Are your bees snowed in?

[MuswellMetro]

Just seen the maverick weather forecaster Piers Corbyns December forecast ,he got it 80% right when the met office got its barbeque summers wrong and YOU AINT SEEN NOTHING YET, seems he is prediction is the 3rd coldest December for 100 years

just ordered more fondant and a load of coal

 

[abb]

snowed in

about 6inches of snow insunny or not so sunny hastings east sussex very cold shded the hive , i hate this snow but my dog loves it.

 

[grahambee]

about 6 inches in portsmouth today 02.28

 

[nonstandard]

Another 1 1/2 inches overnight in NE Derbyshire that takes us up to about 22 inches in total.

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

Still no snow in my part of Cornwall. But a tad chilly in the north easterly breeze!

 

[victor meldrew]

Dear old Wigan is once more basking in sunshine , air overnight dry enough to prevent frosting on vehicles . Damned cold but hey! anything's better than central/east Scotland just now .

John Wilkinson

 

[BeeNice]

in now sunny Wakefield

There may lie a problem. If, with OMFs in particular, the bees get too much bright light (reflected from the snow, for instance) shining into the hive they are likely to be fooled into thinking it is OK for flying, and not return.....

Regards, RAB

Had to dig out snow around the bottom of the hives to let them breathe, have a board at an angle in the front of the hives to keep it clear and to shade the entrance. That's all I can do now, so will not worry and let them get on with it. The snow is over a foot deep! Harray for my old freelander!

 

[BeeNice]

A bit more than an inch up here in northumberland and -7c today tucked up and ok i hope!

That's what my hives looked like as well. Fun trying to walk to them through the snow only went down twice!

 

[Mike a]

I love this weather for no other reason than people are 10 times more sociable and willing to help each other out...

Cleared the snow from 6 drives and pathways so far today and afterwards we had a mini street party with huge mugs of hot chocolate with a dash of whiskey and mince pies.

 

[Beezy]

We've had a fair bit of snow in London overnight. I checked on the bees this morning and quite a lot of snow was blocking the mouseguard, so I cleared it and leaned a metal board over the entrance to try and protect the entrance and also to stop the bees from flying. Is it bad for the mouseholes to get snow in them - presumably when it melts the beehive gets all wet?

 

[oliver90owner]

presumably when it melts the beehive gets all wet?

Why should it if you have an OMF, or alternatively if a solid floor, you followed the age-old instructions before leaving them for the winter?

RAB

 

[keith pierce]

my nuc's this morning on the outskirts of Dublin City.

 

[Silly Bee]

Nice, my son lives by the new Lansdown Road Stadium, are you anywhere near?

 

[Finman]

. Is it bad for the mouseholes to get snow in them - presumably when it melts the beehive gets all wet?

the hive must stand raining and snow melting. They are natural conditions in beekeeping.

During heavy frost like here now -20C condesated respiration air makes snow between frames. During mild weathe the snow melts and dripple onto floor. Nothing happens to bees. It is natural course. I have fast bottoms and during winter it gets ice cover. It is normal, and then it melts.

Now temp is here -4C and in Polar Circle temp is zero. It is getting warmer. Soon you have in UK water raining.

 

[keith pierce]

other side of the city on the ouside of the phoenix park(castleknock)

 

[Silly Bee]

Ah, he moved from there a few months ago.

(Gonna get told off again for not using PM)

 

[Queens59]

We FINALLY got snow...if you mean it looks like someone tripped over carrying icing sugar!!

 

[Beezy]

presumably when it melts the beehive gets all wet?

Why should it if you have an OMF, or alternatively if a solid floor, you followed the age-old instructions before leaving them for the winter?

RAB

I do have OMF, but that doesn't stop the edge of the floor of the beehive getting damp if snow gets in. I applied cuprinol to the outside but not the inside.

 

[oliver90owner]

the beehive gets all wet?

That is what you wrote. You are now worried about the edge of the floor getting damp? Wind blows, it rains, this is Btitain we are talking about? It is winter; would you not expect that?

RAB

 

[Beezy]

the beehive gets all wet?

That is what you wrote. You are now worried about the edge of the floor getting damp? Wind blows, it rains, this is Btitain we are talking about? It is winter; would you not expect that?

RAB

You know what: I'm a bit fed up with certain people like you picking apart email queries - just because I didn't describe in exactly precise english language what I meant initially. I wrote 'all wet', but I clarified what I meant later on. I'd prefer to have people replying who can actually be helpful, and not just pedantic and eager to get some one upmanship.

(And I'm sure you'll be replying again to correct me on some nitpicky point!)