Apiary preparations for Hurricane Florence

[DuaneB]

Hi everyone,

I have an 8 foot long stand with 3 hives on it. Aside from strapping the hives down to the stand, what else can I do to help keep them from possibly being blown over?

Thanks,
Duane

[Jacobs]

You should be fine with strapping. Everyone needs to make sure that their hives are not in flood prone places, if they have solid bottom boards-backs of hives are slightly higher than fronts so that water will not pool inside the hive, and that outer covers have good weights on them or are strapped down.

[Jacobs]

Information and reminders from David Tarpy at NCSU--
https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/2017/09 ... ricanes-2/

[WannaBee1]

Strapping your hives to your hive stand is a great idea. We did that...then...we learned (the hard way) that hurricane or storm prep must include inspecting the ground below your hives. Too much rain and rising water can cause your hive stand to lean severely and (in our case) topple your hives. Lifting one end at a time and placing boards under your hive stand might save the chaos (and stings) that can ensue trying to set upright one hive of four medium supers and another one with two supers—in the wind—on soggy ground—and in the pouring rain. Lived and learned a lesson we will never forget!

[Jacobs]

PleasantRidge101618_IMG_2936.JPG (211.46 KiB) Viewed 10446 times

These bees did not strap themselves in--doubtful there is a queen, but I have them in a nuc with a jar of sugar water. Once they have fed up, I will look for a queen. If I don't see one, they will get combined with another nuc.

[Jacobs]

I did not see a queen or signs of one, so these bees got combined into my "swarms" of 10/18/18.