Here in the United States we are having a terrible heat wave. 100+ deg
F. plus very high humidity. Perhaps a timely discussion would be the
impact of heat and drought on colonies, production and business.

        Each region will be different. I am located in Southeastern Virginia.
We have a very hot, humid climate resembling but slightly cooler than
the deep south. Agricultural zone 9.
        In my yards when the weather warms past 70 deg F. I place a stick under
the front edge of the outer cover, over the inner cover to assist in air
flow. This seems to help. I am experimenting with slat boards over the
bottom board, under the first brood chamber. This is the first year for
this and as of yet the results are not in. Some local beekeepers place
pallets on top of hives in the center of pollinating fields. A neighbor
has offered to adjust his lawn sprinkler to spray the back of the hives
in my home yard. I gladly agreed as they receive too much sun.
        With all this heat, usually the nectar flow has completely stopped
(with the exemption of irrigated melons and cucurbits). The bees were
still working the vitex trees pretty heavy yesterday.
        Working yards becomes much more difficult and one must pay close
attention to heat exhaustion and sunstroke. The bees will be a bit
nastier as the colonies have problems with temp control, queens quit
laying and as soon as you open them they will spill out on the edges and
begin to fan. Drones will be kicked out for the summer and queen rearing
will be impossible in yards that are not shaded and fed to stimulate
laying.
        Those that do so in the summer should begin the summer apistan
treatments so that they can remove them for fall flows. 56 days from
today is Aug. 31.
        Moving hives is difficult as stressed bees trapped inside tend to
overheat.

        How do large commercial operations deal with heat when they have to
move hives for pollination or crop adjustment?

Thom Bradley
Chesapeake, VA