High Rise Query

[Dorking.Dan]

Hi everyone. Longe time since i've been on. on account of my no longer being allowed my hives due to a change of heart from my landlord . I will be picking up where I left off ASAP. Anyway back to the question in hand. I had a phone call from a friend who lives in a high rise. Now he is 14 floors up i think. now where his balcony used to be, is now Bricked up and large windows are there creating a micro "conservatory". he planned ogrow tomatoes, chillies etc in there. He asked me if it would be possible to have bees theregiven that it is closed of from the rest of the flat. Now I said as far as i'm aware it wouldn't be a good idea given that he would have to have his windows closed in the cold weather due to temparature and strong winds given the altitude. Which, would keep the bees quite active and trapped during winter. With that in mind he said he could just feed them during the winter if they're going to be active. I then stated if they're getting fed and remaining active during winter, they would build up in numbers and possibly try to swarm? Was i right in my advice or, is it actually possible? Any advice taken on board,
D.D

 

[suechick]

Why not use it for it's original intention and make loads of dosh and be really popular with the local community?
You may end up with a greater profit margin than selling honey?
Could bees be used for pollenation purposes?

 

[Dorking.Dan]

Well i'm worried by what you mean by that

 

[FreeFall]

he planned to grow tomatoes, chillies etc in there...

D.D

That's a much better idea I reckon.

 

[suechick]

And really yummy.

 

[enrico]

I wouldn't keep my bees in a greenhouse over winter..... Confused bees or what? My greenhouse can get up into high twenties when it is freezing outside!e

 

[Dishmop]

A tube from the hive entrance thro the wall? That way they will be getting air from outside and know that its cold and not to go out, or turn the balcony into a giant observation hive?

 

[Excession]

If the hive is warm and it is cold outside, the Bees may be fooled into thinking its time to forage, and may freeze on the wing.

It would be the same as an over insulated hive in the winter.

 

[Dishmop]

If the hive is warm and it is cold outside, the Bees may be fooled into thinking its time to forage, and may freeze on the wing.

It would be the same as an over insulated hive in the winter.

Doesnt work that way.

They crawl along the tube and as it get colder that turn round and go back.

 

[Teemore]

I know of a beek who thought it woul dbe a good idea to overwinter his bees in a greenhouse. From what I understand, he removed a pane of glass in front of the hives for the bees to get in and out. Unfortunately, the bees remained active in very cold weather and by the time they realised it was too cold to be outside, they had rapidly chilled and failed to get back into the hive. This beekeeper currently has no bees.

 

[hedgerow pete]

bees 14 floor up i have seen before, and it does work on an open balcony, the best bit is your mate will never get blight as its too high up, to polinate i would have thought a small piant brush is better than a hive of bees

 

[user 6228]

If the hive is warm and it is cold outside, the Bees may be fooled into thinking its time to forage, and may freeze on the wing.

It would be the same as an over insulated hive in the winter.

They dont do this in my experience with two hives over 10 times the insulation of a wooden hive,...

They come out when its bright mostly to fetch water, but both populations survived well. They cluster when the whether is dull for long times

 

[user 6228]

I then stated if they're getting fed and remaining active during winter, they would build up in numbers and possibly try to swarm? Was i right in my advice or, is it actually possible? Any advice taken on board,
D.D

possible yes, likely no...
Bees in an extremely well insulated hive have different behaviours but not much of it can be seen out side of the hive. They are more active than in a conventional wooden hive. Not so much foraging as inspecting behaviour I suspect. Remember they are very adaptable beasts and their average nests in the wild are more than 6 times the insulation value of a conventional wooden box.