Keeping hives cool

Posted by Jon on Jun 30, 2010 in Beekeeping, Hive management, Hive problems | 1 comment

We’ve hit a patch of warm weather with the thermometer hitting 35°C so we’re thinking about how to help our bees keep cool – the less energy they spend keeping cool, the more honey they can make! Bee colonies have lots of strategies to keep the temperature in the hive regulated – these range from sending bees out of the hive foraging, workers fanning the comb with their wings and dispersing water droplets through the hive, and an increase in water foraging.

There are some simple steps that we as beekeepers can take to help them although we are careful not to interfere too much as external changes in the humidity and air circulation can cause as much harm as overheating.

• Our hives have galvanised metal covers so I’ve painted them white this week.
• I’ve removed the hive entrance restrictors to allow free and easy passage of bees and air (but I’m watching carefully for Asian hornets).
• I’m checking the water sources regularly as not only are bees taking more but evaporation is now significant.
• Any of my older hives with solid wooden bottoms have been changed over to slotted, ventilated bases (which I was going to do anyway for Varroa control etc.).

Our hives are already in shady areas which must help.

There are lots of other methods out there such as top venting, creating air gaps between the hive layers etc. but as our philosophy is to let the bees look after themselves as much as possible, we haven’t tried any techniques that we feel are too invasive.

I’d be really interested how other beekeepers are keeping their colonies cool in this heat, so do please leave me a comment below….