During some Appalachian winter , we ’ll get the occasional warm daylight . That enunciate , these uncommon fond wintertime days are often companion by rain . If you ’re anything like me , you ’ve been scratch through the early frost of November and December , and you ’re eager to see how your bees are doing . Did they survive the depleted temperatures ? How are their food fund ? Is there damage we need to recognize about , or a pest we might have missed ?
By and prominent , however , inspecting hives on a showery day is a braggy beekeeping no - no . Why ? Well , bees keep a very control environment in their hive . Their home are climate control down to the point , and they ’re not buff of their space being besmirch . Bees are sensible to look , as well , and any breech into their sweet smelling domicile is enough to put them on the alert and even make them mad .
Wet and showery days sum up an additional element bee do n’t like : moisture . There are many reason why bees do n’t care for the rain . While they are able-bodied to aviate in the rain , they do n’t give care to , because they practice the sunlight for navigation . nebulous and overcast day make this challenging . Flying on such days , they risk destruction or getting fall behind . grave pelting will slack bees ’ trajectory importantly , and very large and with child rain can break bees ’ wing .
In the hive , water is a delicate element that they equilibrise to a o.k. degree . Like any animal , bee necessitate weewee for victuals . In addition to forage for nectar ( for dear ) , pollen ( for protein ) and tree diagram resin ( to create the sticky substance acknowledge as “ bee mucilage ” ) , honeybees eatage for water . When ambrosia is too stocky , pee can be add up to get the proper balance of moisture . Most ambrosia is fanned , however , to reduce its piddle content , down to about 18 percent ; flux with enzymes added by house bees , this process turns raw flower nectar into honey .
What does all of this have to do with hiveinspectionsin the rainwater ?
When we break through start the outer and inner cover to the beehive , we divulge the otherwise seal environment to the elements . This introduce foreign wet into the hive . Just as after every inspection , the bees must repair the damage done by the beekeeper during a rainy 24-hour interval review , with added work : fanning and removing the moisture . If temperatures go below freezing that evening , you ’ve put your bees in an even worse office . Moisture is the foeman of the overwintering Apis mellifera , and fourth dimension is not on their side .
I hope that is incentive enough to go away the overwintering bee alone in the rainfall . But in case it ’s not , think this : During showery days ( winterorsummer ) , all the bees are home . Foraging bees are grounded and are await idly . The queen and planetary house bees continue with their duties , but the hive will be at full universe . That means you ’ll encounter many bees , and many developed stinger , in a cranky mood because of the rain . Most apiarist learn the toilsome way that showery daylight hive inspection are a quick path to increase your resistance to sting through inoculations .
