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Author Topic: what do bees do in rainy weather?  (Read 7979 times)

Offline charles

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what do bees do in rainy weather?
« on: May 19, 2009, 05:18:06 pm »
Got a low pressure system sitting over our area that should stay for most of the week. What do bees do with themselves when you've got about a solid week of rain and some wind? I figured they'd just sit in there and eat. Maybe the queen would get some laying on.

Anybody know for sure?
4 hives

Offline Natalie

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2009, 05:21:53 pm »
I think they play scrabble. :-D

Offline crowhammer

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2009, 06:06:31 pm »
A few of mine seem to fly between the bouts of more inclement weather. This rain really slows them down though, doesn't it.

Offline Bee Happy

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2009, 06:18:24 pm »
If I had an observation hive. (maybe next year) I might be able to tell you for sure.
I saw mine crowded near the entrance like a bunch of kids dying for it to quit so they could go out and play :oops:
-like before video games...
be happy and make others happy.

Offline John Schwartz

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2009, 06:20:33 pm »
I spent a year watching my bees in my top-bar observation hive. On cold days (about 90% of the time here in the Northwest), they just bunch up into a cluster and stay warm. A few will move about to feed/take cleansing flights.
―John Schwartz, theBee.Farm

Offline rast

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2009, 06:29:01 pm »
 I checked the ones here at the house after it let up a little yesterday evening. I saw several making quick short flights, probably cleansing. One empty feeder bucket blown off, put it back and and a brick on it.
 Looked at another, they were playing poker, not scrabble :-D.
 They all said, thank the Lord for the rain, now maybe something will bloom.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
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Offline asprince

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2009, 07:11:48 pm »
If it is cool and or raining and they are crowded and packed in the hive, they will build queen cells and swarm when the weather clears. I saw that a lot this spring. 

Steve 
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Offline Natalie

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2009, 09:09:32 pm »
I inspected my hives a few (nucs installed 5 weeks ago) days ago, maybe 5 and then we had rain off and on all week, just real gloomy and wet.
I peeked in today to check on their syrup levels and they had built a few more combs (on foundationless frames) since the other day.
It appears mine just took syrup and built combs.

Offline BeeHopper

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2009, 09:24:08 pm »
I think they play scrabble. :-D

 I laughed !!!  now I have to clean the ginger ale off my keyboard.  :oops:

Offline Rodni73

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2009, 12:57:32 pm »
On rainy days my "wise Ladies" bees cluster in the top "Bronx" deep and hold a conference between the 5 families on how to rob, extort and wack the adjacent hive  :mrgreen:! lol

-Rodni 

Offline Keith13

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2009, 06:55:03 pm »
On rainy days my "wise Ladies" bees cluster in the top "Bronx" deep and hold a conference between the 5 families on how to rob, extort and wack the adjacent hive  :mrgreen:! lol

-Rodni 

So you have italians from sicily or palermo to be exact? :-D

Keith

Offline rickomatic

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Re: what do bees do in rainy weather?
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2009, 07:28:02 pm »
Quote
So you have italians from sicily or palermo to be exact?

My Italians trade pollen spaghetti recipes and make honey gelato.

 

anything