in the middle of the living room by now. :-D
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No they don't work tulip trees we have but my 3 satsuma trees do great here :-D
Bailey
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Rgy, this past summer was as miserably hot in Michigan as it is living in the south. We are only going to get to gloat if we have a normal mild summer next year.
Along with mild summers, the other thing I really like about Michigan is so much less traffic (unless you’re commuting into Metro Detroit). I sure don’t miss the traffic of Florida.
What’s the price of housing down there compared to up here?
BTW....we just ticked down to a goose egg here. 0F :laugh:
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Wonder what happened to Danno? I would sure hate to lose power in this weather! He's probably building a fire in the middle of the living room by now. :-D
Im back. Lucky for me I built my home 8 years ago. R 19 walls and about R 70 in the roof. Everything was caulked and foamed tight. We were without power for 2 hrs. High wind and 1 deg and the house didn't drop single deg. We only got about 6 inch but its drifted bad. Plow truck are trying but if just drift back in behind them. Schools are all closed
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22 below zero (F) this am but at least the wind has calmed a bit.
We were in the UP a month ago (Silver City) for a quick get away. We actually looked at a couple houses for sale just for kicks. One in particular stands out but also reflects an ongoing trend in the UP, and elsewhere.
A 2 story 3 bdrm 2 bath w/ attached 2 car garage built in the 50's for 13K! (you can't build a basic garage for that these days) It was a block away from the Big Lake Superior. I should mention there's no work, except during tourist season.
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bluebee, I thought last summer was great, lake MI was warm and we used the boat a lot. being right on the lake though keeps us colder in summer ad warmer in winter.
housing is cheaper per sq. foot but every thing is bigger in TX!! 4-5000 sq feet, 5 bedrooms 4.5 baths, two living, two dining, media room, game room is the norm so total price is same. Hard to find a 3 bed 3 bath 3000 sq foot house. We don't need nor want more than 3k.
traffic is bad!!
friend in Kalamazoo just txted me a pic of his car thermometer -9 at 8:02 a.m.!! man I don't miss that.
wooden ware on order, bees on order, and I met a rancher that thinks he has a place for me to put the hives! going to be close to 70 this week so things can't get much better
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rgy, yes everything is bigger in Texas, as you will discover. You'll have to get yourself a pair of snakeskin boots and a hat so you fit in. Don't want to be called one of those "Northerners"
Where are you getting your bees from?
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in the words of a famous scientist beekeeping pitch dark hair flows in the flow of milk to be thin enough to notice that the error did not do a thorough job hopefully turn mede
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It was 70 degrees F yesterday in De Leon, Texas. That's in shallow West Texas. My neighbor brought over barbeque that he had cooked all afternoon. He too, was wearing shorts. But, as posted above, we will have 60 or so consecutive days of 100 degree temps this summer. it's a trade-off.
I agree with one of my old pals, "we can take off enough clothes to survive the heat, but it is difficult to put on enough clothes to survive severe cold temps."
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I’ve got to do some insulation retro fitting of my place here in Michigan to get the fuel costs down. My bees are better insulated than I am! I’ve only got R13 walls at best. I think the new building code in my city is R19 for walls these days, but I don’t know for sure. I'm sure glad I don't have to heat or cool 5000 sq feet!
Looks like we’re going to have a mini warm up this weekend and get above freezing. It will be a good time to check on the damage.
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In Poland now is -6 Celsius and snowy. Beautifully winter ;)
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T Beek- we had 18 deg. the other day and I had about 50 bees between three hives commit suicide. I found a couple that were 60 yards from the hives before they collapsed. Makes you wonder what they were thinking and where they thought they were going. Had several making cleansing flights yesterday at 28 deg.
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tefer, I ordered nucs from John Talber of Sabine creek honey farm, he was at the Collin county bee club meeting and also came highly recommended from a commercial beek I met.
ordered wooden ware from Betterbee even though it is more expensive and I have to pay shipping, I just like it better. Dadant has a store just north of here that most people go to and pick up. Got a gallon of grey paint from HD yesterday for 5 bucks as a miss mix.
Tester, do you know the beek in Galesburg that raises queens? I think he gave a talk tot he collin county bee club last yr.
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I’ve got to do some insulation retro fitting of my place here in Michigan to get the fuel costs down. My bees are better insulated than I am! I’ve only got R13 walls at best. I think the new building code in my city is R19 for walls these days, but I don’t know for sure. I'm sure glad I don't have to heat or cool 5000 sq feet!
Looks like we’re going to have a mini warm up this weekend and get above freezing. It will be a good time to check on the damage.
The building code in michigan has been R21 in walls and R49 in roofs for a few years now. Thats new contruction. You need 2X6 framing to use fiberglass + foam to get this. You can get a R value in the 20s with foam but sheet foam is hard to cut exact. Spray in foam is the best and tightest but in a old home it would require demo inside walls and re-drywalling. Your best and cheapest saving are windows and roof
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Danno, I would concur you are right after doing some checking. So they upped the code after you built? Isn’t R19 walls typically just 2x6 studs with fiberglass matt? How do you get to R21? 2x6s + ½” of exterior foam sheathing?
Unfortunately I have 2x4 walls and the interior walls in the home are in too good of shape to rip out. I was thinking of removing the siding and adding foam and putting the siding back on. Maybe I’m mistaken again, but if I do anything more than “repair” an old job, don’t I have to bring the change up to the latest code of R21? That would effectively require 2” thick foam sheathing to bring those walls up to R21. Then you get into some mechanical fastening concerns when residing the thing. (Windows are good double panes, the roof is cellulose, but needs more)
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A 2 story 3 bdrm 2 bath w/ attached 2 car garage built in the 50's for 13K! (you can't build a basic garage for that these days) It was a block away from the Big Lake Superior. I should mention there's no work, except during tourist season.
Isn't it utterly amazing that people will drop a million dollars in a heart beat for a place close to the water all around Florida while you can live a block from the Big Lake for only 13K! Heck if I wasn't tapped out, I would buy that place T Beek. I would love a nice little retreat on Lake Superior. As you say, you couldn't even put in a dang new driveway for 13K!
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LOL.. would you believe there was a guy out harvesting corn here today! It got up to about 8F for a high.
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We cured a 2x4 "cold' wall on an addition by simply adding 1" foam to the outside sheeting, topped w/ exterior 5/8 plywood and screwed together w/ 8" half log siding that my son and I salvaged. Minus our own labor the project cost just a little over $250 to cover/insulate a 10x15 wall. Not sure what the R-value is but the difference in comfort level was well worth it and it stiffend up that part of the house so it no longer shakes w/ the wind.
Now we can relax naked in that room w/ a fire going downstairs on the coldest nights winter throws at us, if we wanted to that is :laugh:
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In Poland now is -6 Celsius and snowy. Beautifully winter ;)
W Nj jest okolo -15 c nic sniegu zla zima
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LOL.. would you believe there was a guy out harvesting corn here today! It got up to about 8F for a high.
Now that's a guy that's really behind in his work!
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Hey Guys,
Its -30 celius here (between Ottawa & Kingston), sun is shining. Next week its suppose to be above 0 celius ... strange weather swings. Kinda worried about the girls I have to say, but hopefully will be able to check (and possibly feed) next week.
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Just watched a documentary that blames much of it on the incredible lack of "ICE" in the Arctic, which is below any known times (during human existence) right now and subsequently is pushing cold is S/E (if in N. America) and making the jet stream go a little berserk.
Weather people don't know jack IMO :laugh: But we who live here know 'something' is up.
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75 and sunny in Dallas! I like this "new" jet streeam! Bt I bet in the BILLIONS of years the earth has been here it has happened before.
have talked to two land owners who may let me keep my hives on their property so things are comming together.
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Just watched a documentary that blames much of it on the incredible lack of "ICE" in the Arctic, which is below any known times (during human existence) right now...
Weather people don't know jack IMO :laugh: But we who live here know 'something' is up.
All I know is that my first two winters as a resident in Florida (greater Tampa area) I saw ice fall from the sky and overnight temps with a 2 handle and day highs that didn't get into the 60's. It was serious enough for me to consider moving even FURTHER SOUTH, but Miami had frost those winters also. :shock:
This year, haven't seen frost yet and SUN, SUN, SUN...now, that's NORMAL!
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