Hot weather

[Paul Hitchiner]

What do you think of putting a damp towel over the hive to help cool the bees

 

[protheroe]

What do you think of putting a damp towel over the hive to help cool the bees

the bees will cope with this weather with no problems-just make sure you leave the inspection tray out on your mesh floor.

 

[Little John]

Heat is not normally a problem the British have to cope with - but be guided by whether the bees are bearding or not. If they are, then you really need to take some action.

So - if your hives are not in the shade of trees for example, then consider putting some Leylandii branches or similar on top of the hive roof. That kind of thing. It's what I do.

LJ

 

[oliver90owner]

You have sufficient ventilation for almost all situations in the UK. They will collect water, if insufficient nectar, to cool the hive. How do you think bees cope in sunnier climes? Spain or eastern continental per eg?

Think. What would a wet towel do? Let alone a damp one! It might be a good way to get the washing dry, I suppose! Well, as long as they are not at all nosemic! Remember, too, heat is not temperature; increase in heat is manifested by an increase in temperature, but nof all materials are equal. Think here ilsulation blankets used by plumbers when soldering, or perhaps even the space shuttle tiles.

 

[Dishmop]

Think. What would a wet towel do?

Get warm.

Paint the roof white.

 

[Little John]

To be saying that there isn't ever a potential for overheating during hot, sunny weather in the UK is, I think, rather unwise.

So much depends upon the design of the hive - the 'chimney' shape of Warre-style hives for example is very much at risk of overheating. Which is precisely why Warre designed a roof for his hive (in northern France - hardly the tropics) with a ventilated sub-space, and recommends that his hives be kept in the shade of trees, and why those Russians who are using a similar Warre-style hive make a point of painting their hives in solar-reflective paint.

LJ

 

[Arfermo]

What do you think of putting a damp towel over the hive to help cool the bees

Bollocks frankly - or have we moved to another planet while I wasn't looking? OMF and open holes in CB is quite enough for any bee.

 

[oliver90owner]

To be saying that there isn't ever a potential for overheating during hot, sunny weather in the UK is, I think, rather unwise.

I don't think anyone did, did they? We already know he has OMFs.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Get warm.

Paint the roof white.

Aluminium when new is an excellent reflector and oxidises white after a while.

 

[Dishmop]

Bit of silver foil Kingspan.

 

[madasafish]

All my hives have insulated roofs and OMF. With no bottom boards in, no overheating at all...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

OMF and open holes in CB

OMF yes, open holes in crownboard! beg to differ there I'm afraid my big stacks have no problem keeping cool with a proper solid crown board.

I noticed out In Africa they had none of this ventilation nonsense - solid floors, small entrance roof was just a simple 1/2" thich wooden cover and either clad in galv or just a piece of corrugated iron on top held down by a stone. Never saw problems with overheating there (well, apart from me in my bee suit!)

 

[beeno]

Hi Paul and all,
Two of my hives are next to a brick wall with the sun on them all day until 3-4 o'clock. In hot weather therefore I have taken to putting white wet sheet on top of galvanised roof (hot tinned roof) when they beard. They soon go in. Voting with their feet I would say. I am sure they have got work to do rather than loitering outside!

 

[Finman]

.
I have had here 30C several days and solid bottoms....and insulated polyhives.

And heat is coming again this week.

.towel on roof...why there

The earth around the entrance is hot from where bees take the ventilation air

We got this year a new record. 26 hot days in July when day temp rises over 25C.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

.

We got this year a new record. 26 hot days in July when day temp rises over 25C.

Sounds good. How do you anticipate that will affect your yields this year? A bumper crop?

 

[user 6228]

insulation...

 

[Finman]

Sounds good. How do you anticipate that will affect your yields this year? A bumper crop?

Our June was very rainy and cold. Hives got huge swarming impulses.
This July weather has been too hot to rape. Fireweed suffers for last summer's dry weathers. It was hot too.
Most of vegetation suffers for this hot and dry weather. Yield season is practically over. Yied will be quite low.

 

[Finman]

insulation...

Same hive structure as in winter

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Fingers crossed for lesser extremes of temperature and rainfall next year.