Still alive!

[applebwoi]

Probably overly concerned but our first real cold snap blew in and temps got down to about 8F for a couple of nights and about 8" snow. Highs only up to lower 20's during the day. Today sun came out and it begin to warm up a bit so I went out and scraped the snow away from the hive entrance. After a bit of polking around, I heard a beautiful buzzing and nearly got stung in the nose as a guard came out to usher me away from the hive. First hive, first winter, first cold snap, didn't wrap, still alive, yeah!

[Oldbee]

Hi. 8 inches of snow?? In Texas??? Oh Palease!! We only had about 3 inches in the "frozen tundra of Packerland". Well, good for you and your bees. See, no need to worry!!. For now.

[applebwoi]

Amarillo is way up north in the Panhandle of the state and we average about 25" snow a year. However, unlike your area we thaw out in a day or two :cool: Its the drastic changes that could make it difficult for the bees I would think. M. Bush talks about his surviving severe cold in Nebraska though so I guess I shouldn't worry. Still its pretty amazing that they can keep the inside of a wooden box so warm when its so cold outside.

[tecumseh]

well as you can see applebwoi most folks have a difficult time even imagining how vastly different texas weather can be east to west and north to south....

anyway sound like they survived their first real cold blast..

[BjornBee]

(To any first year beekeeper),
Although the urge to remove the snow is great, there really is no need. The snow will melt away from the entrance, and as long as there is a slight forward lean to the hive, the entrance will keep itself open with the warmth of the hive. I have seen bees exit and crawl two feet along the front of the hive to clear the snow depth.

I say that because one of the worst things you can do in winter is over stimulate the colony and have bees break cluster. If they were calling for temps in the 50's and you wanted to help them out, thats one thing. But with temps anywhere forcasted below that point, there is no need in losing bees that feel the need to greet beekeepers who are worried.

The beekeeepers urge of lifting a top every now and then hits all of us. Its best not done. There is little to do at this point anyways.

[Brent Bean]

BjornBee just gave great advice, snow is a great insulator and wind break as long as they have an opening don’t worry Bee happy smile.gif . I won’t disturb them until late January normally, at which time I will take a quick peek under the top cover and see if the cluster is right under the inner cover which is a sign that they have gone threw their stores. At this point I will add a super of honey form any dead out if available. Or give fondant, this year I will probably check earlier because of the poor nectar flow this fall because of a cold wet weather.
Cold weather dose not kill honeybees they can easily deal with prolong periods of very cold harsh weather if they are health and have adequate food stores.

[ December 02, 2006, 09:47 AM: Message edited by: Brent Bean ]

[Michael Bush]

I never heard of anyone wrapping in Texas. smile.gif

One nice thing about top entrances, I don't have to shovel the snow out so they do stay warmer and can still fly on a warm day.

[applebwoi]

Thanks everyoine for the replys and advice. I think its kind of like dropping your kid off at school for the first time. You know they will survive but you like to stand at the door and look in for a while just to make sure they're settled. I didn't take the top cover off, just looked in from the front. One last question, should I keep the entrance reducer on or take it off? Now the entrance is only open about 1" x 1".

[Michael Bush]

1" by 1" sounds like a mouse hole. Better to have 4" by 1/4" and keep the mice out.

[BerkeyDavid]

Hey Appleboy - good advice from the regulars up there. And be sure to put on a mouse guard.

One thing I still do is take a lenght of hose out to the hives in the winter when I get real worried and listen to the hives to see if they are alive. You can knock on the hive if you can't hear them buzzing.

Or somebody said they had a stethescope! even better!

You're right its like worrying aobut your kids all winter.