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Author Topic: Too hot or getting ready to go??  (Read 3394 times)

Offline Crysalismum

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Too hot or getting ready to go??
« on: January 15, 2019, 05:36:14 am »
It has hit 42C here today and I have been away for a few days with work - checking about tonight & this:

 -

Last hive inspection they are still adamantly refusing to use the plastic ideal super so I have left it on empty & removed the queen excluder as per last advice so Im pretty sure they have room- its 8:30pm so I dont want to killl them by opening the hive this late in the evening and little light left but the temp is still sitting at 38C

 could this be a swarm beard beginning or is it just because it is so hot and this cools the hive?? What are my next steps?

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2019, 06:18:10 am »
The bees are bearding because it is hot. Do you have insulation in the top under the cover. It helps to keep the heat out.
I recommend that you move 2 full frames up into the new super. Bees have to decide to move up. Moving frames helps to make them move.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Crysalismum

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2019, 06:45:58 am »
I have a piece of silver roof anticondensation mat on top of a piece of Perspex ( that sits directly on frames , the silver sheet, then the lid) what insulation do you use?

Offline eltalia

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2019, 10:20:18 am »
@Crysalismum

There wouuldn't be so many members here not familiar with temps above 35C, the
working broodnest temp of a strong colony, and atmospheric temps getting well
beyond that for at least a few days every year. Tonight's ABC news bringing a record
48C for NorWest NSW today.
Sisalation[R) aka roof sarking is not insulation, it is a dewpoint focusing medium,
entirely ineffective on hot dry days - a sheet of gal.Iron thrown over the hive would
be way more effective, yet still not enough if the internal space was getting extreme,
which it isn't. Your pix shows clumping of bees with nothing to do (unemployed).
Attached (hopefully) is a hive in stress from overheating, a distinctly different pattern
and in video mode would also show an extra amount of bees in flight.
A simple roof sized block of 50mm EPS sat on top would give sufficient R:value to put
an end to the woes of the bees in the attached.
For yours it as Jim suggests, give them something to do. Before adding frames though
check the broodchamber is not backfilled with honey - the most likeky cause for the
clumping you see.
To rectify that shuffle some of the stores frames up into a FD super on top of the BC
and replace them with either drawn comb or new frames. Don't go interfering with the
broodnest itself (frms#4+#5+#6+#7).
If you like also apply the Irish fix and throw a sheet of gal.Iron on top. :-)

Cheers.


Bill

PS; Also attached is our Standard for Lang stacks.
Migratory lid packed with 50mm EPS.
Vented supers at 55mm (screened) - only the uppermost
super is open, the remainder blanked off.
All bottomboards are solid with full width entrances.
Suits all conditions regardless of ambient temp/rH.

--




Offline Crysalismum

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2019, 06:19:22 am »
Great thank you for the pictures that helps a lot. I will do & report back - thank you Bill & Jim

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2019, 09:59:42 am »
Don?t expect to see the bees to go back into the hive after you add insulation. It will probably bee the next day before you see a difference.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Crysalismum

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2019, 04:55:40 am »
Insulated cover on and happier bees- no bearding at all tonight when the rain started- thank you!

I Opened the hive and to my surprise the hated ideal super is nearly full of bees!! now all the plastic frames (all they had in ideal size) that they seemed to hate are mostly drawn except the 2 outer ones - the middles have big areas of capped honey. The bees are cross combing everywhere between the supers and building big combs out on the top of same frames and leaving nothing on the next and  then building big ones from the bases sort of like each frame has an L shaped comb that interlocks attached one frame at the top and the other at the bottom - (there is not much room (standard 8 frame ideal super with 8 frames in it) I painted the frames with thick wax first as discussed but they certainly are not making neat comb! I have tidied up the bases and tops but short of destroying the comb im not sure what to do with the frames - do they just really hate plastic or should I be doing something else?

Offline Live Oak

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2019, 01:24:37 pm »
In these kind of temperatures, I run a screened bottom board and a screened inner cover with a spacer to move the telescoping outer cover up an inch or so to ensure maximum air flow through the hive.  The other extremely important thing is to ensure your bees have PLENTY of water available close by the hive so they can adequately regulate the internal hive temperature.  This can also aid in the bees curing uncapped nectar into honey. 

Offline eltalia

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2019, 09:16:30 am »
Insulated cover on and happier bees- no bearding at all tonight when the rain started- thank you!


Great outcome.
The remainder on cross combing I cannot get a picture of at this end. Sorry.

Cheers.

Bill


Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Too hot or getting ready to go??
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2019, 01:47:50 pm »
In these kind of temperatures, I run a screened bottom board and a screened inner cover with a spacer to move the telescoping outer cover up an inch or so to ensure maximum air flow through the hive.  The other extremely important thing is to ensure your bees have PLENTY of water available close by the hive so they can adequately regulate the internal hive temperature.  This can also aid in the bees curing uncapped nectar into honey. 
I used to do the same thing. It actually makes it harder for the bees to keep the hive cool than when the hive just has a small opening or just open at the bottom.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

 

anything