ventilation

jl · August 15, 2007, 08:53:03 PM

Question? The past few nights the temperature has been down in the high 40's to 50's. The past two nights the bees have basically blocked the entrance in a BIG clump. I had a rock propping up the outer cover and the hole in the inner cover is also blocked up with bees. I'm thinking they're getting too much ventilation so I took the rock out and closed up the top. Is this right? and is there such a thing as too much air flow at these temps? My buddy is also experiencing the same thing.

Thanks

Jeff

Michael Bush · August 16, 2007, 08:29:05 PM

If they are outside they are either out of room or there's not enough ventilation. They don't hang outside when it's cold. If it's in the 40's I would guess they must be out of room.

jl · August 16, 2007, 11:07:59 PM

i'm at a loss then. Because as stated I removed the rock last night cause I thought they were getting too much air for the temp and tonight for the first time in three days, no bees hanging outside and blocking the entrance. They have three deeps high and the third one only has five of ten frames drawn out so I think they have enough room. confused

Jeff

Zoot · August 17, 2007, 12:05:29 AM

I'm experiencing a similar thing with 2 hives here, both nucs from the spring that are thriving. There is plenty of room and I have ssb's, slatted racks with additional ventilation on the top cover. I'm not really worried about it as their activity is normal seeming and vigorous but I am curious

Michael Bush · August 17, 2007, 07:15:04 AM

I expect bearding maybe when it's in the 80s on up but not in the 40s.

mat · August 17, 2007, 08:27:12 AM

I think that depends also on humidity level. I noticed that even though temp is lower but it is humid they are bearding.

Zoot · August 17, 2007, 11:08:23 AM

We've had upper 80's and 90's here with high humidity. Maybe that's it. This summer has been so wonderfully dry up until now.

Kathyp · August 17, 2007, 11:33:22 AM

jl, my temps have been the same. could they be protecting the brood from cold nights?

i have closed my tops and on a couple of nights have even put my bottom boards back in. on my weak hive, i have put the entrance reducer back in place on the large opening.

i have not noticed the bees blocking the entrance, but we are headed for highs in the 60's again, with rain. i want as much buildup as i can get before winter, so i'm starting to close them up as the weather changes.

i do have small holes in my boxes so that there is some ventilation near the top.

jl · August 17, 2007, 06:00:22 PM

kathy p,

that's exactly what it looked like. It looked like they were blocking the entire entrance as night and the temp fell. they were not really hanging outside more than a half inch to an inch and just at the entrance not above or below it. They were just blocking it.

But what do I know? The more I watch them the more confused I get about their behavior.
Jeff

Kathyp · August 17, 2007, 06:11:51 PM

i have just been doing as i posted. on warm days, i pull the slider boards out of the SBB. on cool days i leave them. we had one 90 degree day in between the 60 degree days, and on that day, i cracked to tops open a bit.

it's more messing with them than i'd probably do in a normal year. more than i did last year. the weather this year has been so screwed up, and i have one hive that is still weak, so i just play it by ear day to day.