Hiving Bees in Cold Weather

[Tucker1]

I was wondering if I could get a little advice from the forum group on hiving bees in cold weather. In eastern Washington, where I live, the spring weather is hard to predict.  Right now, it's 28 degrees F outside with a wind speed of 26 mph. It's also snowing lightly. In early April, when my package bees arrive, the average temperature is about 52 degrees F.  Unfortunately, we have had snow in April and temperatures can easily drop into the mid 30's.  Having said all this, what options do I have if the weather is in the mid 30's when the bees arrive? What is considered a reasonable temperature for hiving package bees?

Thanks in advance for any help you might provide.

Regards,
Tucker1

[Robo]

Your best bet is to watch the forecast.  Although the weather might be unpredictable,  it usually isn't for long spells at a time.  If the weather will improve in a day or so,  you could keep the packages inside and well fed and wait for better weather.   

If you have no choice,  just be as quick as possible and give them "warm" syrup in a jar inverted on top of the inner cover.  Then place an empty hive body around the jar with cover on top.

I have been in the same situation and have ended up installing bees in snow and sleet.   

[BMAC]

I specifically remember reading an ABJ article a couple years ago talking about hiving package bees when temps are below 30 degrees.  It was from a professor in NY state.  He had to hive 30 packages or so.

After placing them in the hive he covered the bees with a piece of newspaper to help keep the heat in.  Of course you want to try and put frames in the hive with some honey and feed them right away.  I cant remember if he said he sprayed them with warm sugar water or not.  I would think not.  But it may also be a good idea to spray them with warm sugar water to keep them from flying at those temps........

[ooptec]

That's cold weather???

Excuse the girls (all million or so) and I for rolling on the floor laughing.

Not being polite or at all respectful to a legitimate question.

But I couldn't help it.

Like one of my mentors said, relax, have a homebrew.

cheers

peter

[buzzbee]

You can put crumpled newspaper around the feeder to help keep the heat down below.Just make sure the paper doesn't contact the syrup or it may wick it out of the feeder.

[KONASDAD]

Bmac read the same article I did. I thought it was in Maine, but no differance. Reduce the size of the box as much as possible, insulate the top, or use a repalcement frame made from insulation material on either side of cluster and feed warm syrup. Remove when wetaher warms up as they will propolize the ehck out of iy.A nuc might be best, or if ten frames, if you have acces to additional frames w/ honey, place them on the outside of the cluster as they will aid in insulation. They are tough if you give them the correct environment.

[Tucker1]

Thanks for the ideas. I couldn't find any one that sold mittens in groups of six and six legged long johns were out of the question.  :-D

Seriously, I'll try to find some way to reduce the loss of heat from the hive and reduce drafts. The idea with newspaper sounds good. I only have the one hive ( 2 large brood boxes and 2 small supers). I was planning to use a top feeder, but I have access to a frame feeder.....so, I will use that with some kind of wooden float to prevent drowning, .... and then keep everything as compact and tight as possible. I'd just use the one brood box.

I need to allow some air exchange, so I'll only reduce the size of the entrance to the hive a bit. This is my first effort at bee keeping, so I'm trying to avoid in  novice mistakes.

Thanks for the advice. If you have any other ideas, I'd be glad to hear them.

Regards,
Tucker1

[Dick Allen]

Just install the bees. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can wait for a day in the 40's or 50's. Then if it does drop down into the 30's for a day or so it won't hurt the bees as there will be enough in the hive after you've shaken them into it to form a good cluster. Generally up here in the Far North there's snow on the ground in mid April when we install ours.

[Brian D. Bray]

I have a brother in Eastern Washington, he had a foot of snow yesterday.  His bees are flying and working on days that are warmer--in the 35+ degree F range.  If you hive your packages per usual instructions and use a canister feeder above the inner top the bees will be fine.  Place your feeder over the slot in the inner cover, wad newspaper loosely around it and put on the telescopic top.  If necessary you can hive packages in freezing temps doing it that way.

[Stingtarget]

It was low 20's and snowing the day my packages came in last year...Easter weekend.  I picked them up Saturday morning and had to go out of town as soon as they were hived.  Here's what I did and it worked.  I prepared the hive the night before with only 5 frames in the brood chamber.  I placed a screened block in front of the entrance to allow fresh air inside while keeping the bees inside also.

Picked up package and returned home.  I quickly removed the staples, feed jar, and queen cage from the package and replaced the wood cover keeping the bees inside.and set the package inside my house  Took prepared hive outside on porch in screaming wind and driving snow.   I took the entire package out to the hive and set it inside as there was room for the entire cage with the 5 frames removed.  I then put the queen cage in quickly between the 4th and 5th frame, removed the wood cover on the package and quickly put on the inner cover and lid.  Wrapped a tie down around this tightly and moved the entire hive inside the living room.  Kept it there for 3 days until the weather broke.  Was able to continue to spray sugar syrup at the screened entrance to feed.  Once weather returned to mid 40's, I moved them outside, removed the screened entrance and installed the entrance reducer.  Bees made it.

Wasn't too bad at all.  Was so cold that the bees didn't fly.  Did the entire install with no veil, gloves, smoke, etc.  Of most importance is to protect the queen from the cold until the last minute when she is placed in the hive.

[Robo]

I was planning to use a top feeder, but I have access to a frame feeder.....so, I will use that with some kind of wooden float to prevent drowning, .... and then keep everything as compact and tight as possible.

If it is not warm enough for them to break cluster, you may want to re-think you choice of feeders.  They will also not take syrup if it is too cold.   An inverted jar of warm syrup packed in newspaper  over the innercover hole I think is hard to beat.

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/feeder-compare/

Since it is only one hive,  you may want to consider giving them a little supplemental heat too,  it will give them a nice little boost.

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=11721.0