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Date: | Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:43:24 GMT |
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>>The most common reason to fly in the winter would seem to be for a
cleansing flight.
Right. Although my bees had been making collection and defecation
flights for 2-3 days prior to the snow fall. I did look and did not
see any bee stains on the snow.
>>There are also bees performing an undertaker role by removing their
deceased sisters from the hive creating the litter in the snow.
I looked at the bees flying out of the hives and none were dragging
dead bees. All dead bees had been taken out on nice days prior to
the snow.
>>Water might indeed be necessary to dilute food at times but it is
perhaps not the primary need for these winter flights. Water can be
obtained from condensation and other external melted sources unless
it is extremely cold.
I observed a line of bees eagerly taking up water from the melting
snow on a hive's entrance. My hives have good top ventilation and
the hives don't have much condensed water inside. Increasing brood
requires a lot of diluted honey.
>>I would NOT put a division board feeder with water in the hive
because of the "thermal load" it would impose on them.
The division board feeder does not need to be full - even 1/8 full is
plenty for what the bees can use - and it would take the place of the
last frame (away from the cluster). The water, if anything, just
like in greenhouses, would act as a thermal equalizer absorbing heat
during the day and releasing it at night. Bees would take up the
water and transfer it into cells in or near the cluster during the
day's warmth or they'd right away use the water to dilute the honey
and store that for later use.
As far as cold temps, even frozen water will not get colder than O
deg C. When it's -10 deg C outside, it's -10 deg C in the hive away
from the cluster. I don't think it's an issue.
Waldemar
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