Too cold to move

Stiffy · Jan 16, 2012

I was taught and have often heard that bees may starve rather than move to a source of feed such as block of fondant or indeed a frame slightly away from the core of the colony
I doubt this should ever apply in my locality as it rarely gets below freezing for long but was wondering if this is fact based or just one of the excuses put around for the loss of a colony over the winter?
Cheers
S

drumgerry · Jan 16, 2012

Having had it happen to me I'd say it's definitely fact. A dead cluster with heads in cells where there are frames of stores a matter of inches away. What I do every winter now is lay a block of fondant directly on the frame top bars rather than using the hole in the crownboard. Even if they don't eat it all I see it as a sort of bridge for the cluster between frames of stores.

Skyhook · Jan 16, 2012

This is part of the reason there is such opposition on here to top ventilation. All very well saying that the bees can keep the cluster warm,but if they can't move an inch away from the cluster, that may not be enough.

Rosti · Jan 16, 2012

Can happen, did happen to me last year. 2 of 4 hives died through isolation but with good stores available. This on 14x12's OMF + top insulation. Both looked like they had drifted up and to an edge with no where left to go.
Therapy is going quite well, thanks for asking.

For want of a better word · Jan 16, 2012

Grandad would not move one inch from the fire in the depths of winter..... but then Gran spoiled him by bringing his supper to him on a tray!

luckydunny · Jan 16, 2012

icanhopit said:
Grandad would not move one inch from the fire in the depths of winter..... but then Gran spoiled him by bringing his supper to him on a tray!

Did he enjoy fondant or was that Fondue!!