No cleansing flights

[SteveLD]

I have two hives and this is my first year keeping bees. One of the hives has been very quiet all winter and it was less active in late Autumn too. On a recent sunny day my normal hive was very busy but I only saw one bee enter the other one and 2 others sat side by side on the front of the hive for a while. There is a bit of spoiling at entrance and inside the bees are alive and clustering over several frames. Please can anyone tell me what is going on?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

every colony is different - did you stand by the hive all day? they may have scooted out a bit earlier, dropped their loads and were back inside chilling out again.you will find that in winter that some hives will just have ten or fifteen minutes of activity then stop again, and not all colonies will be out at the same time. Stop worrying about it, nothing much you can do at the moment apart from make sure they're not disturbed unnecessarily and have plenty of stores

 

[SteveLD]

I'm amazed that the hives can be so different. I've not stood there all day and yes I've been concerned and wondering whether I should be saving up to buy another Nuc.

 

[beeno]

Hi Steve,
Not all hives are on the same time line in terms of development. One of mine has not been out for weeks even when all the others were flying. They are a late swarm which is being fed fondant now so less roughage, but I can hear them when I put my ear to the hive. Some of the others collected pollen a couple of weeks ago, but the inclement weather put a stop to that.
It is not necessarily bad to have some spotting on the hives, so you have had some cleansing going on. You have seen the bees on the frames, so that is good. This time of the year you will have the least bees in the hive, as the old bees are dying off and brooding has not started in earnest. Everything is probably ok, but I know one cannot stop worrying about them. If you put them to bed with enough stores, Q+ and treated for varroa then the rest is up to the bees. I can't wait either for a +8C day to see them flying, but at this rate we will have a long wait.

Two beeks thinking alike, can't be bad!

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Just a thought:

You have checked that the entrance isn't blocked by dead bees?

Dusty

 

[SixFooter]

When you have several colonies in the same apiary, it's strange sometimes when they all exhibit the same behaviour at the same time as well as when they do different things. Just randomness or maybe ley lines. Possibly down to a butterfly in South america

 

[Finman]

. Please can anyone tell me what is going on?

Sounds good that bees are alive and they do not have pressure for cleansing flights or fly for nothing. It is a sign that colony is healthy and ok.

A good colony does not fly, if everything is Ok.

Even if my hives are inside hive 5 months, best hives are not in a hurry to make cleansing flight. It colony has nosema. Bees come out all the time.

 

[BrianO]

Could put your ear to hive wall give it a few taps and listen for that reassuring buzz, non intrusive way to check for life

 

[SixFooter]

Could put your ear to hive wall give it a few taps and listen for that reassuring buzz, non intrusive way to check for life

I have a cheap stethoscope for doing this. I have been known to use it to try to work out were a colony is under facia boards

 

[Finman]

a few taps and listen

Make them flye. Yeah! Giddab!

.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Checked all 8 hives for which I'm responsible today.

The three on the Cathedral roof and the three on the other roof in Manchester, were all out on cleansing flights and foraging for water.

My couple of hives at home? Slugabeds! Nary a sight of them.

I feel quite ashamed of them.

Dusty

 

[beehive1234]

Patience is the key

 

[jd101k2000]

Hi Steve,

This is my second winter... I remember being amazed that they had survived the winter, with my inexpert handling of them. The stethoscope idea is good. Ones with latex on can be had for about £3. I went for a Sprage non-latex version (good enough to be used by student nurses and it has a range of attachments) for under £6. (Great if rubber brings you out in a rash.) One of my hives rarely flies, but at last I know it is alive and I do not have to break all those propolis seals that they have so carefully put in place.

 

[Finman]

Could put your ear to hive wall give it a few taps and listen for that reassuring buzz, non intrusive way to check for life

That is a miserable habit. Let the hives be in peace .
If it is dead, it is dead. It does not wake up with listening.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No need for tapping, I agree.
If you squash your ear tightly against the hive you can hear them.
I can hear mine from the back of the OMF, sometimes at the entrance if the cluster is at the front of the hive.

 

[kevrhcfag]

Hi Steve,

This is my second winter... I remember being amazed that they had survived the winter, with my inexpert handling of them. The stethoscope idea is good. Ones with latex on can be had for about £3. I went for a Sprage non-latex version (good enough to be used by student nurses and it has a range of attachments) for under £6. (Great if rubber brings you out in a rash.) One of my hives rarely flies, but at last I know it is alive and I do not have to break all those propolis seals that they have so carefully put in place.

Absolutely pointless.

All you can do is check the weight / food and add some if needed.

If the queen is dead there is nothing you can do. If they are flying or not nothing you can do. Why do you want to listen to them to see if alive or not you can't affect it and will find out soon enough anyway.

The more you fiddle with them the more likely you are to lose them. Feed them and leave them.

 

[richardbees]

This is where glazed crown boards can be useful for anxious beekeepers.

Alternatively, if your hives' are on a stand......take a flash/photo upwards through the omf. In v cold weather you can distinctly see the bottom of the cluster, at worst you'll see dead bees on the floor.

 

[Finman]

Alternatively, if your hives' are on a stand......take a flash/photo upwards through the omf. In v cold weather you can distinctly see the bottom of the cluster, at worst you'll see dead bees on the floor.

The worst service what you can do to your wintering hive. And how many ways you can do it?

Let them winter in peace!!!!
.
Question was that a cluster is in deep winter rest and does not show signs of sick colony....

.

 

[drstitson]

"If it is dead, it is dead. It does not wake up with listening."

well said!!!!

 

[madasafish]

Well it's sunny today and +4C (as opposed to windy and cold --4C nights all week.

One hive is active..- a TBH sideways on# to full sun. No others are stirring when I looked at 12.30am..

# with side entrance facing South