This is not the post I was going to do today, I was going to write a "deep and meaningful" post about retirement. However I thought you might be interested in seeing what can happen to a strong hive when the weather is really hot.
This morning a neighbour knocked to tell me that she thought our bees were swarming. We went into the front garden to see many bees gathered at the front of hive No 1. They were very quiet and I realised that the bees were hanging around outside the hive to keep cool. This hive is extremely strong with three supers on and ready to receive another. The heat builds up in a hive on hot days and the fanning by the bees is not enough to keep the hive cool. So some bees come outside the hive to make more air space.
Here they are at about nine o'clock
Interesting don't you think?
Back Soon
Gillx
So thats what my bees have been doing, thanks for the info when i firt saw it a couple of years ago I thought they were getting ready to swarm, and when we were moving house this time last year the night we were moving the hives they were all hanging about outside we had t wait until 1am before we could close up the hives and strap them down for the move at 6am, it was a hot day for travelling and they were pretty angry by the time we got here at 1pm :-)
ReplyDeleteI just bet they were angry! tee hee. We were going to super a couple of hives this week, but they have been a little unsettled, probably because there is thunder in the air.
DeleteSometimes they will hang outside if the hive is knocked, but obviously not to this extent.
What a very strange thing, I hope they survive the heat and get back to normal soon.
ReplyDeleteI shall look out for your deep and meaningful post about retirement!
They were all back in at 7.00 this morning, but they are are hanging outside again now, though only about asix square inches.
DeleteMy deep and meaningful post was probably going to morph into one of my rants!
That is very Interesting but sad.
ReplyDeleteCan you get them some shade for a few days till your temp drop down or a small fan to help move the air ?
cheers, parsnip
They are under a tree (the photo is taken looking from the floor).They are doing what bees do, no need to worry. When it was clear that the temps were going to rise David sprayed all the hives with a fine water spray, which helped to cool them a little, while ensuring they had enough to drink to, which is very important for bees.
DeleteThe bees that were brought in for the Chestnut and Sunflower crops, have now been taken home. I do wish they'd also bring a water supply when they bring them. This year it's a neighbour who's been inundated; previously it was us. I love Bees, but they can be quite frightening for the children.
ReplyDeleteYou are right that water in important for bees and not only when it is hot. We have bird baths and saucers of water everywhere and also fine spray the hives in hot weather. If you spray trees or plants nearby the bees drink the drops. I'm sorry that the children are frightened as bees are such gentle creatures normally.
DeleteSome children (not our grandchildren) are TAUGHT to be petrified of bees, wasps, horseflies, etc. They run screaming. We teach ours to look at them closely, and marvel.
Deletewow!
ReplyDeleteImpressive aren't they?
DeleteIf it gets too hot in the hive, will the honey ferment, and provide you with ready-made mead?!!
ReplyDeleteGood idea! No Gary, you need a high percentage of water to make honey ferment and can you image .... 40,000 drunken bees?!!
DeleteWow! Clever bees though... ;)
ReplyDeleteIndeed they are. The "problem" with this hive is that it is very successful with a huge colony. The numbers will steady out a little as the summer progresses. This hive has already swarmed and it may well do it again. The temperature this week have been extremely high, yesterday we peaked at 34,5 degrees which is HOT for Derbyshire
DeleteVery interesting. I am sending a link to my bee keeping friend - to see if she has ever experienced it. It is quite common to see some bees'fanning' at the entrance isnt it?
ReplyDeleteBees fan at the entrance to send out a scent to returning foraging bees and also to cool the hive. When we catch a swarm we always know if we have the Queen as the bees fan, with their bottoms in the air to send her scent out to those bees outside of the box we have put the swarm into.
DeleteI would be interested to hear if your friend has had any bearding.
Fascinating! One beard not to be shaven Hehe!
ReplyDeleteAmazing creatures.
ReplyDeleteWow, how interesting, I didn't know they did that!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures. I've heard of bearding but would be worried my bees were getting ready to swarm! Good to know the difference.
ReplyDelete