Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Wis Bee on December 12, 2008, 01:49:14 PM

Title: Speaking of snow
Post by: Wis Bee on December 12, 2008, 01:49:14 PM
 
   I have a hive located on the South side of a concrete wall, there is a cowyard
  on the North side of the wall where my neighbor has a group of heifers. When cleaning
  out the snow in the cowyard, they dumped the snow over the wall and on top of my hive,
  covering it completely.

  After discovering it this morning I shoveled it out and found the top cover was knocked off
  and there was at least some snow in the hive. After scraping off the snow I was suprised
  to find a few bees crawling around, I put the top back on and made sure the entrances were
  open.

  I didn't want to open the hive up in this weather (2 degrees this morning) to completely
   clean out the hive, but I am wondering if this hive has any chance of survival?

  It probably was covered up for a couple of days.
Title: Re: Speaking of snow
Post by: Natalie on December 12, 2008, 02:01:44 PM
I am sorry that I don't have an answer for you, but wishing you luck with it. Hope they make it.
Title: Re: Speaking of snow
Post by: bassman1977 on December 12, 2008, 04:35:01 PM
It'll probably be one of those wait and see things.  Hard to say really.  They could have clustered in an area that wasn't very exposed to the elements.

Read this thread to see what my hives went through last spring.  They made it and some were exposed to very wet and cold conditions.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,13611.msg96685.html#msg96685
Title: Re: Speaking of snow
Post by: Keith13 on December 12, 2008, 08:38:41 PM
I don't know sometimes I heard snow can act as an insulator maybe if the bees didn't get to wet

Keith
Title: Re: Speaking of snow
Post by: bassman1977 on December 12, 2008, 10:34:59 PM
QuoteI don't know sometimes I heard snow can act as an insulator maybe if the bees didn't get to wet

Good thought.

**COUGH** Flyers are going down tomorrow **COUGH**
Title: Re: Speaking of snow
Post by: BjornBee on December 12, 2008, 11:50:31 PM
Quote from: bassman1977 on December 12, 2008, 10:34:59 PM
QuoteI don't know sometimes I heard snow can act as an insulator maybe if the bees didn't get to wet

Good thought.

**COUGH** Flyers are going down tomorrow **COUGH**

Two separate hat-tricks last night....... :shock:
Title: Re: Speaking of snow
Post by: Wis Bee on December 13, 2008, 01:59:54 PM

     Thanks for the comments,

    I looked at Bassman's post from last year, maybe these also have a chance yet, but I
    wish the temperature was higher.
    I do have entrance holes in the bottom and in the upper part of the hive to help the
    moisture to escape.