[rand]

Hi all
We have a very happy and beautiful rain session here in the desert.

65% oft the yearly avarage rain amount was fall in the las 24 hous
and coused floods that wasn't seen for more than 20 years here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Tzin.Honey/DesertFloods63MmIn24Hours?authkey=Gv1sRgCMSmmLnblejfQA#

My partner called me and said that our hives were in the middle
of a river flow that spread all over into our hives place and he coudnt reach the area to see if they were carry away or stay alive. :s

I will figure it out in the morning hoppppping everything is o.k

can they survive under direct rain and wind - 6-9 celcius temp. ?

 

[JOHNYOGA2]

Re: floods in the desert - whatabout my my hives ??

That's 45-50 degrees F, if I do the conversion correctly. I would do everything I could safely do to try to get them covered as quickly as possible. Could be very bad news. Wet 45 degree bees are unlikely to survive for long especially if it's windy. Sorry. Hope it turns out well.

 

[SwedeBee1970]

Re: floods in the desert - whatabout my my hives ??

Solid high ground is always reassuring. If the flood waters where going around the hives and not carrying them away then I'd guess the weight of the hive would keep whatever sand/rock/soil in its place. Kind of like your foot on sand while a wave goes over your feet. Most of the sand will stay in place even though its surroundings are washed away. There's hope. 45-50 degrees is minimum flying weather. Wind will just whip them around. Rain, if I'm not mistaken, shouldn't be allowed to get into their tracheas. Most insects breathe this way and will suffocate.

And if the hives are washed away and the bees escaped, maybe, just maybe a possibility of a swarm ? Not sure whether it's an option or not but it is better to hope they're the survivors nature intended them to be.

 

[rand]

Good news from the field

Hi all and thank you for the answers

I just came back from the hives, that was in the middle of the river flood
fortunately, they werent carry away with the flood but their wooden base was 10 cm lower, same as the ground surface level.

I saw no activity in the entrances at 08:15 AM, and was very frightened
about whats happend to my baby bees.

The entrances were all blocked with erosion stuff (most of it is mud), i removed the hive wooden gate, took a little brunch and stick it inside to clean and reopen the entrance - bees one by one started to go out, very very nervous started to stang me in the hands.

I brought gloves, open the top cover and all the bees alive in my two hives with alot of mud on the hive floor, that accumulated till the begining of the combs. Had to take out all the combs an scratch out all the mud with the hive tool (alot of work ), so it will be less moisture in the hives.

I probably had a little openning between my veil and the shirt, so was stung 12 times in my neck, back, hands, head, but i will be more healthy from this


I don't know if i should change the bees a hive body to a dryer one, because the hivse floor are wet, what do you suggest?

Thank you
Randi

 

[RayMarler]

Re: floods in the desert - whatabout my my hives ??

Hi Randi,
Glad to hear your hives made it. I think it would be good to change out those bottom boards to clean dry ones, as you can get to it.

 

[SwedeBee1970]

Re: floods in the desert - whatabout my my hives ??

"I probably had a little openning between my veil and the shirt, so was stung 12 times in my neck, back, hands, head, but i will be more healthy from this"

Try and see if your bees honey will cure the bee stings. Probably just a wives tale but I'd like to know.

 

[KQ6AR]

Re: floods in the desert - whatabout my my hives ??

Glad to here everything is OK after the flood.
If weather over there is hot again, I would guess things will dry up on their own in a day or two. If its the rainy season changing them might be a good idea.