What Does the Novice Beekeeper Need to Know?

Number 18

" Moisture in the Hive"

"And Why"

How does moisture get into the hive?

Ambient air moisture condenses on the inside of the hive. The difference of warm moist inside and cool box outside. Does not the condensation on a glass of Ice water form on the "warm side".

In the winter Bee respiration is the main source of warm moist air inside the bee hive.

In the spring and fall when there are cool evening, nights, and mornings Honey dehydration can be an extremely large source of aerial moisture. When feeding sugar water syrup, you can induce large quantities of water as it is reduced from about 95% moisture to under 20% in honey.

This is not equal to dehydrating nectar that the foragers bring into the hive. The forager is the first step in dehydration delivering a product of about 80% moisture into the hive.

There can be a phenomenal build up of moisture if the hive is not adequately ventilated. This can result in creating actual rain in hive.

Air circulation is the best cure. However, you do not want the hive so well ventilated that there is a cooling breeze in the winter. In the summer during nectar flow, that breeze is not as detrimental to the bees. Slow air movement is the answer. A small air entrance (reduced front entrance) and a small upper exit vent (the normal hole in the inner cover) is usually adequate. Do not place the hive in a location where damp air accumulates outside of the hive. This would be the shady area along side of a creek. In the winter the warmer respiratory air from the bees will rise to the top of the hive, exit the inner cover vent and condense on the inside of the telescoping cover. If it rains it will rain onto the upper side of the inner cover not back onto the bees.

If the "rain" inside of the hie fall on the bees they will become chilled and die. This can happen even in the spring and fall when temperatures seem okay to us bee keepers. Think of it as hypothermia. If the moisture gets on the honey comb it can cause it to ferment. Bees cannot digest fermented honey. The alcohol will kill them. If they ignore the fermented honey they may starve to death for lack of edible food. If the moisture gets on the bee bread (stored pollen) it can cause mold also making it inedible.

Bees need a certain amount of moisture to mix with cured honey before eating it. If the bee ate straight honey at 18% moisture it would suck the moisture out of the bee's body and she would shrivel up like a raisin. So, the bee mixes a little moisture with the honey as they consume it. This moisture will be found on the to of the top bars. Sometimes when you open the hive early in the morning you will see small droplets of water on the top bars. If you sleep in you won't see it because the bees have already consumed it. If the bees need more moisture in the winter, they will go through the inner cover vent and lick it up between there and the telescoping cover. If they need more moisture in the summer they will visit the creek, rain puddle, bird bath, or dew.