Question about shutting bees in

[Mandeville]

My next-door neighbour, with whom we are currently on good terms, is holding a charity event in his garden on Sunday.

My bees are usually good natured but I have had several swarms already (including one into his garden), and I'd hate to spoil his event by having several thousand of them flying around his visitors. So, to be on the safe side, I was proposing to close the entrances of the hives after dark on Saturday and re-open them Sunday evening.

Apart from making the bees a bit tetchy, is there any other problem with this?

Thanks
Mandy

 

[Poly Hive]

Provided they are on open mesh floors then no they should be fine.

PH

 

[Mandeville]

Yes, they have got open-mesh floors.

Thank you!

 

[Chris Luck]

It could however stress them enormously, especially if it's dry and sunny.

Personally I wouldn't do it and I suggest you keep a close ear on the hive throughout the day for any signs/sounds of hyper activity regardless of whether it's ventilated.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

My first questiion might be: Do these hives contain queen cells? Swarming is fairly irelevant under most situations.

RAB

 

[peteinwilts]

sometimes we need to lock the bees in when the farmers are spraying their fields

Particularly on warmer days they do get thirsty. mist the open mesh floor below with a water with a small hand sprayer.
Before (and during) their opening, spray the front of the hive with water. when they are released your hive will have bees covering the front lapping up the water...

try and avoid it if you can though...

 

[MODNOD]

sometimes we need to lock the bees in when the farmers are spraying their fields

Particularly on warmer days they do get thirsty. mist the open mesh floor below with a water with a small hand sprayer.
Before (and during) their opening, spray the front of the hive with water. when they are released your hive will have bees covering the front lapping up the water...

try and avoid it if you can though...

As pete says,i have gone one step further for our fete on saturday,i have fitted every hive/nuc box with top mesh screens and have replaced the lids but can just remove if need be with no lose of bees.

 

[Mandeville]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I don't know how likely they are to be in swarm mode - I've lost confidence in myself after losing a second swarm from a hive that I was convinced only had one queen cell remaining after the first swarm.

The forecast here for Sunday is cloudy and 18°, so not too hot. But I could easily give them a spray of water up through the OMF if it does warm up a bit.

 

[GingerNut]

I've been doing work in my garden and I have shut my bees in twice now and they have been fine.

I let them out again at the very earliest opportunity.

Yours Roy

 

[enrico]

Put a very light garden sprayer attached to a hose so that it showers a very light spray down onto the hive. (Not enough to flood the garden!!!) It keeps them cool on a hot day and they think its raining so they don't fly.
E