What should the temperature be inside an OB hive?

[Greg Peck]

I set up my OB hive a few weeks ago when it was much colder outside. I found that the queen was laying a lot of eggs but very few were hatching to larva and none to caped brood. I put a temperature probe into the hive near the bees and found that the temp was about 54 deg F. I then noted that the wind was blowing though my tube and cooling everything down. So I closed off most of the ventilation holes and that brought the temps up to around 74. Now it fluctuates between 70 and 80 deg. The queen is still laying and they still are not hatching. I thought that they needed a temp near 90 something to have brood is that right? Am I missing something? The bees have a pollen substitute in the hive and they are eating it at a decent rate, they have honey stores and there is a feeder on that they are taking a little bit from.

Thanks

[Brian D. Bray]

Is the hive open to light or can it be darked by closing panels?   I think that might be the crux of your problem right now, too much light during the day is putting the internal temps of the OG hive out of whack.  Remeber that the OB hive is only 1 frame wide so it is much more dependent on outside temps to help it maintain inside temps than a regular hive or nuc.

[Greg Peck]

Brian, thanks for the input. The hive does have a cloth cover that goes over it when ever I am not actively looking at it. I was thinking that the temps were too low not to high. Maybe I am wrong but I thought they kept the hive around 90 something. If this is the case then these bees are not warm enough.

[Bee-Bop]

You might want to do the ole'
 GOOGLE search !!
Much data available.

From Ohio State U.;
Hive temp for each hour of the day:
Av.Temp Central Brood Area = [ from 92.8 to 94.1  ]
 "     "     Outer     "        "   = [   "    86.7  "  93    ]
 "     "     Brood-less        "   = [   "    81.7  "  91.5 ]
Room Temp                       =  [   "    78    "  88    ]
Outdoor Temp                   =  [   "     68   "  108   ]

Use Google search, more Bee research info. there than you will ever need.

Bee-Bop

[Greg Peck]

Thanks Bee-boop

[Greg Peck]

I now have capped brood in my OB hive. I placed a shop light behind the OB hive with I think a 40 watt bulb in it. It brought the temp up to 81 deg F. It has been warmer outside as well and they have been bringing in pollen. I noticed shortly after putting the light in that the eggs were hatching and now today I have capped brood.

Yesterday I was looking around and noted a wax moth larva hiding between the glass and a top bar of a frame. The bees did not appear to be doing anything about it so I put a wire through a vent hole and killed it. Does anyone know if wax moth eggs can live for long periods of time in cold weather then hatch once things warm up. I can not imagine a wax moth got in there and laid an egg with out me seeing it sense I set this thing up.

[kathyp]

greg, i found some wax moth in my observation hive also.  first i have had in any hive!  they must have taken care of it when they got active because i don't see it now.  still, my numbers are way down.  i may take your light idea and warm them up a bit.  the queen has just started laying, so i don't want to mess to much with  them.