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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: snispel on July 10, 2020, 01:14:56 AM

Title: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: snispel on July 10, 2020, 01:14:56 AM
So....SE Nebraska. Big storms last night. 70-90mph winds. I had 2 hives get knocked over. I fixed the broken pieces and flicked out what water I could. Put the hives back together. I couldn't find either queen, but both hives still had visible eggs and bees were covering those cells. My concern is that there were many bees that died. I think in one 8 frame box maybe only a softball-sized ball of bees. Am I right to assume I should add some bees to those hives? Anything else I should do? :/
Title: Re: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: TheHoneyPump on July 10, 2020, 01:31:05 AM
Yes.  Do nothing for some time.  A week.  Let the bees clean their house, to reorganize, and to recover from the event.  After a week go back looking for queens and fresh eggs.  Let your eyes at that time determine what to do next.  For now just let the bees bee. 
Title: Re: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: iddee on July 10, 2020, 06:07:59 AM
As HP said.  the bees need to adjust the brood for the number of bees they have before you do anything. Also, look in the area for a swarm of bees. If the queen absconded, they may have gathered nearby.
Title: Re: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: Acebird on July 10, 2020, 08:53:43 AM
Quote from: iddee on July 10, 2020, 06:07:59 AM
If the queen absconded, they may have gathered nearby.
Yeah the question would be which hive, without looking.
Title: Re: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: iddee on July 10, 2020, 10:00:19 AM
If the swarm is found, the wait is revoked.
Title: Re: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: snispel on July 12, 2020, 12:33:21 AM
Thank you everyone for helping out.

I looked in the hives today and found both queens laying like crazy.

:)
Title: Re: Severe Thunderstorm knocked over 2 hives. Now what?
Post by: Waveeater on July 12, 2020, 08:22:24 AM
I had the same thing happen to me last month. It was about a week after the storm that I found them and they had already started building bridge comb between boxes. It was a mess but they are doing well now. They are very resourceful to say the least.