Disaster strikes

[BigAshW]

Just had a call to say that mt apiary screens have come down on my hive and the bees are very angry. Jumped straight into the car as the heavens opened and was there in 5 mins.

I found my hive on its roof having received a full downpour straight through the colony. Lots of dead bees in there, a few live ones.

I put the hive back together but I'm not very hopeful for them.

Annoyingly the downpour lasted three minutes and then was over.

 

[enrico]

So sorry for you, tied mine down last night, glad I did!
Hope they live on!
E

 

[MikeT]

Sorry to read of your disaster. I had a similar problem but no damage but angry bees.

Mike

 

[pargyle]

Roof blew off one of my polys (My garden apiary is very sheltered from the wind but there was a huge gust at just before 4.00am - even woke me up - most unusual) but the clear crown board was well stuck to the top of the hive and apart from a few bees looking surprised that they had a bit of daylight no problems ... much less wind down here than further north and west though ...

 

[Ely]

Bugger. Hopefully the queen has survived and there are enough bees to see them through. I put 4 breeze blocks on each of mine with a low center of gravity at the end of August as I knew I would not be around to do anything at short notice through winter, part of my end of season management. Good luck

 

[midnight sun]

What a shame. You must be gutted. Like Ely says, hopefully there is a Queen and enough bees to keep the hive going. Do you have nuc you could quickly transfer what is left into to keep the space they have to keep warm less of a burden? Would that help? don't know what the others think. Or if not, perhaps remove excess frames and 'dummy' down the rest of the hive to keep volume to a minimum? Can't think of anything else as yet. Fingers crossed.

 

[sharonh]

Hope they recover for you. Sorry to hear that happened.

 

[irishguy]

Just had a call to say that mt apiary screens have come down on my hive and the bees are very angry. Jumped straight into the car as the heavens opened and was there in 5 mins.

I found my hive on its roof having received a full downpour straight through the colony. Lots of dead bees in there, a few live ones.

I put the hive back together but I'm not very hopeful for them.

Annoyingly the downpour lasted three minutes and then was over.

Can I ask ya why you haven't strapped these hives down for. This is 2nd thread I've read with same problem but I thought it was common knowledge to tie ones hives down for winter.

 

[BigAshW]

I had planned to strap them down when I put the mouse guards on but the wind beat me to it. I shall tske it as a lesson learned and strap down after feeding in future.

 

[itma]

Hopefully Q is there.
I'd give them a couple of days to settle down before doing anything more.
If Q is there but the colony has been heavily reduced, moving them to a nuc (and/or doing something derek-like with Celotex) should improve their chances.

Unusual for a Commercial to move … What sort of stand did it have?

 

[BigAshW]

Hopefully Q is there.
I'd give them a couple of days to settle down before doing anything more.
If Q is there but the colony has been heavily reduced, moving them to a nuc (and/or doing something derek-like with Celotex) should improve their chances.

Unusual for a Commercial to move … What sort of stand did it have?

I don't think the hive itself blew over. The screens I had to put up around the apiary were ripped out of the ground and caught the hive on their way passed is what it seems has happened.

 

[itma]

Your 'screening' may have been there for other than windbreak purposes.

However, a while ago I encountered an apiary on an 'exposed' site that was entirely surrounded by windbreak mesh. I must say that I was utterly astonished at just how effective the stuff was.
I've no idea how competitive this price is, but here's a link to illustrate the sort of stuff I'm referring to http://store.coastalnets.co.uk/collections/industrial/products/high-strength-windbreak-net

 

[BigAshW]

Thanks itma. That's very much like the stuff I'm using.

I have just got back from the site. Having finally convinced the allotment big wigs that my screens need to be concreted in. I've cleared up the mess and concreted in the main posts and left them to set.

There is activity at the hive with alot of confused looking girls. I guess they're used to coming out of their hive and seeing a big green wall in front of them now there is nothing. I'm going to heed earlier advice in tjis thread and give them a few days before trying to find out what state the inside is in. If they're very short on numbers I can borrow a nuc box to try and make it easier for them. Just hoping hm has survived.

 

[Suzi Q]

I use Metposts, and debris netting, and as Itma says it really does reduce the wind inside, and slightly warmer I would think. Luckily I'm not in an exposed position so not too much strain on the posts.

 

[BrianO]

I use this mesh, very effective in wind reduction ( not personally ) and for obscuring view of hives, additionally to get them up and above head height.

Important though to position far enough in front of hives not to block winter sun.

 

[derekm]

consider extra external insulation to aid recovery
vis posts I use concrete stub posts and then bolt the wooden posts to them such that wood is not touching the earth.. The concrete doesnt rot or rust and keeps the wood off the wet ground, which is where they normally rot.

 

[derekm]

I use Metposts, and debris netting, and as Itma says it really does reduce the wind inside, and slightly warmer I would think. Luckily I'm not in an exposed position so not too much strain on the posts.

not just slightly
Shelter from wind greatly reduces heat loss.
Difference between life and death in winter for farm animals and walkers caught up on the fells . Dont underestimate this...
When I get time i will try and get some figures.

 

[irishguy]

Why all the need for wind breaks when I was told in my thread that there's no point. Naturally I thought it would have been better for the bees but decided not to errect it as some advised me there was no need!

 

[BrianO]

Also hugely important in exposed sites ( mine ) to keep wind at bay to allow for un impeded take off and landing to limit bees blown away into grass/ ground where will perish due to temperature drop

 

[irishguy]

Also hugely important in exposed sites ( mine ) to keep wind at bay to allow for un impeded take off and landing to limit bees blown away into grass/ ground where will perish due to temperature drop

Mines are protected from the back and sides but they are very exposed south facing this is why I wanted to cover. How close do you put the wind break to the hive because I'm now thinking off doing it now after reading these posts.