# Extreme Hot Weather Queen Rearing



## preciousbeesfarm (Apr 6, 2011)

This hot weather we are having is raising some questions in my mind. Are the Queens able to mate in temps that hover aroung 95-100 Deg.s? How do we get the best results with the heat? Are the temps a concern or not? What are some of the things we need to watch for when rearing Queens in hot weather? Any input or experiences would be greatly apperiecated. Paul


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## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

preciousbeesfarm said:


> What are some of the things we need to watch for when rearing Queens in hot weather? Any input or experiences would be greatly apperiecated. Paul


I just got in from 5 hours in 98 degrees, grafting. Not to be flip, but make sure to hydrate yourself! 
I stood under a faucet where some of my breeder colonies are, after I grafted from them.
A good move!

Adam Finkelstein
www.vpqueenbees.com


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

As Adam said, hydrate yourself.

It's not that hot all day long, 
the queens will mate before it gets that hot in the day. 

Just make sure the nucs have stores and a light syrup mix of water:sugar - 2:1 feeder to help keep the mating nuc hydrated as well.

Best of luck!


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

I was wondering, if the nucs have capped honey, do you think they still need syrup?


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I've been feeding mine pollen sub patties and 1:1 syrup, but now plenty of nectar has begun comming in, so I stopped with the syrup, though I'm continuing with the patties.

My biggest problem with queen rearing in the heat, is grafting, keeping them from overheating or drying out before I get them placed in the cell builders.

About a week ago I grafted my largest batch, yet; about 140 cups. It was extra hot and dry that morning (the fog from my fogging system was mostly being blown away by the wind). I checked them after three days, so my peeking, too early, wouldn't adversely affect the take -- I had split them among three cell builders, only 7 grafts had taken, in total. Two in one and five in another, one had zero take.


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## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

Joseph Clemens said:


> My biggest problem with queen rearing in the heat, is grafting, keeping them from overheating or drying out before I get them placed in the cell builders.


Good point Joe. Keeping them moist is the key.
Keeping Cell Builders ventilated is also good in hot weather: we give a large top opening.

Regarding the original poster's question, I have seen no difference between mating in hot weather vs. cooler weather as long as there's no rain to keep them from flying.

Keeping mating mucs ventilated in hot weather is important.

Adam Finkelstein
www.vpqueenbees.com


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Do virgin queens mate successfully in HOT weather? Probably not, but even though it is usually over 100F here, almost every day, it's not always over 100F. Before 10:00 am and some days after 6:00 pm it's probably just the temperature they prefer.

If anything they seem to get the job done (mating), just as well as when the weather is cooler. All my hives and even mating nucs have a screened lower vent (usually a 4"x4" hole in the bottom, covered with screen) and upper entrances. This works for convection venting, too.

My mating yard is under a large mesquite tree, for the shade. I also installed a fogging system to cool and increase the humidity. But that is mostly for my own benefit, I don't want to suffer heat sickness just to work my bees.


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## preciousbeesfarm (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanks for the replies, it helps me to hear that they can take the heat, if the graft is kept moist, most likely will use royal jelly when it is hot like this, thanks. Paul


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## Myron Denny (Sep 27, 2009)

Let's go one step further, after you get them mated and installed are these late mated queens laying and are the colonies growing? It is 115 here right now, the coolest it got this morning was 90, my new queens are just not doing anything! Last summer it was the same thing when the heat set in, plus we have not had measurable moisture since mid June! I am feeding syrup in pint jar feeders on top of the hive and a 5 gal bucket of water with styrofoam peanuts just outside the hives. There are very few eggs and larva in the colonies. These colonies are in the shade, in screen bottoms, 50 feet away from blooming alfalfa. Is there anything else other than refrigerated air I can do for them?


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## Velbert (Mar 19, 2006)

Is the feed getting to hot being on top of the hive? 

Just feeding syrup will not make the queen lay a lot if they get good amounts of pollen she will increase brood production along with syrup Being fed.

If feeding 1 to 1 mix in this hot weather it can ferment in a short time. The more sugar you mix into your mixture it does not ferment as quick.

Also lf you have been feeding syrup for a long period no pollen coming in none in the combs not much brood will be raised

Some times just seeing flowers on plants if they are not producing nectar or pollen bees can't get the nourishment that is needed and wont be visiting the flowers because there is nothing there for them to collect.

Myron i would close up the screen bottoms with this hot dry weather no nectar flow the inside moisture is to low for a lot of brooding they need a certain amount of moisture in the brood nest to raise brood for ventilation i raise the cover a bit 1/4" or there abouts your hottest air rises to the top if it can escape it will help a lot. I also found if you feed 3 or 4 quarts at a time where they can take it fast, i use a Divison feeder and feed about once a week works better to get them brooding this time of year.if they getting plenty of pollen. When the have plenty of pollen to eat they produce lots of royal jelly the queen is fed plenty of RJ this makes her overies have lots of eggs also they place it around the eggs just before hatching this aids the egg in hatching with out it they don't hatch well or at all.


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## Myron Denny (Sep 27, 2009)

These are 5 frame splits, they are in under shade trees on wood palets with very little grass under them, they were started in late June with purchased Pollinator queens. The water in the bucket is surpriseingling cool considing the air temperature. The syrup is 5 parts sugar to 2 parts water. The sugar is "warehouse sweepings", that probably was a mistake! It was cheap, but!!!!! I think the problem is the heat. I will raise the top for more ventilation. It takes a week for them to take a pint of the syrup. The field of alfalfa has bumblebees and millers working, I see 0 honeybees working it.


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## adamf (Jan 28, 2006)

Hi Myron,
Sounds like some tough weather! Hang in there.
Adam
www.vpqueenbees.com


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

One batch of grafts I had this year went into the mating nucs right at the start of our heat wave. Nothing like the rest of the country but 90+ every day for over a week. I added the winter super on top to give them some air and a vented inner cover. They seemed happy thankfully.


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## Maddox65804 (Dec 29, 2011)

Joseph - "Do virgin queens mate successfully in HOT weather? Probably not, but... " Is there any eveidence to support this or is it just an opinion? I am not seeing as many drones in this hot weather and that may be a problem for mating. The hives seem to have culled the drone population down as a way to conserve resources in this dearth.

It is hot and dry here in MIssouri too. What I am seeing is that the hives are not doing much of anything in the last month. They are not gaining or losing weight, not drawing much comb at all (if any). They are just holding steady in this heat. 

This year is hotter than most, but the hives always seem to slow down in the heat of the summer. Nucs dont' grow and hives don't gain a lot. They pick back up in the fall when it gets cooler. Based on my observations of hives over the last decade, I don't expect nucs started in the summer to grow fast. Mostly I expect to overwinter them stacked on top of a strong hive. Even feeding will not get them to grow much during the hot part of the summer.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I don't believe that the drones or virgins fly during the hottest times of the day, but I have more drones in my hives than ever, and they continue to raise more of them. There are several times during the day when the temperatures are not their highest, especially during cloudy days while the clouds are going over. I am continuing to produce queens, and most are developing nice patterns and copious eggs.

I don't really know that they aren't going on mating flights during the hottest parts of the day, they might be, or they might be waiting to catch their mates during the cooler parts of the day.


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## Velbert (Mar 19, 2006)

watch the entrances when you see drones coming and going this will be when they are mating and this will give you an idea what time of day. All hives with drones will have activity at about the same time of day.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

When I was out in the Mojave desert, the bees would get crackin' early when it was hot. Then they would disappear when it got about 101 degrees F, I suppose they went off to fan the hive. When It cooled off in the late afternoon, they'd be on the mesquite trees again working hard. That was not where we were working queens, so I don't know what they do regarding mating in the heat, but I doubt it is a big priority for them - keeping the hive cool is probably a bigger priority when its 115.

Last year in Ojai, one day got up to 116 and all the combs melted in one hive. The bees got upset and left.


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## Velbert (Mar 19, 2006)

was Checking the mini mating nucs yesterday about 6 pm saw mating sign in the tail end of queen she got mated some time before 6 pm and it got 107 that day by that time it was still a 104


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