Happy World Bee Day Eric :)
On 20/05/2020 07:34, Eric Asher wrote:
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*From:* oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Oxnatbees <oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx>
*Sent:* 19 May 2020 23:33
*To:* oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
*Subject:* [oxnatbees] Re: Extreme bearding
The extra shade won't hurt. If they get sun after noon, I would consider using the boards on exceptionally hot days (maybe in August)... but the Warre design is pretty well suited to our climate.
Some people have open mesh floors, or floors with a sliding section that can be pulled back to uncover a mesh floor. This is generally assumed to help cool the hive, though deep thinkers aren't so sure about this as it seems bees still direct air in and out of the entrance when they have mesh floors.
Other people suggest temporarily pulling the bottom box forward to give the bees a wider entrance. I think that's a last resort.
A word about hive ventilation: the bees will be fanning air in at one side of the entrance, and pumping it out at the other side. There are ranks of fanning bees at work, and the ones you see on the landing board are mirrored inside the hive. The draught is said to be so strong, it can blow out a candle. The air is directed up, around the hive, over the nectar being evaporated and back down. It's guided partly by the fanning bees and partly by the way the bees build their comb - maybe those strange twists and curtains make more sense now 8)
This is where comb orientation (cold / warm way) is probably quite significant, in guiding air, if you have a solid floor.
Back to shade: I get a bit worried about comb collapse in our horizontal TBHs in the middle of summer, but not our Warres.
Paul
On Tue, 19 May 2020, 20:37 Juli Cohen, <juliane.cohen@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:juliane.cohen@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Thank you very much, Lynne. That’s very reassuring. And yes, they
were humming very loudly 😊
Is it still a good idea to provide some shade, like I’ve done with
the fencing boards?
On 19 May 2020, at 20:33, Oxnatbees <oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi Juli
This is not particularly unusual at this time of year, and on a
warm day, for a large established colony.
The bees control both the temperature AND humidity in the hive.
This is likely more about humidity, for evaporating nectar.
When they have a lot of nectar to reduce, they tend to spread it
around on the combs to give it more surface area. When doing this
they temporarily evict a load of bees to expose the nectar
better. I bet your hive was humming too with fanning in the hive
to get good airflow.
It's nothing to be concerned about. Quite the reverse. It's just
a part of the wonderful mysterious life of a bee colony.
Lynne
On Tue, 19 May 2020, 20:04 Juli Cohen, <juliane.cohen@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:juliane.cohen@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi all,
I was wondering if I could get some advice. The larger of our
two Warré colonies keeps bearding at the slightest hint of
warm weather. Today’s effort was really very impressive:
I have already made a sun shelter out of fencing boards (the
hive in question is next to the one you can see, behind the
boards):
So, I’m wondering, is this still normal or should I be
concerned that the hive is overheating? Is there anything
else I can do to help the bees keep it cool? How are they
going to cope when it gets properly hot?
Thanks,
Juli
