Mark Martin says...
Date:   January 14, 2014, 8:08 am

Wow, that is a nice sized cluster!  You aren't worried that they are already at the top of the top box?

Robin Edmundson says...
Date:   January 15, 2014, 6:46 am

So glad to hear this!   All of my hives died in the arctic vortex this year.  

Mark Martin says...
Date:   January 15, 2014, 9:52 am

Ugh, sorry to hear that Robin.  I have been very nervous since the "Vortex" hit here in Michigan.  I know the bees took cleansing flights before it hit and we have had a few days in a row above freezing after it hit and I have seen no activity.  I thought it should have been warm enough for them to break cluster and maybe even haul out some dead.  I still have my fingers crossed.

Tim Gillard says...
Date:   January 15, 2014, 6:02 pm

I have no idea how hard it would be to keep bees in those temp. In Australia we are having high temps +40 C I think your low temps are amazing

 

Tim

Clinton says...
Date:   March 15, 2014, 11:53 pm

40ºC (104ºF) is far more stressful on the bees than cold weather.

Cold weather requires two things and that's a 'large furnace' (or plenty of bees) and plenty of fuel for the furnace, aka plenty of food.

We had multiple nights here in Minnesota where our temps dropped to -32ºC (-25ºF) and 3 of 4 hives are fine. The fourth one ran out of food which was my fault.

Hot weather doesn't have many options for the bees and it stresses them out.

We wrap our hives for winter and I am learning how strong the colony needs to be (number of bees) and how much food is required to make it through. Also need to make sure there is not a moisture condensation problem in the winter and it helps to protect against the wind.

Time and time again, experts claim that no supplemental heat please. Causes more problems than it solves and simple, fundamental beekeeping is more important than cold weather gimmicks like supplemental heat.