Disclaimer:

This blog explains how I keep bees. It works for me, it might not work for you. Use my methods at your own risk. Always wear protective clothing and use a smoker when working bees.

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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Hot Weather Brews More Than Storms

The hot humid weather makes the inside of a bee hive very hot. Water collection and evaporation to cool the hive is difficult for the bees. Being the dewpoint is so high, water evaporation slows and the ability to cool the hive gets harder to do. This is part of the reason on hot days, bees will leave the interior of the hive and beard underneath the front of the bottom board or cover the front of the hive. This is not a preview of an imminent swarm, they are just hot.
hot hive
 The added heat does brew up the reason to swarm. So we need to be vigilant in a 7 day inspection schedule looking for and removing swarm cells.