Bee worries ,Yorkshire

[wightbees]

Today at one of my customers houses i was speaking to there Aunt who comes from Yorkshire.She is down here for a few weeks holiday.Bees come up in the conversation and she said how worried one of her family members are due to the loss of 7 out of 15 hives so far this winter.When i asked what was happening it seems from what she was telling me they are absconding the hive .I told here to get the Beek on here to give more info and see whats happening ,but she said the he's kept bees for yrs.
She is going to pass on the info to this site .

 

[Foxylad]

Yorkshire is a big place, i doubt it is area specific.

 

[wightbees]

I tried to change the headline to the thread but it wouldn't let me sorry.

 

[Vergilius]

Absconding??? Surely it is far too cold for mass flight at this time of year???


Ben P

 

[drstitson]

theft with replacement of combs is a possibility.

 

[Rosti]

Greetings from N. Yorks. Still too cold here to decide what is going on with the hives and how many might make it through, stores are going down so it's going somewhere. Certainly I have not heard any wide spread tales of woe and the limited number of beeks I am in frequent contact with all seem Okay, I'm pleased to say

 

[jezd]

Ditto, we are on target with losses - nothing like shouting a story for the roof with no details to support it

 

[YorkshireBees]

Personally after having a very quick look and placing fondant on my 6 hives last week (on the warmer days) I would say so far all 6 of my hives appear healthy.
At least that is all I can tell as I will not disturb them further until it gets warmer!

 

[Otleybee]

I was at the first meeting of the year with the Wharfedale Beekeepers Association last week and there were no reports of losses at all!!!

We are not out of the winter yet though.

 

[SixFooter]

theft with replacement of combs is a possibility.

Do people really do this?
Sounds like galloping paranoia to me!

 

[drstitson]

in italy a thief was actually replacing healthy colonies with ones with EFB.

had to steal the contents only as hives are branded with registration number.

 

[onriver]

started with 4 and still have 4, though 1 has needed fondant and who knows what'll happen over the next couple of months.... Durham / Northumberland - its been cold and now its wet. Still - snowdrops just coming out and some pollen fron early hazel

 

[fincaazul]

looked at a friend's hive early Dec as he was concerned. Brood box had sealed and unsealed stores, but no bees. Examined my ex's hive yesterday as there was no sign of flying bees, there was sealed stores on 9 combs and brood box weighed around 40lbs, but no bees. These colonies were some 20 miles apart. Any suggestions please?