Hurricane coming!

[beegee]

I guess the consensus is to put something heavy on top of the hives and hope they don't blow over. I'm thinking about using tie-downs with rachet-straps. Anyway, we're expecting a big blow here in eastern NC.

[5TR-Apiary]

Hope you aren't hit to hard! Ireally think I am safe from too high of winds but I am still going to drive metal "t" post in the ground on each side of my hives and use the straps for tie downs. Better safe than sorry. Stay safe and keep us informed about your weather.

[beegee]

I was thinking about that. I have the posts and the straps. I guess it would be quick and easy. I think I have until Thursday afternoon.

[BillKP71]

As usual I'm on the road, but hope to beat the storm home. I'm sure I'll pass a Home Depot or Lowes on the way. Do you think they will have the posts and straps you describe?

Thanks and good luck all.

Bill

[joens]

another good thing if you can find them are the corkscrew looking things they use for anchoring trailer houses.

[5TR-Apiary]

I was in our Lowes today and they still had plenty of straps and "T" post. Do you have a post driver? If not invest in one! We have very hard clay and in 4 "pops" I can drive the post in the ground! Well worth the money! Hope you get home in time!

[airbalancer]

They make those spiral things for dog tie outs that you could find at a pet suppply place or any pet department. Looks like you could put alot of pressure on them without pulling up.
Mike

[BEEn Stung]

If you want cheep tiedowns that won't pull out look in a trapping supply catalog.
Berkshire disposable stakes is one brand. $4.50 per dozen. You also need a $4.95 stake driver.
These are a flat plate hooked to a cable. You drive it into the ground on edge. When you pull on the cable the plat goes flat in the ground and has to be dug out with a shovel. Usualy they are not dug out and reused.

------------------
Erwin

[BillKP71]

A belated thank you to all for your suggestions and good wishes.

Managed to (just) beat the storm and get the bees tucked in for the duration. Fortunately we made it through better then many of our neighbors. Lost all of our utilities and just now got a dial tone, so thought I'd send my thanks before the battery in my power book dies. I hope eveyone else in the storm's path made it through OK.

Take care all and we'll stop back when/if we ever get power back.

Bill

[swarm_trapper]

ya those berkshire stakes ar awsome the will not pull out of even sandy ground!!!!!

[beegee]

I didn't do anything to my hive. I didn't have time. We had gusts up to 90 mph and horizontal rain. The bees just hunkered down inside the hive, I guess. I popped the top today and they were all over the inside cover fanning like crazy. I haven't checked the hive for about one month now, so maybe tomorrow, I'll go in there. I need to build a SBB, so I'll do that first.

[5TR-Apiary]

Well, my girls are all well and seem to be happy that the strom is over. They were out, yesterday, working the buckwheat and Golden Rod. We had 40-50 mile gusts and over 4" of rain. Not sure if the posts and straps kept things together or if the bees did it them selves but it all faired very well.

[txbeeguy]

Good to hear from you guys - I was worried about it!

[usahq]

I had a tree fall in one of my apiaries. It scattered two hives about 20 feet from where the stand is and two other hives were just slightly knocked over. It was a mess until we could cut away enough of the tree to get into the bees. Of course, they were robbing my surplus honey with the supers laying out on the ground, but I managed to get to it and snatch it up before too much honey was gone. But, we got it all cleaned up and picked up and hopefully the bees will recover.