Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: homer on February 01, 2009, 01:00:17 pm

Title: Outside temps when checking hives?
Post by: homer on February 01, 2009, 01:00:17 pm

I have one overwintering hive and I want to open it up sometime and check on the honey stores that are left.  It is supposed to get up to about 40 degrees here on Tuesday...Is that warm enough to check or do I need to wait for warmer weather?   I seriously doubt that any brood rearing will be going on as we still have lots of winter left.  I just don't know how long it will be till we get another day that is anywhere close to 40 degrees.

Thanks

Title: Re: Outside temps when checking hives?
Post by: Kathyp on February 01, 2009, 01:03:12 pm

i don't usually open mine until it's + 40.  under 50 or so, it's just to pop the top and check sugar on inner cover.  if they are not flying, i don't open it for a check.

Title: Re: Outside temps when checking hives?
Post by: DaveKow on February 01, 2009, 02:55:58 pm

It is 40 and sunny here today and I snuck a quick peak at both of them.  They both seemed OK.  I assume that they were rearranging.  One has a whole super that they have barely touched.  The other I had to do the sugar on top of frames, because I feared they were out of food.  It seems they haven't touched the sugar, but I couldn't see underneath to see what was going on.

Title: Re: Outside temps when checking hives?
Post by: tlynn on February 01, 2009, 05:49:52 pm

I read somewhere or maybe it was on a test that the min temp for doing a full inspection was 60F.  That's a full inspection.

Title: Re: Outside temps when checking hives?
Post by: Michael Bush on February 02, 2009, 09:56:01 pm

You don't have to open a hive to lift it.  You don't have to fully inspect a hive to open it.  If the bees are flying you can easily pop the top and take a look or pry the top box loose and lift it to see if it's got honey in it...