Poll
Question:
what to do about the triple digit heat?
Option 1: Nothing
votes: 12
Option 2: Sreens
votes: 8
Option 3: ice blocks ;)
votes: 1
Just wanted to know what beekers are doing to help their hives deal with the triple digit heat?
I have installed screen bottom boards and a screened top cover then put the top board on top with 3/8 Th's shims in the corners. My hives were not going into the upper boxes due to the heat rising in the hives. By doing this they now have started working the comb in the upper boxes like mad. And have all but stopped hanging and bearding out the front.
what are you others doing and how has it preformed in your location?
john
I also use a screened bottom board (but not a top one). I used two screws on top of my inner cover, in the front, to lift the telescoping cover about 1/4 inch up. My girls did great during our week and a half of 100+ weather.
I have a SBB on each hive, plus the ventilated inner covers from Honey Run Apiaries, which also gives them an upper entrance.
What triple digit heat? Our spring was like a wet winter. Our summer started like a rainy season.
Fat chances for triple digits.... but it's New England after all.
Here in Chicago we haven't had triple digit heat in 6 yrs. The fact of the matter is a couple of weeks ago it hit 96 degrees and that's the hottest its been in 5 yrs kinda sad to tell you the truth and to day it got up to a whopping high of 69 darn Al Gore and his global warming BS.
:-D
Quote from: vermmy35 on June 23, 2011, 09:46:25 PM
darn Al Gore and his global warming BS.
Such comments don't belong on a beekeeping thread. Go to the Coffee House if you want to spout your ill-informed opinions. :(
I already run screen bottoms year round so I really don't do anything for the heat. But I do keep the hives in the shade in the woods.
Quote from: AllenF on June 23, 2011, 10:36:11 PM
But I do keep the hives in the shade in the woods.
So you haven't found that shade brings on SHB problems?
Quote from: FRAMEshift on June 23, 2011, 09:58:08 PM
Such comments don't belong on a beekeeping thread. Go to the Coffee House if you want to spout your ill-informed opinions. :(
Don't be a troll Frameshift
Personal attacks in either direction will be dealt with. Take a breath and relax.
Quote from: FRAMEshift on June 23, 2011, 10:40:30 PM
Quote from: AllenF on June 23, 2011, 10:36:11 PM
But I do keep the hives in the shade in the woods.
So you haven't found that shade brings on SHB problems?
No more/ no less than when they were in the sun. I have 1 hive on my back porch in 100% sun. All the same. I haven't see too many this year so far, but wait until late summer.
Annette,
What are the ventilated inner covers like? I always just offset the telescoping and inner covers a tic to give a little opening up top (not big enough for an entrance, mind you).
We're having plenty of 100+ days here in Oklahoma, and it is still only June. Hope it doesn't stay this hot and dry all summer.
Linda D
Here is the website and photo
I had lots of trouble with bearding in the summer and moisture problems in the winter. No more since I got these covers. Also the bees just love the upper entrance.
http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/all-season-inner-cover-p-232.html (http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/all-season-inner-cover-p-232.html)
Nice Annette, now I know what to ask for Christmas this year. :roll:
Here is a link to the plans for vent covers. Up here in Michigan I use them more for winter insulation by tearing a 3 - 4" pc of straw off a bail (book of straw) and set in in the cover. The bee's seldom go up in these boxes in the summer unless they are starting to get crowded. If I find bee's up there it time to super quickly. I also hate drilling my hive bodies for upper enterences so the covers provide them
http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/plans/all_season_inner.pdf (http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/plans/all_season_inner.pdf)
Make sure the entrance feeder has plenty of water...