Why Beekeepers Should Monitor Hive Temperature and Humidity

While honey bees are indeed hardy animals, their health and productivity rely heavily on ensuring their hive remains within the ideal range. Temperature and humidity are two of the most critical parameters concerning bee health. If these circumstances get out of balance, then colonies start to struggle, get sick, or produce less honey.

Hive temperature and humidity are also important for beekeepers because they help to keep bees healthy, active, and productive throughout the seasons. In this article, we study what the temperature and humidity control means, the ideal hive environment, how to measure the conditions, and what methods we can follow to maintain a natural hive environment.

Why Hive Temperature and Humidity Matters

Within the hive, bees collaborate to maintain temperature and humidity levels, ensuring a stable climate critical for brood development and for producing and storing wax and honey.

1. Extreme Temps Must Be Managed For Bee Survival

As cold-blooded insects, bees need heat from the outside environment to keep their body temp up. The colony may be in trouble if hive temps climb too high, or drop too low:

• Hot temperatures (Over 95°F/35°C) — Will kill brood, soften wax and add stress.
• Chill Temperatures (Less than 50°F or 10 °C)— Bee clustering, minimal foraging, and death.

2. Effect of Humidity on the health of Colonies and Honey production

Humidity helps brood, helps nectar die rapidly and avoids diseases in the hive.

• High Humidity (> 70%) – Favors the development of mold, fungal diseases (i.e., chalkbrood), and marijuana in honey.
• Humidity deficiency (< 40%) – kills larvae in process of development, dehydrating honey bee, reducing honey production.

Keeping track of and controlling hive temperature and humidity can help keep the colonies healthy and protect the hive from environmental stressors that can lead to weakness.

Best Temperature and Humidity in a Beehive

Beekeepers try to keep the colonies stable so that they can fill up as per the following.

Outside of these parameters, troublesome stress and even loss of colony can occur, and hence intervention may need to happen.

How Bees Naturally Keep the Temperature and Humidity in Check for Optimal Conditions

Honey bees are amazing at controlling the environment in their hives. Understanding their natural tendencies can assist beekeepers in aiding their cause.

1. Fanning and Ventilation

Worker bees fan their wings at the hive entrance and inside the hive to help cool the colony and lower moisture levels. This helps evaporate leftover moisture from nectar in order to get honey.

2. Clustering and Shivering

In the coldest months of winter, bees cluster tightly about the queen and brood, vibrating their flight muscles to create heat. The bees on the outer layer of the cluster change places with the inner members, (these are actually warmer).

3. Propolis Sealing

Bees apply propolis (a sticky resin-like substance), in order to seal gaps and cracks, thus aiding in airflow regulation and prevent excess moisture from entering the hive.

4. Water Collection

In hot weather, bees collect water and pass it around inside the hive, regulating temperature and moisture.

So although bees are great at regulating their environment, monitoring is crucial since extreme weather, an inefficient hive designed by the beekeeper, or challenging intervention from the beekeeper could interfere with this process.

Measuring the Temperature and Humidity of a Hive

Conventional methods must be used to measure the conditions of the hives accurately.

1. We heart digital hive monitors (because precision, duh).

The new wireless ones that we have been monitoring our hives with, send information of temperature and humidity direct to your smartphone in real time. Popular brands include:

• BroodMinder
• HIVE Hub
• Arnia Hive Monitor

These enable beekeepers to monitor the conditions of the hives from afar, and alert them if the conditions reach a threshold that could be harmful.

2. Mechanical Hygrometer and Thermometer Readings

For economically minded, beekeepers can place manual thermometers and hygrometers in the hive.

• For the most accurate measurements, place them around the breeding area.
• You should check them often, particularly in harsh seasons.

3. Infrared Temperature Guns

Surface heat reading from the exterior of the hive without opening the hive disrupts no bees;INFO NOTE: These are non-Contact temperature guns. These come in particularly handy for making quick checks during winter.

4. Observing Bee Behavior

Bee observation – not as quantifiable, but can tell you whether the bees are having temperature and humidity problems:

• Are the bees clustering around the entrance? Likely too hot.
• Too much bearding outside the hive? High temperature or humidity.
• Lack of movement inside? Cold conditions.

Bee observation blended with monitoring tools is the optimal way to help ensure hives are heated and cooled properly.

How to Keep the Proper Temperature and Humidity Levels in Hives

1. Winter Hive Insulation

Hive insulation keeps heat in, which is important in frigid climates where bees can freeze.

• Foam board insulation on the outside of the hive.
• Above this place a shell top quilt box with wood shavings to absorb any moisture.
• Install windbreaks (such as straw bales, fences and etc) to minimize exposure to harsh winds

2. Trapping in some cool air (in summer at least)

This makes cooling measures necessary, as overheating can over-stress bees and damage wax combs.

• Place hives in partial shade under trees or a sunshade.
• Use ventilated hive covers Increase ventilation.
• Tack on some height to those hives for cool air to circulate.

3. Managing the Humidity in the Hive

Too much humidity leads to mold and fungus, along with Nosema disease. To reduce humidity:

• Incorporate upper ventilation holes or use a screened bottom board for air to escape through.
• Hot tip: Angle hives gently forward so condensation doesn’t pool inside.
• In high humidity conditions remove excess propolis seals to produce more draught.

4. Why not Create Water Resources for Bees

During the summertime, when the temperatures are hot, bees require water to cool off the hive and also to keep humidity inside the hive.

• Provide shallow water dishes as bee baths with floating objects.
• To avoid wasting energy, have some water near the hive.
• Deep containers are best avoided, as bees can drown.

5. Steering Clear of Hive Congestion and Misplacement

Overcrowded condition of the hive produces excessive heat and humidity which causes the swarming.

• Offer extra supers to make room for bees to grow.
• Monitor and adjust the colony size on a regular basis
• Hives should be located in dry and well-aired places, out of the wet or over shadows.

Intensive hive management helps minimize environmental stress and enables a healthier colony.

Advantages of Measuring Temperature and Humidity in the Hive

✔ Reduces Colony Loss – Sudden changes in temperature and humidity could result in sick or dead colonies.

✔ Supports Better Brood Health – With stable conditions, larvae are healthy, and more successful.

✔ Improves the production of Honey – The storage of honey is possible only when the proper humidity is present for the bees to cure honey.

✔ Decreases Chance of Disease — Well-ventilated, dry hives inhibit mold, Nosema, and chalkbrood.

✔ Does Not Disturb Bee Comfort and Productivity – A strong colony means less disturbance to their relatively stable environment.

Conclusion

Monitoring both temperature and humidity levels in hives is most important to beekeeping as these very aspects would affect all the health, productivity, and survival rate of the colony. In-the-hive bee behavior monitoring, together with right temperature and humidity control, will establish a stable hive, propitious for the growth and flourishing of bees.

Key Takeaways:

✔ Temperature: Between 91-97°F (33-36°C) under brooder.

✔ Optimum Humidity: 50-60% for optimum brood rearing and honey production

✔ Various options for monitoring hive conditions including digital and analog

✔ Ventilate and insulate — Keep them in balance by adjusting ventilation, insulation and the position of the hive system.

✔ Provide sources of water and avoid overcrowding for improved colony management.