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Author Topic: Safe temperature to move a hive?  (Read 1296 times)

Offline Sking

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Safe temperature to move a hive?
« on: November 04, 2011, 11:43:38 pm »
I moved an open hive into a Nuc box about 2 weeks ago. Brood and some of the honey comb. The bees are moving into and out of the box during the day but at night they are clustering just above the box where the comb use to be.  I was planning on going out tonight to brush the bee into the box - however the temperature may drop to mid 30s we are currently at 50 degrees. I also purchased a new queen (she arrived today) wondering if I should place her tonight or wait till morning?  Any suggestions?

Offline BlueBee

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Re: Safe temperature to move a hive?
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2011, 06:29:58 am »
OK, I’m having a hard time visualizing what is going on here. 

I don’t like working bees at night because they crawl and you can end up with a mess.  However if it is cold and they are in a cluster, they’re probably not going to crawl.  But would I want to break up a cluster making heat on a cold night, probably not a good idea.  You could likely end up breaking the cluster and it might be too cold for them to re-cluster. 

I would only try to move a cluster at night if a cold rain was expected.  They can survive the cold, but if they get rained on they’re toast.  I can’t really visualize your setup, so this rain scenario may not apply.

Yeah....I would wait for today  :)

Offline Sundog

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Re: Safe temperature to move a hive?
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2011, 02:04:13 pm »
Had a thought after reading your post, why not place another box around them with perhaps a bottom entrance, for shelter to help get them through the cold night.  Maybe even cardboard if it isn't going to rain.  Remove it in the morning.  I don't think messing with bees at night is a good idea.  I read somewhere (I believe by M. Bush) that bees are very defensive at night.

Have fun!

Offline mikecva

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Re: Safe temperature to move a hive?
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2011, 02:14:05 pm »
If I understand you correctly, I would not disturb the cluster at night. I would spray the new queen with surgar water and keep her in the house with me to keep her warm. About late morning I would rehive the cluster from above the box and introduce the Queen as if a new package (make sure you remove the old queen). I would then feed the nuc and close it up for 2-3 days so the workers know their new queen. If all is calm, let the workers eat out the plug to release their new queen. A day later I would open the entrence to the nuc and treat it as any other new nuc, the cluster should then over-night in the nuc.  _mike
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Offline Sking

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Re: Safe temperature to move a hive?
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2011, 08:32:41 pm »
Thanks for the info!  I waited until this morning and the bees were out and about already (no longer clustered). I will try again later today (late afternoon) or earlier tomorrow morning.