Storm Gareth and a knock down for hive D

Maximum wind gust speed at sites in Oxfordshire during Spring 2019

More extreme weather this week as Storm Gareth hit the UK. Oxfordshire experienced high winds gusting up to around 40 knots. This caused Hive D to blow over.

I discovered the stricken hive on Monday afternoon. The hive straps had held it together so it had only fallen over on one side. I put a veil on and placed it on its stand. Amazingly no bees came out of the hive. When I looked in through the door there were no bodies on the floor of the hive.

I returned to check the hive a couple of times during the week. There was pollen going in and no outward sign of distress. All seems fine.

That this hive blew over while the other two stayed upright suggests that it's much lower on stores. Heavy hives are harder to knock down. I'll keep an eye on them during the spring.