Bees dying in the snow

[gavin]

Salut Trog

Peut-être!

If the temperature ever reaches 8c again the undertakers will be working overtime.
In the summer I have watched corpses being carried dozens of yards away from the colony.
I have also noticed two bees flying with one corpse carried between them.

I'll bet that Private Frazer worked below 8C.

I'd like to see cooperative carrying by bees.

G.

[Alvearium]

There is probably an inclination for bees which are not well adapted to local weather patterns to leave the hive during the winter as you describe in sunny conditions when there is snow lying. Bees that more readily stay at home and are not enticed out can winter better. I would expect the native bee to be like this provided that all other factors are OK with the hive eg no nosema etc. Work has been done at Craibstone in the 1940s (Edward Jefree) and later by Bernhard Mobus that suggest that bees going into a winter cluster at an optimum size fare best. Also there is the question of winter water balance within the cluster according to Bernhard Mobus. If this is upset bees may fly to relieve themselves (dysentery) or to seek water (dehydration) if they cannot redress this balance themselves within the closed winter cluster. This flying at inopportune times may lead to a heavy loss of bees on snow. If you think of it there are colonies more prone to do this than others. Bernhard Mobus presented a paper to Apimondia in 1977 or thereabouts on this very subject.
Alvearium

[Mellifera Crofter]

...Also there is the question of winter water balance within the cluster according to Bernhard Mobus. If this is upset bees may fly to relieve themselves (dysentery) or to seek water (dehydration) if they cannot redress this balance themselves within the closed winter cluster. ... Alvearium

Can we do anything to ensure a good 'water balance' in a hive entering winter? Would feeding them candy or fondant (are they the same?) cause a possible water imbalance? If they only ate honey, would that be better?

[gavin]

Yes.
No (but it depends).
Maybe.
No!

Burning sugar creates moisture. They will not be doing a lot of that at this time of year (hive weight remains fairly stable) but it increases steadily from New Year when they start raising brood. If your hive is airy and well insulated then the moist air may be vented before it condenses. So there is an optimum for these things. Another factor is the absorbancy of whatever is over the frame tops. In some places with continental winters (is that us now?!) some beekeepers put in a frame feeder with water to help them when brood raising starts, but perhaps restricting ventilation is enough. If the moisture doesn't condense above the brood area it may do so on the walls.

Queen candy and fondant are different, but in some places people use the terms fondant and candy interchangeably.

Fondant has a water content which is not very different from honey. I think.

In most winters in Scotland none of this would matter, but in this kind of winter maybe it does.

cheers

Gavin

[Mellifera Crofter]

Thanks Gavin.
Kitta