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Cold Blast in the South

6K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  McBee7 
#1 ·
We have an Artic blast coming through today and tomorrow....where normally our temps are in the 50's, they are in the 20's, with the low tonight being at 8F. Hopefully this won't be long term enough to hurt my bees. Two of my hives are strong, and have a goodly amount of honey, one hive is small. I have been feeding some, and in fact poured a little honey on the "front porch" of the small hive Sunday and watched them chow down, also had a boardman feeder with 2:1 syrup with about 1/8 cup of honey in it, for them.... I opened the hive Saturday and put a bucket feeder of syrup in, they looked good. Reckon they got a chance against 8F, and mid 20's tomorrow?
 
#3 ·
Hey ksirovy, I used to live in Brandon...I have a bro who lives about 3 or so miles from you
near beaver valley church....I used to go to church in valley...small world..Bees are every
where I guess....lol..Happy Happy Happy.... -23F here right now....I worked cutting up deeps
for about 20 mins today and had to go back in, cold fingers,,,went back out and the saw
was heating things up a bit plus I had better gloves on, went 90mins that time, ran out of
1 by 12s...so I started on the supers..........

==McBee7==
 
#4 · (Edited)
I got married in that church, grew up 2.5 miles south of the church my 90 year old father still lives there. I live north of the elementary school in Valley just across old highway 16 about a hundred yards been here 27 years. By the way- I didn't think anybody was crazy enough to move farther north especially the end of the earth. Should of just went to Siberia-on second thought it's probably warmer in Siberia.
 
#5 ·
Bewildered...Good luck with your bees...I can't answer your question because fortunately I have not experienced such drastic temps, though our temps dropped 40* in less than 24 hours. I found out that my South florida bees are whimps and won't fly when it is chilly! :D

The main reason for my post is to caution you about feeding your hives, especially small/weaker colonies, on the front porch. You can incite a robbing event from one of your stronger hives, and they can kill that small hive in a heartbeat. Just a word of caution.

Best to you and your bees!
 
#6 ·
The main reason for my post is to caution you about feeding your hives, especially small/weaker colonies, on the front porch. You can incite a robbing event from one of your stronger hives, and they can kill that small hive in a heartbeat. Just a word of caution.
The only thing they'll be robbing in those temps is hats, coats, gloves, long underwear, warm socks, scarves and boots! :)
 
#8 ·
Yup, my single hive (glorified wintering nuc, really) went into winter weaker than I would have liked (I did keep them well fed though) and I had some worries about the 6 degree weather. High was about 55 today and there was a freaking cloud of bees pouring in and out of the hive this afternoon. Looked like they had cabin fever about as bad as I did, and were equally happy to get out of the house for a while.
 
#9 ·
I have been instructed never to feed bees honey unless it's their own honey. It is possible to transmit disease through someone else's honey.

Also, Bees in Miami is right - first warm day when bees are flying robbing can definitely, easily ensue.
 
#11 ·
There was an abnormal cold snap in North West Louisiana too. A couple of nights in the low 20s with the wind steady at 15 to 20 mph. Previous to the last cold snap my 2 hives of first year bees have suffered some losses. The oldest hive (by 2 months) suffered greater losses than the younger hive and surprised me by doing so. After seing losses twice I put insulation all the way around both hives plus I added a tin roof to shed the heavy rains. Since that they're suffering fewer losses. I am seeing dead bees on the ground near the entrance, but I think maybe its normal death rates. Also, I'm seeing them looking as if they're doing an orientation flight or just hovering near the entrance after a cleansing flight.
I'm feeding only slightly dampened granulated sugar, in a top feeder, to prevent drowning by feeding artificial nectar. Each hive has some of its own honey, so I'll just open the hives on a warm, sunny day to keep the sugar stocked if needed. Maybe I'll also give them some pollen substitute.
Good luck Wintering.
bnt
 
#13 ·
Actually here, I think they said with wind chill it was -22... a couple of days later my wife saw the bees feeding at the boardman I had sat on a concrete block a few feet from the hive....and it was raining and cold after that, so I didn't see any bees out. This last Saturday, it got to 57 and Sunday it was 54...the bees were out in number pooping on my truck (one little heffer landed on my arm and pooped) flying all around checking the weeds with a few small flowers, small clouds in front of the hives they were so active. I had a gallon of syrup in a bucket feeder in the small hive, I checked it and they were feeding.... I also had two boardman feeders at the two smallest hives with some MegaBee mixed in the syrup, they were tearing it up....and I sat in a chair and watched them, go from the hive to the feeder into the hive, so there wasn't any robbing going on. Everywhere I went around the house honeybees were buzzing around me lighting on my pants legs, hands, buzzing around my head, being friendly and greeting me :) I had to rescue a few off of my back porch as they kept coming in and getting in the window.... I think they did fine, and are looking real good...I even saw a very few with some pollen.. some light yellow, orange, wasn't much, but they found it somewhere!
 
#14 ·
I'm just outside of Buffalo. checked my hives today (54 degrees today) A few bees coming and going. But when I checked beneath the inner cover I saw no one? The top super frames appeared empty. I left 2 supers both full in fall. Question: should I remove the empty super in preparation for Feb. cold temps or should I leave it alone? I hate to leave all that empty space as their heat will rise and be lost. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.
 
#16 ·
Still kind of cold here.......Over night low last night of -15F and high today of 5F...
longer term forcast ----- daytime highs single digits above zero---over night temps
of -5 to -30F untill febuary.....

My new packages arrive april 5 ish.
come on APRIL....
I'm jelous of you'ins in the south ,,,:} 50+ and things blooming...
I still have 2ft of snow in the yard,,,if it warms up it snows...
....Just venting...sorry...:{

==McBee7==
Im just south of the boarder...:|
 
#17 ·
Don't be sorry! I would be venting too, if I lived in all that cold and snow... :) I get cold if it's below 70F! Got some more cold coming this way this week, not as bad as before... High of 39-40F and lows around 18F... Went out yesterday and was looking around, found buttercup sprouts coming out of the ground!
 
#18 ·
That sounds great Bw61,,,I was looking through some of the flower charts for Mn, trying
to forsee what blooms I might see first.....Looks like pussywillow hawthorn trees and maple
trees will lead the pack then dandilions....I never really paid attention before the bees, as to
what bloomed first...I just always assumed it was dandilions.....
Now I know i'll have to hang arround the maple syrup dudes, or at least spy on them to see
when they start their work.....I've also heard that if they are pulling syrup the trees have
already budded, so maybe the syrup dudes will be watching for my bees instead,,,:)

==McBee7==
 
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