First Snow

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I saw a few flocks of Fieldfares today it is said they herald the arrival of cold weather so maybe we will get some soon

The old folks from the mountains around here call fieldfares 'adar yr eira' - Birds of the snow. Seen quite a few lately

 

[Michael Palmer]

They must be terrarium heaters.

Must be.

 

[BrianO]

why bother when bees with the right insulation are good for -40C

So from that one can extrapolate, with our benign temperate climate with the average winter temperature at night no more usually than 0 maybe -1 or 2 at a push. As against -40 you experience ... Insulation.... not quite sure at all why we bother !

OK people will say " Bees, Trees, cavities , naturally more insulated "... again I doubt all the cavitIEs bees nest in are so idyllic.

Tree nests probably often damp, hollow trees large void , draughty.

Maybe like seed stratification with Bees there is something we do not realise in that having them subjected to a cold spell in some way benefits their natural rhythm ??

 

[Ely]

...I've never heard of anyone actually heating their hives but a lot of UK beekeepers insulate their hives - especially on top of the coverboard.

Yup. It wasn't a mistake. Some beekeepers in Canada and our resident Finnish beekeeper heat their hives

 

[Ely]

So from that one can extrapolate, with our benign temperate climate with the average winter temperature at night no more usually than 0 maybe -1 or 2 at a push. As against -40 you experience ... Insulation.... not quite sure at all why we bother !

OK people will say " Bees, Trees, cavities , naturally more insulated "... again I doubt all the cavitIEs bees nest in are so idyllic.

Tree nests probably often damp, hollow trees large void , draughty.

Maybe like seed stratification with Bees there is something we do not realise in that having them subjected to a cold spell in some way benefits their natural rhythm ??

nonsensical. Why keep keep them in a harsher environment when you have a kinder environment as an easy option?

 

[Finman]

.........again I doubt all the cavitIEs bees nest in are so idyllic.
??

Don't forget a church shimney!

.

 

[Stiffy]

The old folks from the mountains around here call fieldfares 'adar yr eira' - Birds of the snow. Seen quite a few lately

Lovely birds and just love the way Fieldfares defend their nests but sadly rarely nest in UK. They are regularly seen wintering down here along with Redwings which are locally called 'Winards '. They are often seen by the side of the roads when weather is really bad trying to keep warm and collect insects from the verges. The bird reference is also used in Cornwall to describe someone who is unwell:
'Wished as a Winnard'
S

Will now wait for a bored muppet to disagree

 

[Stiffy]

Cause even huge dinosaurs have died out because of cold
More warmth -> less food needed, less diseases, more brood, earlier brood development etc…
Good insulation - it`s all they need IMHO ... preheating->electricity costs-> subject to cost balances IMHO

I can see the logic keeping Nucs warm as the bee mass may not be sufficient to sustain them through winter but would welcome any stats that a warmer full size hive consumes fewer stores during winter? I am sure that there is a balance needed but would have thought a warmer hive would result in more activity/stores consumed?
Probably not a good analogy but normally animals that hibernate do so to conserve energy when the food availability is low.
S

 

[user 6228]

So from that one can extrapolate, with our benign temperate climate with the average winter temperature at night no more usually than 0 maybe -1 or 2 at a push. As against -40 you experience ... Insulation.... not quite sure at all why we bother !

OK people will say " Bees, Trees, cavities , naturally more insulated "... again I doubt all the cavitIEs bees nest in are so idyllic.

Tree nests probably often damp, hollow trees large void , draughty.

Maybe like seed stratification with Bees there is something we do not realise in that having them subjected to a cold spell in some way benefits their natural rhythm ??

I think everyone of those sentences is either incorrect or conjecture.
Please try harder

 

[Finman]

The old folks from the mountains around here call fieldfares 'adar yr eira' - Birds of the snow. Seen quite a few lately

It is common in Finland.

My cottage yard has sometimes had 20 nest in trees. People hate them because they steal berries from garden and especially strawberries.

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Lovely birds and just love the way Fieldfares defend their nests but sadly rarely nest in UK. They are regularly seen wintering down here along with Redwings which are locally called 'Winards '. They are often seen by the side of the roads when weather is really bad trying to keep warm and collect insects from the verges. The bird reference is also used in Cornwall to describe someone who is unwell:
'Wished as a Winnard'
S

Will now wait for a bored muppet to disagree

We call them Shxt hawks because of their unpleasant defence tactic, but before we get into a debate as too weather they are hawks or buzzards they are i believe from the thrush family lovely birds though.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they are i believe from the thrush family

Sometimes known as the mountain thrush but I think you'll find they are a type of puffin

 

[BrianO]

nonsensical. Why keep keep them in a harsher environment when you have a kinder environment as an easy option?

because without human intervention for millenia they lived as such ?

 

[user 6228]

because without human intervention for millenia they lived as such ?

They have it kinder without human intervention...

we chopped all the old trees down... an average tree is many times warmer in winter than a wooden hive as bought from thornes.

 

[BeeBeeKa]

would welcome any stats

I also would But in lack of stats I`m forced to rely on a logic. We know that brood temperature must be about 34`C, so ask yourself: when should bees spend more energy to maintain that temperature – if it`s 15`C in the hive, or if it` 5`C? Hibernating animals are really not relevant, as they do not breed in winter, while bees ( and mice i.e.) do, and need a certain conditions to succeed in it.

 

[Ely]

because without human intervention for millenia they lived as such ?

Even if that was true, which it isn't, I still don't see any argument or logic for purposefully choosing to make bees work harder to stay warm.

The forum seems to have had an increase in Irish members over the last year or so that don't really lend favour to their stereotypes.

 

[Arfermo]

Eagle (?) now settled next door for about 4 hours. Better view enabled better picture attached.

View attachment 11224

Don't think it's a sparrow-hawk now. Any ideas?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

get a better camera?

 

[Arfermo]

Here

View attachment 11226

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks