Air conditioners

[ShinySideUp]

I took my two dogs out for a last trip into the garden before bed. The air was still and warm, the stars were out and at 12.35 am I was still hot wearing only a t shirt and shorts. It was dark and without using my torch I walked towards the beehives and I could hear them plainly but softly acting out their roles as air-condioning units. There was a low, gentle hum and I could hear [what was I suppose] the slight rushing of air as they cooled their hive.

They can be nasty little beasts but coming into beekeeping has opened up a new world of wonder; I feel quite blessed.

 

[ladaok]

I don't think I have a theory on hive ventilation, but i'm certainly experimenting. I presume you have a hive mat / crown board, and steel lid. You could try removing the lid, crack open one corner of the mat say 1 to 2 mm, & put the lid back on, see what happens,

best get some other opinions b4 you try

 

[Finman]

I don't think I have a theory on hive ventilation, but i'm certainly experimenting. I presume you have a hive mat / crown board, and steel lid. You could try removing the lid, crack open one corner of the mat say 1 to 2 mm, & put the lid back on, see what happens,

best get some other opinions b4 you try

Nothing bad happens. Bees are just handling their cooling and all is good.

Bees must get nectar too in those weathers. They dry up the moisture. That is why they are humming. I bet that you do have 30C in the middle of the night.

Humming is normal when the hive gets yield..

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[Finman]

I don't think I have a theory on hive ventilation, but i'm certainly experimenting.... try

You can read the ready theory from google "beehive heat control".

Water has important role in it.

 

[ladaok]

The only other comment is, if the bees aren't working to ventilate, they must be saving on fuel ..... which means more available for nectar / pollen gathering

 

[Finman]

The only other comment is, if the bees aren't working to ventilate, they must be saving on fuel ..... which means more available for nectar / pollen gathering

Stop drinking, and NOW!

 

[Finman]

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Cornwall UK day temp 21C and at night 13C.

I have had same temps here last week and I had electrict heating in every hive 15W.

 

[Anduril]

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Cornwall UK day temp 21C and at night 13C.

I have had same temps here last week and I had electrict heating in every hive 15W.

Not this week, please keep up, we are having temperatures of 30+°C

 

[enrico]

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Cornwall UK day temp 21C and at night 13C.

I have had same temps here last week and I had electrict heating in every hive 15W.

we wish, or not, as the case may be

 

[For want of a better word]

I took my two dogs out for a last trip into the garden before bed. The air was still and warm, the stars were out and at 12.35 am I was still hot wearing only a t shirt and shorts. It was dark and without using my torch I walked towards the beehives and I could hear them plainly but softly acting out their roles as air-condioning units. There was a low, gentle hum and I could hear [what was I suppose] the slight rushing of air as they cooled their hive.

They can be nasty little beasts but coming into beekeeping has opened up a new world of wonder; I feel quite blessed.

Have you heard the "crackling" noise they make as they draw down new comb.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth.... as my dear old Gran ( Mormor) used to say!

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

Not this week, please keep up, we are having temperatures of 30+°C

Oh dear!

 

[Finman]

we wish, or not, as the case may be

Look to morrow 18/14 in Cornwall . I hope that your hives have not melted before that.

I have a degree in weatherlogy. That is why I can read forecasts from internet.
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[Finman]

Not this week, please keep up, we are having temperatures of 30+°C

Oh dear! Only this day. Then back to 20C.

I will have here next week 13-14.

 

[alldigging]

That is why they are humming.

And not because they don't know the words?

 

[Finman]

Have you heard the "crackling" noise they make as they draw down new comb.

Yeghes da

I hear the sound of millions of toes.

 

[enrico]

Look to morrow 18/14 in Cornwall . I hope that your hives have not melted before that.

I have a degree in weatherlogy. That is why I can read forecasts from internet.
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Reading and understanding are two different words with very different meanings. And then there are those that believe everything they read. Experience is the key!
E

 

[Finman]

And then there are those that believe everything they read. Experience is the key!
E

I have not noticed that in beekeepers. They do not read. And they do not follow experienced advices.

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[Anduril]

Look to morrow 18/14 in Cornwall . I hope that your hives have not melted before that.

I have a degree in weatherlogy. That is why I can read forecasts from internet.
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I remember a BT advert from long ago with Maureen Lipman, "Well done you've got an 'ology'.
Not just one day, a few. Hottest period for 20 years.

 

[user 6228]

A better indication is looking at how much water they are fetching. If you know their main water source, go and see if there are many bees at it. If that number is small,your bees fanning is more to do with honey ripening than climate control. Here almost no bees (1 bee in 2 minutes) are fetching water from there favoured water source (a garden pond) but there is lots of fanning inside the insulated hives

 

[ladaok]

I don't think I have a theory on hive ventilation, but i'm certainly experimenting. I presume you have a hive mat / crown board, and steel lid. You could try removing the lid, crack open one corner of the mat say 1 to 2 mm, & put the lid back on, see what happens,

best get some other opinions b4 you try

so here you have it, SHINYSIDEUP you said beehives. means you have more than one, so personally i'd try it

I have done something similar, but it was a board separating 2 stacked hives, & I noticed bees clustering outside. A wedge of wood , opened up the whole front face X 6 mm and of course, tapered at the sides. no more worries. Any fooling around is done @ home, just to see if i'm right or wrong