Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Winter bee life-span  (Read 11819 times)

Offline Finski

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3928
  • Gender: Male
Re: Winter bee life-span
« Reply #40 on: January 11, 2012, 05:29:10 pm »
.
Winterbees are not only what happends in the hive in late summer.

Bees know from shortening day lenght that autumn is coming.
- they do not swarm any more
- they kill drones
- they do not rear drones and they do not draw dronecombs.
- old queen stops layiing (here) 2 weeks earlier than same summer queen.


Lack of flowers and lack of pollen strengten their instinct that it is time to prepare for winter.

Cold nights inform too what is happening. Small nucs stop brood rearing. Drones will be killed after cold nights.


Same happens in all nature. Nature does dot survive over winter if it does not prapare.
Honeybee or winter bee are not something special, when we look a bigger picture.

.
Language barrier NOT included

Offline T Beek

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2775
  • Gender: Male
Re: Winter bee life-span
« Reply #41 on: January 11, 2012, 06:05:33 pm »
That's a great question rdy-b. 

Unfortunately, as warm as its been (mid-forties in January is 'exceptionally' warm for us, plenty warm for northern bees to fly around) its not warm enough for me to risk going that deep inside. 

However, the bees I see at the inner cover hole licking up the sugar and those flying about sure look like young bees, even the bees I find dead in the snow 'appear' to be young bees, w/ lots of fur, fat, golden and with perfect little wings :).  I've brought several back to life already this year just by holding them in my hand for a few minutes.

Based on what I've read and observed in the past brood rearing has very likely begun again, and I'd think with the increased temps they're perhaps fooled into thinking the season is further along than it actually is and maybe the queen is laying MORE than she should BEEEE.  I don't know.  Lots of questions this winter that's for sure :-\

thomas
"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Offline ziffabeek

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 394
  • Gender: Female
Re: Winter bee life-span
« Reply #42 on: January 13, 2012, 10:41:53 am »
This has been a great discussion, ya'll.  Thanks so much! I learned a lot. 

These are my favorite kind of threads, where ya'll discuss/argue but don't bicker!  So informing!

Have a great weekend!

love,
ziffa