I’d like to share my experience at monitoring hive temperatures in my 3 hives in recent weeks.(late Feb/early Mar)
Being concerned about possible winter losses, I drilled holes in the exact middle of the top brood box and the lowest super of each hive and used a 6 inch digital thermometer probe ( parallel with the frames and between them).
The first hive was approx 42C in the brood box and 35C in the super.
The 2nd hive was really cold, maybe very slightly above the outside temperature of maybe 8 or 9C in brood and super.
The 3rd was usually 20-30C.
Being v worried about no.2, I drilled additional holes in the bottom brood box and the top super, but the temperature was no higher. I therefore assumed the worst but then saw bees entering with a little nectar and there were some bees when I peeked into the first super.
What I am guessing is that, my prod must have actually ‘pierced’ the cluster in hive 1, but in hive 2, the cluster must have been far away from the prod , in the far right say,and the heat from it didn’t spread very far sideways.
I was disappointed that I couldn’t use my new remote Bluetooth sensors (about the size of a large button)as I wouldn’t know where to place them.They would have been ideal as iIcould monitor all hives on my iphone.
I wonder if some of you have monitored your hive temperatures and , if so,I would be interested in your comments please.
Nick Williams
Being concerned about possible winter losses, I drilled holes in the exact middle of the top brood box and the lowest super of each hive and used a 6 inch digital thermometer probe ( parallel with the frames and between them).
The first hive was approx 42C in the brood box and 35C in the super.
The 2nd hive was really cold, maybe very slightly above the outside temperature of maybe 8 or 9C in brood and super.
The 3rd was usually 20-30C.
Being v worried about no.2, I drilled additional holes in the bottom brood box and the top super, but the temperature was no higher. I therefore assumed the worst but then saw bees entering with a little nectar and there were some bees when I peeked into the first super.
What I am guessing is that, my prod must have actually ‘pierced’ the cluster in hive 1, but in hive 2, the cluster must have been far away from the prod , in the far right say,and the heat from it didn’t spread very far sideways.
I was disappointed that I couldn’t use my new remote Bluetooth sensors (about the size of a large button)as I wouldn’t know where to place them.They would have been ideal as iIcould monitor all hives on my iphone.
I wonder if some of you have monitored your hive temperatures and , if so,I would be interested in your comments please.
Nick Williams