Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: gaucho10 on June 15, 2008, 07:47:41 PM

Title: Checking bees in bad weather
Post by: gaucho10 on June 15, 2008, 07:47:41 PM
I know that a beekeeper is supposed to open his/her hives on a nice sunny, warm day to make everything go smooth.  But.....I installed two NUCs two weeks ago and the weather has been terrible ( cold, hot rain, overcast).  I don't know if my queens are alive or how the brood are doing.  One hive is pretty active with b ees coming in and out but the other appeares to be not very acive and very few bees.  Is it unbeecoming to open a hive in such situations regardless of how the bees might feel about this? 
Title: Re: Checking bees in bad weather
Post by: johnnybigfish on June 15, 2008, 07:57:58 PM
hey Gaucho!
I had the same problem last year(my first year) with one hive busy and one hive slow. I switched the hives around(traded places) and tricked the bees! I did this in the afternoon/evening and all the bees what were out gathering stuff went to the other hives..Get it?
This made both my hives strong :)
your friend,
john
Title: Re: Checking bees in bad weather
Post by: Moonshae on June 15, 2008, 08:04:14 PM
Try not to do it in a downpour, and expect the girls to be a bit more testy, but you can do it in the bad weather. if it's actually raining, try to keep the rain from going into the hive if you can.