Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Joelel on August 11, 2009, 02:25:26 AM

Title: How cold is to cold ?
Post by: Joelel on August 11, 2009, 02:25:26 AM
How cold is to cold for bees before they stop coming out of their hive to collect pollen and nectar ?
Title: Re: How cold is to cold ?
Post by: bee-nuts on August 11, 2009, 03:33:00 AM
It depends on wind, sun, and temp.  60 Sunny no wind they will fly good.  60, cloudy, and windy they fly but not worth a crap.  If they got something close I know a few dare devils will fly in the 40's if there hive is in the sun and out of the wind.  A rule of thumb I guess would be about 60, after that they don't do much.  These are in reference to my Italians.

Thats about all I can tell ya. 
Title: Re: How cold is to cold ?
Post by: mastro on August 11, 2009, 03:41:21 PM
I've seen my russians fly with snow on the ground and suck up maple sap in the late winter, around 35 degrees but sunny and still.
Title: Re: How cold is to cold ?
Post by: jdpro5010 on August 11, 2009, 05:32:15 PM
I too have seen my mutts flying in the 30 degree range.  I will guarantee you though that if they stop for a snack they don't come back! :-D  I usually see sustained flight activity at about th 45f to 50f.
Title: Re: How cold is to cold ?
Post by: bassman1977 on August 11, 2009, 06:48:46 PM
I've seen them fly around 35-40 degrees but usually if it's closer to the 35 range, they go about 10 feet and land in the snow.
Title: Re: How cold is to cold ?
Post by: Michael Bush on August 11, 2009, 06:50:26 PM
It's not unusual for them to not fly when it's 50 F or below.  It's not unusual for them to not fly when the wind is 20 mph.  But then I've seen them fly at 27 F with dead calm and sun shine.  I've seen them fly in 40 mph when it was warm and sunny and they were finding complex paths to block the wind for their trip for water.