Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: sean on August 16, 2007, 05:46:59 PM

Title: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 16, 2007, 05:46:59 PM
Thankfully i see that "Erin" has been downgraded hope member has suffered adversely. I have "dean" to deal with this weekend. Any one to put up my bees for a little while? :-D
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: pdmattox on August 16, 2007, 06:21:46 PM
Good luck and strap them all down good.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Kathyp on August 16, 2007, 06:25:35 PM
what do you have to do to secure your bees? 
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 16, 2007, 06:40:19 PM
The ideal scenario would be to move them but thats not an option. So plan b is to move them in close to each other and then try to nail them togethr so that no one box can topple over. have bought some sugar for feeding, i think i will have to feed out in the open though, i dont want to break the propolis seal by going into the boxes.
 
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 17, 2007, 07:17:57 PM
Well its strengthening, I have decided to move the bees into an abandoned building for the duration. I will keep the hives sealed. Amthinking of sprinkling some ants powder on the floor to keep away the red ants. I know its dangerous, but i dont see an alternative at this time. Any thoughts/options?
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Kathyp on August 17, 2007, 07:31:07 PM
good luck sean.  we will be praying for you and yours.  they do expect it to be bad.  i have been put on standby for here, depending on where it comes in.

don't know about the ants.  can you smear the base of what you put them on with some grease?  that seems to keep the ants from crawling up into my bird feeders.  they have not bothered my hives to much.

keep us posted.  we are watching the storm.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 17, 2007, 07:47:32 PM
Grease! forgot about that. Thnks for the idea and the prayers. How near the sea are you. It should be a category 4 by the time it reaches me and it is still expected to intensify
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Kathyp on August 17, 2007, 07:53:25 PM
i'm clear over on the west coast.  i do disaster response for red cross.  due to time limitations, i only do domestic response.  that is a minimum 3 week commitment at any one time.  international response can be for months at a time.  if this thing hits our gulf coast with any force, i'll probably go in early September.  i like to go in immediately, but i am having out of town guests and it would be rude to tell them to stay home  :-).
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 17, 2007, 08:01:38 PM
ok. I am praying that this one will behave like most of the others and veer off at the 11th hour. If not, guess you guys wont be hearing from me for a while.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: pdmattox on August 17, 2007, 08:15:51 PM
We'll be praying for you here. stay safe
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: JP on August 17, 2007, 08:18:52 PM
Good luck Sean, wish you and yours the best. :)
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 19, 2007, 12:53:02 PM
WEll the rain has started(from about 3 a.m. in my area. Still went down and moved the hives so i think they should be secured. I will have to go down there tomorrow assuming that i can get  out so that i can let them out and feed them.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Cindi on August 20, 2007, 02:38:27 AM
Oh Sean, I wish the best for you, please let us know how things are.  You are on my mind and will be on my mind.  These disasters of our world make our hearts go out.  Before the bees, take care of yourself and yours.  You need to be the safest, remember that.  Have a great day, best of my thoughts are with you.  Cindi
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Understudy on August 20, 2007, 08:44:03 AM
Sean,

Just flew back from NY. Hoping you are safe.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: KONASDAD on August 20, 2007, 09:20:41 AM
Hoping Jamaica and you are safe. Was thinking about you this weekend as my wife and I might be in Jamaica soon and saw the hurrican on wetaher channel. Hope all is well!
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: JP on August 20, 2007, 06:54:47 PM
Sean, yell at us when you can, we are very interested in how you made out and wishing you the very best, Jp.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 23, 2007, 10:20:05 PM
I'm Back :) Just getting back power) We(the bees & I) fared out ok thankfully and thanks to all who had us on your minds. Spent about 6 hrs taking in and putting out the hives so they were safe. I had left out 2 hives(one 4 boxes & the other 3) and 1 nuc. Came back after "dean" and they were quite ok. Only problem now is food. I started feeding today but didnt have enough sugar so i'll be back again tomorrow.

Overall country wise most areas suffered less damage than with hurricane ivan a few years ago. There was less water damage but more wind damage especially areas on the southern coast.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: pdmattox on August 23, 2007, 10:27:26 PM
That's good to hear you are safe and glad the damage is not as bad as it could have been.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 23, 2007, 11:02:26 PM
thanks again. don't think i'll be moving the bees for another hurricane though.

1) was moving them  and one super slid off i got close to 30 stings all over my back(no adverse reaction)
2) moving 32 hives plus blocks back and forth is exhausting
3) in light of the fact that those i didnt move where ok, it wasn't necessary
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: JP on August 24, 2007, 03:35:56 AM
Happy to see you fared well Sean, good to have you back!
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Understudy on August 24, 2007, 08:55:45 AM
Sean,

Glad to hear you fair so well. The wind damage to the landscaping will throw the bees for a loop. Because there are no flowers for them to gather nectar from. Beekeepers up north refer to this as winter. The difference for us is there is no snow.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Kathyp on August 24, 2007, 12:44:59 PM
sean, glad to hear you are doing ok.  for a big nasty hurricane it looks like most got lucky. 
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Cindi on August 25, 2007, 09:56:23 AM
Sean, I have thought many times of you over the last few days.  SEeing you posting is a good thing, this makes us all happy.  Weather like that is one nasty ol' thing.  32 hives, wow, what a grunt that must have surely been.  Well, as well all are happy, this is an even better day.  Best of our beautiful life.  Cindi
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 25, 2007, 04:50:06 PM
Quote from: KONASDAD on August 20, 2007, 09:20:41 AM
Hoping Jamaica and you are safe. Was thinking about you this weekend as my wife and I might be in Jamaica soon and saw the hurrican on wetaher channel. Hope all is well!

Konasdad, give me a holler when you're coming aso we can link up.
cindi. It was backbreakingbutt we managed. Wont be doing it again though.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 28, 2007, 06:47:01 PM
had a look at my hives today they seem to be doing ok. Lost one box through robbing. Some hives haven't touched the sugar water so i assume they are finding food somewhere. Of course the blooms seem to be coming back in every area except mine. Its nice and green but no blooms.
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: Cindi on August 29, 2007, 11:47:56 AM
Sean, your sun is shining again.  I am happy things have gone well, what a trauma, I told my husband of your plight and what you did, he was as sorry and shocked as I was.  Yeah!!!  Things will be well, Sean.  Have a wonderful day, beautiful life.  Cindi
Title: Re: Hurricanes
Post by: sean on August 30, 2007, 08:29:07 PM
Thanks again Cindi things are going back to normal(at least for me). Just need the plants to start flowering again.