hollybees
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Location: Holly, Michigan
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« on: January 24, 2009, 11:31:29 AM » |
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I just went to the hives opened the entrance and pulled the dead out (I have SBB's)
I do this occasionally to check the death rate, especially after a cold snap.
The "slide-out board" (i don't know what to call it) looked normal w/low mite count.
I peeked under the outer cover hive#1 there were some in the inner cover center hole.
But hive #2 it was full of bees spread out filling the entire space between the outer an inner cover.
Sounds like there are still a ton of bees in there, I left them about 80-90 lbs honey.
It's very sunny out but in the 20's should I be concerned?
What signs do you watch for to know if their stores are low, are there any "hunger test" methods??
Thanks
Paul
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buzzbee
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« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2009, 11:55:42 AM » |
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I'm sure the sun shining heated the air under the outer cover. i wouldn't be too concerned.Bees will fly if it's sunny,calm and in the thirties!!
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DaveKow
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Location: Brookfield, Ohio, USA 44403
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« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2009, 12:51:16 PM » |
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I too found one of my hives was to the inner cover during similar temps. I checked the other hive that has an extra super and saw nobody. I thought that they might have died. After a few moments, a couple bees came to see why the roof was off.
I ended up doing a poor rendition of the "mountain camp method" on the hive that was at the inner cover. Better safe than sorry. Though I could have been safer than I was. A lot of bees that came after me didn't make it back. I under estimated how well they could come at you when it is only 43 degrees.
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hollybees
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Location: Holly, Michigan
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« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2009, 08:20:11 PM » |
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I ended up doing a poor rendition of the "mountain camp method" on the hive that was at the inner cover. Better safe than sorry.
DaveKow....what is the mountain camp method??? Paul |
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mherndon
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Location: Chattanooga, TN
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« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2009, 09:38:30 PM » |
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I also checked on my girls this weekend. They were up to the inner cover and I also was worried. I had a pollen patty ready and slipped it in. I only had the cover up for maybe 15 seconds. Several came out the entrance and it was 38 degrees. I hope I didn't mess them up. They had a medium and a shallow supper of stores going into Winter.
Mark
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Starting my 3rd year and still having a ball!
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DaveKow
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« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2009, 03:26:00 PM » |
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DaveKow....what is the mountain camp method??? |
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Brian D. Bray
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« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2009, 06:02:05 PM » |
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They call it the mountain top method because the sugar is poured onto the paper and it resembles a snow covered mountain top. |
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« Last Edit: January 26, 2009, 10:32:13 PM by Brian D. Bray »
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Life is a school. What have you learned?  The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election! |
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Michael Bush
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« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2009, 08:46:27 PM » |
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>They call it the mountain top method because the sugar is poured onto the paper and it resembles a snow covered mountain top.
Well actually a member of another forum uses this as their username (Mountain Camp) and he was a proponent of the method and so the name was a reference to him.
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BEES4U
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Location: Camarillo, Ventura County, Califorinia 93010
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« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2009, 10:52:03 AM » |
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You might consider the application of a pollen patty under the dry granulated sugar used in the mountain camp method.
good Luck,
Ernie
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E. B. LUCAS APIARIES
bees4u.com
(Queen Breeder)
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