The Weather

[Mr Bumbles]

Bees out in December

Hi everyone,I was out yesterday and all the hives had bees flying, I think they have been out more in Nov/Dec than the rest of the year which is worrying because they should have clustered and not be consuming too much of their stores. I have put a carton of fondant on every hive just in case.

 

[Finman]

.
Winter is just at the beginning. It is fast if food stores are finish after 2 months.

It is better to give emergency feeding when store are near end.

Much flying may derive from brood rearing and bees get drinking water.

But feeding in these days prolongs brooding and it does not help in wintering.

.if sun shines, bees tend to do cleansing flight. It is not sign of activity.


beekeepers! Try to keep yourself calm even if you see flying bees!

 

[Mr Bumbles]

Hi Finman,a very valid point the bees were on cleansing flights and a few new bees on their first flight. I only gave fondant because they were very low on stores and two colonies are not Native bees so go through stores very quickly. I think I will now sit back and calm down and wait for spring.

 

[user 6228]

can you tell me the time they were flying and the nearest town....

 

[Finman]

go through stores very quickly. :

There is some reason to that. How many kilos they have spent after winter feeding?

How much you have ventilation or openings in the hive? Matchsticks, feeding opening open?

.

 

[tonybloke]

http://newsthump.com/2010/01/08/coldest-night-forces-newcastle-residents-into-long-sleeves/

 

[Ely]

http://newsthump.com/2010/01/08/coldest-night-forces-newcastle-residents-into-long-sleeves/

 

[Rich0909]

Those in the west may want to get together and start building that ark....

"A Metcheck Notice
Added : Wed 12 December : 17:08 GMT

It's not often we do this and to be honest the main reason is the time of year and probably Mariah Carey has something to do with it, but....

The latest model output is indicating *a lot* of rainfall expected across the UK in the next fortnight or so. We can't imagine anything worse than having your house flooded just a week or so before Christmas, especially with presents and plans and things like that.

So, as a Metchecker you have a duty over the next few days to let people you know who perhaps live in flood prone areas to keep an eye on the weather over the next week or so. We don't care if you say use Metcheck, BBC, Met Office (*cough!*) or any other source.

However, with frozen, saturated ground as well as tide levels at the highest around the middle part of the month it adds up to what could be some potentially damaging floods across Western parts of the UK.

We don't want this to come across as alarmist, as model output can and does change, but we thought it best to try to get everyone prepared just in case the models are right."

 

[Mr Bumbles]

Derekm they were flying mainly between 10.00 and 12.00 but up to 15.00. The nearest town is Fowey.

 

[richardbees]

thanks, Tony

 

[Mr Bumbles]

Finman I overwinter my bees in a National brood box above a super of stores on a OMF,above the crown board I have an insulated quilt. I feed the bees Ambrosia and syrup in september if they dont have a full super and plenty of stores in the Brood box. Two of my Hives are BuckfastxCerropia Queens and these are the Hives that go through stores quickly. The climate in Cornwall is mild compared to the rest of the UK and it is quite normal for Queens to continue laying all though winter.

 

[Finman]

The climate in Cornwall is mild compared to the rest of the UK and it is quite normal for Queens to continue laying all though winter.

What ever, but try to get such bees which have winter rest and brood brake over winter. It makes no sense that food stores will be finish in December.

Then those brood. The bees which feed larvae in autumn, they are not able to survive over winter. The cluster becomes weaker and weaker and for what?

That continuous brooding makes varroa control very difficult.

 

[Hivemaker.]

We don't want this to come across as alarmist, as model output can and does change,

Good job it does,because they were forcasting daytime temperatures for the SW of 2c and 3c during June and July.

 

[For want of a better word]

try to get such bees which have winter rest and brood brake over winter. It makes no sense that food stores will be finish in December.






That is why I like the local Cornish Black bee Apis mellifera mellifera !

 

[Stiffy]

Hi everyone,I was out yesterday and all the hives had bees flying, I think they have been out more in Nov/Dec than the rest of the year which is worrying because they should have clustered and not be consuming too much of their stores. I have put a carton of fondant on every hive just in case.

No need to worry, they are probably just cleansing flights and bringing in water.
The buckfast/crecopia (I guess Bickxxffes) will be fine, my Buckfast love the local weather and manage well and with the warmer clime will be building up early in the New Year. Over the years, I cant say I have noticed any increase in winter store use between them and the local black mongrels.
S

 

[Norton]

Bright Sunshine here in Cyprus with a today's high of around 20C - just about to light the BBQ - but have to put some sun block on first.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Bright Sunshine here in Cyprus with a today's high of around 20C - just about to light the BBQ - but have to put some sun block on first.

Nice one Norton guess what ! yes you've guessed it, it`s still raining here, both of our ponds are overflowing and there is a river flowing down our road expecting some GM salmon any minute now, perhaps it is the start of the end of the world after all !! roll on spring.

 

[Norton]

I told Pete to give up bees and take up croc farming instead.

 

[PBee]

I told Pete to give up bees and take up croc farming instead.

Probably be less dangerous than reverting to Amm and could always get some forum members to help with the really dangerous bits ......

Crocodile Danbee?

 

[Luminos]

Probably be less dangerous than reverting to Amm and could always get some forum members to help with the really dangerous bits ......

Crocodile Danbee?