New Hives wet inside after rain

[ClarksMeadow]

Last November I got started by making two National Hives - Brood box and two supers each. They have nice metal roofs, and I left them outside so that they woudn't smell 'new' to any bees that I might be able to obtain. Today I lifted the supers to get the brood boxes out so I could start making up the frames, and found that both hives were wet inside. Presumably wind-blown rain getting between the boxes - the roof clearly doing its job. I'm now worried that I've wasted all my time and effort, as I assume that bees won't stay in a wet, or even damp, hive. Anyone got any suggestions (apart from a hair dryer)?

 

[Swarm]

Last November I got started by making two National Hives - Brood box and two supers each. They have nice metal roofs, and I left them outside so that they woudn't smell 'new' to any bees that I might be able to obtain. Today I lifted the supers to get the brood boxes out so I could start making up the frames, and found that both hives were wet inside. Presumably wind-blown rain getting between the boxes - the roof clearly doing its job. I'm now worried that I've wasted all my time and effort, as I assume that bees won't stay in a wet, or even damp, hive. Anyone got any suggestions (apart from a hair dryer)?

Don't fret, empty boxes are not sealed and driving rain will get in, they will soon dry and the bees will take care of sealing them with propolis. I have some boxes that are forty years old that require some attention with filler this year as the bees have a few different entrances The bees in these boxes have never had a problem, in fact they are often the strongest colonies.

 

[Erichalfbee]

(apart from a hair dryer)?

Do you have a greenhouse?

 

[enrico]

As Swarm says, bees are brilliant at sealing every little gap and hole . Come back to using a couple of years asking how you get propolis off gloves, surfaces, phones.

 

[user 819]

Once in use the internal surfaces and any small cracks/joints ill be propalised , one reason why you may hear us say not to fiddle during late Autumn and Winter.

 

[Moobee]

Maybe strapping the hive together might stop the rain driving in? Once the bees seal the edges with propolis, you'll be fine.

 

[robmort]

It's best if the mating surfaces between boxes are perfectly flat so that they don't let rain or drafts through and don't need propylising. This is easy with poly hives, not so with wooden.

 

[Erichalfbee]

But would you leave it wet for the bees to occupy?

 

[drex]

Agree with all above. The bees will be fine.
You say you made them. I would just check that the mating surfaces top and bottom of any box are flat and level. The gap between well made boxes is soon sealed by the bees

 

[Antipodes]

But would you leave it wet for the bees to occupy?

They seem to leak at the joins. I don't find the bees do that well at propolising the gaps between the boxes or the lid and the top box. The more frequent the inspections, the less likely they are to be sealed by them.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Maybe strapping the hive together might stop the rain driving in? Once the bees seal the edges with propolis, you'll be fine.

Winter storing out side use a blowtorch in between boxes and push them together the propolis that is already on the edges will in part seal them .