Re: Cluster Breakdown

Tell him to call his county agriculture agent and to confer
with his local group of beekeepers.  That is why they are there.

Dick


Jark <timcole@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>The man who keeps bees at my small farm found that two seemingly strong 
>hives had suddenly died in early spring.  They were both full of honey
with 
>dead bees between the frames of the top super, so it wasn't starvation;
and 
>the hives were adequately insulated and sealed with only small openings
for 
>the bees to get out and relieve themselves on warmer, sunny days.  I had 
>examined the hives in late January and found them strong and apparently 
>healthy.
>His explanation:  during the warm spell in January (we almost always have

>one here in NW Indiana) the bees broke cluster to leave the hive to
relieve 
>themselves and then reentered the hives and fed.  After this warm spell
the 
>temperature and weather changed drastically with zero and single-digit 
>temperatures for nearly two weeks.  He contends that the bees did not
return 
>to their usual winter cluster around the queen -- "broke cluster!" -- and

>all froze to death.
>I have never heard of this; what do some of you know about "breaking 
>cluster"?
>
>