What temps are safe

Others may have better answers, but 50 deg seems kind of cool to be doing brood frame inspections. At that temperature I would think the bees are still semi-clustered. Disruption of the brood nest might have a negative impact, there could be some loss from chilled brood. I won't pull brood frames unless it's 60 deg or better. But that's just me.

I was taught, if your comfortable in shirt sleeves and the bees are flying. But after this winter I'm ready to get into shorts at 50 LOL!

Mike Gillmore said:

Others may have better answers, but 50 deg seems kind of cool to be doing brood frame inspections. At that temperature I would think the bees are still semi-clustered. Disruption of the brood nest might have a negative impact, there could be some loss from chilled brood. I won't pull brood frames unless it's 60 deg or better. But that's just me.

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Yep, That would be my thought also,

For me, I would not be doing a thorough inspection. What u inspecting for?

oldforte said:

To examine frames with open brood...would a sunny day at 50deg be safe if done quickly?

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Yes. What are you examining for?

sure, sunny and no wind they'll be flying in the forties and stronger in the 50's, even stronger 60's 70's. I wouldn't be in for long. Wind is important, think about wind chill, driving heat away via convection. They may be a little testy too

I won't pull frames of brood unless sunny, little or no wind, and temps 60*+. I prefer 65+ since most bees won't be home and I can see what I need to see better.

In the best of possible situations one should only pull frames when it is 93 degrees, in total darkness with 80% relative humidity because then the bees won't even know the brood nest is open. Since this impractical, fifties and low wind is just fine if done quickly. I only go in a colony if I have a reason to be be there and I try hard to have the means close at hand to deal with whatever I find. If the need is strong enough that you cannot wait, any weather is right because more damage may result from your not intervening. If you are just going in for giggles, only go in under the first mentioned optimum conditions.

Reason for inspection: I have a feral colony that is queenless...I think...taken from a fallen tree ...would like to transfer open brood frames to increase chances of survival. What would you do?

Unless you do something you have NOTHING! Transfer the frame. Don't rush and transfer the queen. Brush off the bees and put frame in a warm cooler cooler with a ziplock of hot water if it is any distance. If it is in the same yard, bag it and go quick and do it.

oldforte said:

Reason for inspection: I have a feral colony that is queenless...I think...taken from a fallen tree ...would like to transfer open brood frames to increase chances of survival. What would you do?

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I would open the hive, remove an outside frame, spread the brood frames apart enough to take a new frame, and then close it back up. Go to another hive, find a frame of open/young brood, and stick that into the open space in the other hive. If your hive is queenless then that aught to fix it w/ a minimum amount of frame manipulation.

And if it isn't queenless it will benefit from the added brood. Don't shake the bees off of that frame but do make sure the queen isn't on it.

If your bees are in Nashville the weather forecast predicts you will be in the 70's for the next several days. That's a perfect window for you.

Thanks for the answers

'And if it isn't queenless it will benefit from the added brood. Don't shake the bees off of that frame but do make sure the queen isn't on it.
It was't queenless...big fat black one with some brood and eggs.. the odds of getting her the way I had to collect the bees with a small Styrofoam cup is unbelievable...and I did add other brood.... and for wild bees they are mild mannered . This forum is awesome!

oldforte said:

Reason for inspection: I have a feral colony that is queenless...I think...taken from a fallen tree ...would like to transfer open brood frames to increase chances of survival. What would you do?

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When were they taken? What made you think they were queen less?, When was the last prior "looking in"? What did u see on/in the frames then?