cold weather headed our way

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Hi Roola,
Was only thinking of you at the beginning of Feb. as the forecast was stating a coldish Feb. Hives fed with fondant, so hopefully they have moved stores into the brood nest during the few warm days we have had, ready for the cold spell when and if it comes.
 
Hi Roola,
Was only thinking of you at the beginning of Feb. as the forecast was stating a coldish Feb. Hives fed with fondant, so hopefully they have moved stores into the brood nest during the few warm days we have had, ready for the cold spell when and if it comes.

Bees do not have such thinking in winter.
.
 
well things are still a little up in the air... it looks like mid week we will see things get a bit colder with some polar maritime air from the north west, the change comes at the end of the week and over next weekend when winds begin to shift around to an easterly. This then brings in a really cold air mass across the North Sea from southern Scandinavia. The winds though will be drawn back from Russia... so will be cold!! There is then the strong chance of some snow too. It actually looks more favourable for snow in the South East and the East Coast of the UK where it will be coldest but the whole UK will feel frigid if this comes off.
 
Yes still a likely outcome of snow. If it does come off then hope it will be the last of it so me bees can build up without the treat of being killed by freezing temps and would be grate for me plants too. Just dont want it to warm up in spring and then have a cold snap :(
 
I was thinking of Roola not the bees.

" Roola has hopefully moved stores to ..."

Oh, I see.

But as you know, the cluster moves up during winter, not stores.

... Never mind...
 
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Could have some serious consequences if it drops below absolute zero.

You get into dark energy territory when it drops below.0° Kelvin.
Spooky stuff!!
 
Yes still a likely outcome of snow. If it does come off then hope it will be the last of it so me bees can build up without the treat of being killed by freezing temps and would be grate for me plants too. Just dont want it to warm up in spring and then have a cold snap :(

Do not waste your 3 wishes like that

- it will be last
- want it to warm up
- then have a cold snap
 
Fantastic, not had any snow for years.

yup same here, let it dump down!! my kids wont stop asking whens it going to snow! a foot would be nice, all gone in a week, its the kids hols (here in France) next week. Perfect really!
 
As this is my first winter what effect could this have on the bees? Over the past couple of weeks I've noticed a few bees flying out and a bit of pollen coming in, a small mixture of cappings under the front of the OMF that's where they clustered. Yesterday the hive was as busy as a summer afternoon lots of pollen going in. The cappings under the OMF were now full length of the hive and mostly brood. There were lots of young bees out orienteering as well so I'd guess my Q is back up to speed laying. Could this be a problem? They do still have a block of fondant on top of the frames.
 
-2C here over night.

If the bees have got ahead of themselves Wingy then they will sacrifice the brood they cannot keep alive. They will cluster again.

PH
 
Local forecasts suggest c -7C 28th Feb overnight.
Relatively mild vs 2010/2100 winters where we had -16C every night for a week.
My bees - in TBHs survived then - as I expect them to survive this..

Off to start insulating greenhouse having cleaned it and repaired the bits and pieces of cracked glass..

I'll put some sugar blocks on hives without fondant. (All my lighter hives -under 30kg - have fondant)...
 
-2C here over night.

If the bees have got ahead of themselves Wingy then they will sacrifice the brood they cannot keep alive. They will cluster again.

PH

Thanks for that, was just worried that if they re cluster and leave some brood to die it may cause problems, chalk brood maybe?
 

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