Cold December Day 26F | Are the bees alive?

[@kentcostello5286]

Have a happy new year please.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I will. You do the same.

[@Bowhunters6go8xz6x]

Happy New Year 2025 to all here ✨🎉🎊 ------ Generally if you see yellow or a ball of yellow the bee's will be alive, if you see only dark purple then the bees are dead. The number of bees in the hive can make a difference as 10,000 bees will make 3x the size return than 3,000 bees and may affect the Temperature readings also. If those IR Cameras are new then you probably need to do a calibration and adjust their color palette's to get more accurate readings and also try to zoom in on the hive so you don't get heat off the trees, etc. in the background.

[@apveening]

I thought the same, but he stated the cameras were both set to Fahrenheit and that also showed on screen for a moment around 5:40.

[@Bowhunters6go8xz6x]

@@apveening Yeah I rewatched and saw that also and removed that comment. It could be they are not calibrated .

[@BugFarmerBees]

I think the hive on the rail is dead. Nothing but purple.

[@apveening]

@@BugFarmerBees Shame.

[@BlanchardsBees]

The girls were out flying here today. Stay warm!🐝

[@BugFarmerBees]

I will. Drop a video update. :-)

[@russellkoopman3004]

Have a great one.

[@BugFarmerBees]

You too. Thanks.

[@davidlaing7684]

Was 8 this morning on the 22nd here in New Jersey. On the 18th it was in the mid 50 and they were flying, possibly cleansing.

[@Jimflawless927]

What part of New Jersey are you in

[@BugFarmerBees]

Outstanding. Anytime the girls can get out for a flight this time of year is a good thing.

[@HubertCarle]

The color is the heat from the bees. The temp that the camera is reporting is the temp of the outside surface of the hive.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Thanks. All hives had orange :-)

[@coincollector315]

Unfortunately several of my bees from one hive are attempting cleansing flights and not making it back to the hive. Could be older bees that are leaving because they know their time is short or nosema but I don’t see the typical feces that typically appears with them.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Maybe they are just trying to save the colony from having to remove them after they die. They are acting as their own mortuary bees.

[@tjjastrem127]

Why not add heaters to the struggling ones

[@BugFarmerBees]

Too late to add heaters. To heat the hives I would have to strip down the hives and set the heat box and diffuser on the bottom. It looks like we are knee deep in a heaterless hive season. I have confidence the girls will make it :-)

[@banks8292]

"Cold"

[@BugFarmerBees]

Cold indeed.

[@dcsblessedbees]

It's cold at your house.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Yes, indeed. I know we are in the south but we do go below freezing.

[@randyclinganfarms4806]

WHEN IT HIT 50F YOU WILL KNOW IF THE ARE ALIVE OR DEAD

[@geniferteal4178]

Is that when they become active again? I have a hive in the wall of my house. I obviously need to get rid of. Can I take action when it's thirty degrees out? How much defenses do they still have?

[@BugFarmerBees]

Very true. I just saw the weather is calling for 6 inches of snow sometime around January 12th. I sure hope we get it. :-)