Storm Preparation for Beekeepers

When I see the daffodils blooming, I know winter is beginning to loose it's hold on the Texas Gulf Coast. As the weather warms beekeepers will be checking their hives regularly along with making plans for the coming spring nectar flows. This is a good time to consider the upcoming hurricane season, June 1 through November 30, while making plans.

For beekeepers, stormy weather poses annual challenges in protecting and preserving their hives. Rising water can inundate hives and destroy or temporarily render forage unavailable. High winds and debris can knock over hives or blow off hive tops exposing the bees and brood to the elements.

Depending on government mandated evacuation plans and/or the severity of the storm, beekeepers may be unable to check the condition of their hives for an extended period of time before and after the storm.

I vividly recall September 13, 2008, when Hurricane Ike came roaring ashore along the Texas Gulf Coast pushing storm surges as high as two story buildings and packing winds of 110 miles per hour. The devastation left behind was tremendous – loss of life for some residents that decided to ride out the storm in their homes and property damage in the billions, including massive livestock loss. The ecological damage as storm surges pushed salt water inland destroying lawns, gardens, orchards, and pasture lands was staggering. Beekeepers were not left untouched – many hives were lost or damaged by Hurricane Ike.

Pre-planning can improve your hives storm survival rate -  

1. Avoid locating hives in low-laying areas known to be susceptible to rising waters from storm surges, rivers, lakes, and streams. If your hives must be located in low-laying areas, be prepared to move them quickly in advance of any event that could inundate the hives with rising water, such as a strong tropical event. HAVE A PLAN - identify necessary equipment, re-location site, and time required to execute the move in conjunction with other storm preparations required for your home and family.
2. When choosing a location for your hives, consider avoiding areas overly susceptible to falling debris from downed trees, broken tree limbs, and power lines.
3. During hive setup place hives on stands or platforms 12 – 18 inches off the ground to curtail damage from rainwater runoff and leaching of ground moisture into the hive. Excessive moisture deteriorates hive equipment and creates an environment conducive to buildup of mold and mildew in the hive. Placing the hive on a platform also deters damage from critters such as skunks since stretching to reach the hive opening exposes their soft underbellies to bee stings. 
4. Always keep some weight on your hive covers to prevent wind gusts from blowing the covers off the hive. Garden border bricks work well for this application.
5. If under normal conditions you cock your hive covers up to promote ventilation, lower the cover in preparation of strong storms while being careful not to stifle air flow by blocking the upper hive entrance in the inner hive cover. Remember, the bees need air!
6. If extremely high winds are expected, consider placing tie downs on each hive.
7. If you use screened bottom boards, insert the tray in the bottom board to prevent excessive wind gusts through the hive.
8. Check food stores – it may be several days to weeks before you can get to your hives after a severe storm event. If food stores are low, consider feeding your bees to ensure they don’t suffer from the post-storm loss of forage. A division board feeder is a good choice in this instance as it replaces an empty frame inside the hive and thus, will not be affected by high winds during the storm.
9. Remove supers from the hives to reduce wind resistance and preserve your honey harvest.
10. Hives located on property other than your own, should have clear ownership identification marks.

This is certainly not a complete list of everything that may need to be done; it’s a good start. A little pre-planning can go a long way to ensuring your bees are alive and well after a strong storm event!