Should I inspect or not?

[Perry]

In November I made sure my one new rooftop hive had plenty of food (in the brood body and a full super underneath the BB). I insulated the top and put a reducer in the opening. In November and December I watched bees come and go. I have not seen any traffic during the past two cold weeks.

One school of thought that I read says leave the hive alone until the spring - if you open it for an inspection the bees will lose heat and this will weaken the hive.

Yet in this forum I keep reading how people are inspecting their hives ... But doesn't this harm them when you open it?

Oh wise and experienced beekeepers - please enlighten me! Which should I do?!?

 

[oliver90owner]

If one must look, one must look; the reason has to be overbearingly important. Otherwise leave them alone.

I have not touched a hive since well before Christmas. If they succumb, they succumb. I am unable to do any more for them at this time of the year. I will be hefting them shortly, but would not be intruding any further into the hive than zipping off the crownboard, sliding on a feeder board and administering fondant from above that.

But it all depends on the weather conditions and colony activity. If it is warm, they are not clustered and are flying freely, then opening a hive is not the end of the world for them. Common sense needs to prevail.

RAB

 

[susbees]

If hive still feels quite heavy, leave. If hive feels light, feed with fondant over feed hole, under or set into the bottom of the insulation in a takeaway container. If it's on a stand you can peak up under the OMF...they will hiss if you use a white light torch.

 

[Finman]

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inspection - what to inspect or learn....

Food stores are important. If you see capped combs, everything is ok.

Does hive has brood, queen ....... You cannot do nothing what ever you see there. And the coldest time of year is not right time to be curious.

Is it alive ?......if it is dead, you cannot help. it is alive, ....you made things only worse.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Bees can starve and die with honey just an inch away. The cluster dynamics of bees reduces convection so all the heat does not escape with the cover off. The thermal signatures of Winter clusters have been studied many times. There are management techniques you can use regardless or because of the weather. Get the honey to the cluster. Scrape the cappings so they will take the honey. Provide empty comb so the cluster can be in the comb, hence more dense. Identify and reduce condensation and frost within the hive. Hypothermia from moisture kills. If you do not understand go swimming in the Winter after you have stood outside for a length of time. Heat transfer is greater wet.

 

[Finman]

Bees can starve and die withhoney just an inch away.

There are management techniques you can use regardless or because of the weather.

Get the honey to the cluster. Scrape the cappings so they will take the honey. Provide empty comb so the cluster can be in the comb, hence more dense. Identify and reduce condensation and frost within the hive.

Hypothermia from moisture kills.
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helo America! you live in Tampa California. I just looked that you have winter day temperature +20C.

Those advices are really not suitable in UK.

If you have capped honey this time of year, put it to bees but don't scrabe it.
Bees know how to uncap them.

One guy in our forum wrote that the hive has no food. I wrote, that collect some capped frames from other hives. It is only 2 month to cleansing flight and then you may feed them. In our climate we cannot feed now fondant because bees do not get water.

Moisture does not kill and it does not make hypotermia. Moisture makes nosema. It swells too the stores an bees are obliged to suck the drilling food. When you arrange insulation and ventilation, there is no danger from moisture.

Too much space and too much ventilation consumes witer stores.

We have to morrow -15C and today only -6C.
Couple of hives have a too small winter cluster. To them I put today 3W terrarium heater.
My idea was to lift the nucs to the firewood shelter but I work there.

 

[Vergilius]

I have not seen any traffic during the past two cold weeks.

Why do you think??? Perhaps because bees don't fly in the cold!!! Heft to check weight, and, if necessary, feed fondant - but otherwise leave them 'till spring...

Ben P

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

You must be right Ben. You managed to move Tampa from Florida to California. Because we are on different parts of the planet physics applies differently. Perhaps hypothermia does not exist over there either.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you put your ear to the box and tap the hive( you often don't need to, however) you will hear them.They are alive.You will feel better. Leave them alone.
If no sound what can you do? Nothing.
Brood and super of food should easily be enough I should hope.

 

[bobster]

I'm assuming your hive(s) are in London. I wouldn't open whilst it is so cold (yes Finman about 0C !!). It looks as if the weather will be warming up towards the middle of next week.

If you really must have a look wait until temperature about 10C or at least you see bees flying. Also, make sure that your bees can get out for a #2 if needed. Clear out any dead bees at the entrance.

Bobster

 

[Finman]

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You may open the hive every day in January, if you feel so but note this

- In plus 5C bees cannot come back into the hives if they fly 1) attack on you 2) they have poo pressure to fly out

- the hive rises it temperature up to 42C because it wants to defend againt the enemy. You are the enemy. temp takes 24 hhours to return to normal. (measure yourself if you do not believe)

- load your hives so in Autumn that you need not worry about them.

- open the hive in emercengy case, not to satisfy you interest.

- it is better to take inner cover off than ask from internet "is my hive dead ?"


basicly I live in capital city and I do not visit in winter on my summer cottage. My hives are in total peace from October to March 5 months. Now bees have difficult times when I am retired. Mercy to bees!

No my hive roofs have 30 cm snow hat.

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