All 8 still holding their Own

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

Well at last manage to check all 8 hives 7 queens still marked and 1 not marked we last ckecked No 4 hive in Oct when it had two queens so looks like Mums been housted. I spoke to a friend of mine this morning he has lost all 6 of his hives during the wintre plenty of stores but hives fuul of dead bees. Gutted for him.

 

[Gower]

well done. I too had 8 going into the winter, but unfortunately lost 1.... Still, compared to some i guess that's pretty fortunate.

 

[VEG]

what happened to the other 1 Gower?

 

[stephenpug]

into winter with 4 just lost the one which was a late august swarm that never realy got going but i have learned so next time it will be into a poly nuc or unite

 

[richardbees]

.......that's a lot better than I'm hearing of in the London area...which is about 50% loss.

 

[Black Comb]

I've lost 5 out of 11.

 

[richardbees]

Black, can you pin down the probable cause?
richard

 

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

It seems that the losses vary around the country is it the type of hive or location its hard to pin it down a friend of mine in Somerset has lost 18 out of 25 that gutting.

 

[enrico]

They probably opened them up and poured acid over them when the weather was cold!
Tee hee ........only joking.........

 

[itma]

They probably opened them up and poured acid over them when the weather was cold!

Or maybe they didn't?

 

[enrico]

Fair comment!

 

[Black Comb]

Mine.
2 were small colonies due to late mating and they never built up.
2 I put down to nosema, oxalic at Christmas may have finished off the queens.
One just dwindled and when I opened up,had very few bees but a tiny patch of brood so I have rehoused this in a small nuc, more in hope than expectation.

 

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

I hope it goes well for you this year good luck keep us up to date. Robbie

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
Four colonies through with brood. Lost one nuc that never really got going. Spending the rest of the day disinfecting two brood boxes which weren't clean enough for me!

 

[richardbees]

Thanks black - a lot of losses appear down to small colonies going into winter,
maybe uniting might help.

 

[Drew]

They probably opened them up and poured acid over them when the weather was cold!
Tee hee ........only joking.........

Or maybe they didn't?

Fair comment!

Glad thats settled then......

 

[Black Comb]

Thanks black - a lot of losses appear down to small colonies going into winter,
maybe uniting might help.

With the great gift of hindsight I should have done but in previous years colonies this size were OK. I think I will give oxalic a miss next year.

 

[richardbees]

black...oops. sorry, i wasn't referring to you!

 

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

I used oxalic on all 8 of my hives I dont think its this but I not sure. I have been asked to remove a colonny of bees from a wall in the main hospital the entrance is right next to a large vent, never done a nest before but thia morning there was hundreds of bees waiting to go in with lots of pollen.

 

[enrico]

Good luck with the cut out! May have been there for years so have loads of big tubs with lids with you for comb!
E