Just went out and finished putting mouse screens on the hives and I figured one was leaning too far back, so I propped up the back with a board. After all the commotion the girls were peeking out in force and a few flew out into the cold. Weather page says it is 34F out there.
Quote from: Jerrymac on December 10, 2007, 03:03:46 PM
Just went out and finished putting mouse screens on the hives and I figured one was leaning too far back, so I propped up the back with a board. After all the commotion the girls were peeking out in force and a few flew out into the cold. Weather page says it is 34F out there.
If they have nosema problems, they fly out and never return.
If sun is shining, tens and hundreds of bees come out even in 34F. They take water from ground and may act with the help of sun.
46 F is low limit where they may fly and carry honey from flowers very near of hive.
Bees can gather normal size pollen balls in 61 F temperature from willows.
When bees fly their muscle temperature is something 86-102F. Wings beat 250 times per second.
Wind affects much to flying.
And it is a little rain (mist) coming down.
Quote from: Jerrymac on December 10, 2007, 05:01:26 PM
And it is a little rain (mist) coming down.
My experience is that if it is so cold and misty, only sick bees come out to fly.
Normally if it rains, bees lick water near entrance from walls.
I have seen that bees ventilate in entrance of their hives even it is 23 F during misty weather.
You can hear solitary humming in winter cluster and I think that they put air to circulate.