Bugger

[Sadders]

1st inspection of the year - 2 colonies - both dead.

One was low in numbers going into winter but the other was decent. Both were alive in December when I put on winter treatment.

Both have plenty of stores left although some of the honey in frames was uncapped, very yellow and opaque.

No bees dead in cells with tails sticking out so unlikely to be starvation.

Most dead lying on OMF. Some standing on frames looking like a freeze frame of them getting on with business.

Not sure what killed them but presume cold or disease.

Really gutted and temporarily out the game.

Plan:

Bring kit home and cull all frames and wax. Thoroughly burn out rest of kit and try to get a new colony ASAP.

 

[enrico]

I feel for you, over the years I haven't lost many colonies but when you do it is a heartbreaker.
Pleased you are going to try again
E

 

[Sadders]

I feel for you, over the years I haven't lost many colonies but when you do it is a heartbreaker.
Pleased you are going to try again
E

Have to. What is a beekeeper without bees?

On reflection I think it will have been the cold snap that did it when numbers were at their lowest and less ability to keep warm.

No signs of brood so either Q- early on or died/too weak before she she started her early laying. This is the same for both hives.

My apiary generally had a few losses. Seems to be half the colonies there now than there was at autumn.

 

[B+.]

What is a beekeeper without bees?

I met a beekeeper yesterday who had lost 100% of his colonies. It seems to be quite common this year.

 

[Brigsy]

Sorry to hear this. Seems to have been a harsh winter for so many this year.

 

[Hachi]

Friends are reporting up to 75% losses.

 

[maddydog]

Bad luck.

Not much to do but go over how you looked after yours bees and think what, if any, improvements you can make.

 

[madasafish]

Were they in poly or wood hives?

 

[Sadders]

Bad luck.

Not much to do but go over how you looked after yours bees and think what, if any, improvements you can make.

Lots.

 

[Sadders]

Were they in poly or wood hives?

Wood. 14x12 nationals with OMF below. Above, crown board, eke (with ambrosia fondant) and Tho**ns national insulation under the roof.

Could have used more insulation although last time I used a lot of insulation I lost the colony. Somewhere in the middle may be better.

I could have used the varroa board to reduce airflow through the OMF. I left them out to increase airflow and reduce condensation.

Could have checked through the winter however I wouldn't have opened up and they had plenty of stores. I tend to keep away because apart from feeding, there is not a lot to be done.

I tend to think that bees have survived for a long time to best treat them with a light touch. Inspect to spot disease and take measures to reduce disease. Feed where needed. Take swarm prevention measures.

 

[Swarm]

It's rotten news, hope things work out.
What varroa treatment did you use in Autumn? It doesn't matter what the hive is made of, healthy, young bees going into Winter is what you need.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Both were alive in December when I put on winter treatment.

What was that treatment.

 

[Sadders]

It's rotten news, hope things work out.
What varroa treatment did you use in Autumn? It doesn't matter what the hive is made of, healthy, young bees going into Winter is what you need.

Can’t remember exactly. I think it was thymol Crystal in autumn and a new product trickled in the seems instead of oxalic at Xmas.

Will check my hive notes when I bring my kit home.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't know how many do, but, after losing bees that picked up varroa after treatment, I always check varroa load a month after treatment is finished.

 

[peteinwilts]

Sorry to hear that. I know a number of people who have suffered badly.

mid-late summer was a wash out and was very poor for queen mating. (failing queens early in the season leading to demoralised bees)

November was swarmy, with full brood boxes and the queen going on lay. The bees abscond with little hope of survival, also leaving little time for a successor to be mated.

December was wet and wild. wet winters are no good for bees.

The long cool spring puts the icing on the cake, with several cold and less cold periods leading to damaged early forage.

I usually average 6-8% losses (the national average usually drifts around 10-20% per year). I was looking at 12% in February before the cold snaps, so for me, already a bad one.
I have a number of apiarys, and the effect is very localised, with one apiary losing 7 out of 8, while anothers have not lost any.

It is still too cold to inspect fair numbers of hives. I will probably perform a food check at the weekend which will hopefully give me a total loss figure.

All beekeepers feel sad about losses. Many beekeepers will not admit to losses as they have some misguided belief that it is a failing on their part. Particularly in winter, often, it is not...

 

[Wingy]

Sorry to hear of your loss. I got my 1 nuc through (so far) where a mate 10 miles down the road lost 17 out of 18 colonies.
Best of luck on an early start this year

 

[Sadders]

Sorry to hear of your loss. I got my 1 nuc through (so far) where a mate 10 miles down the road lost 17 out of 18 colonies.
Best of luck on an early start this year

Wow. Poor beek.

 

[maddydog]

Lots.

Fair play to you for recognising there is always room for improvement!

I'm a firm believer in poly hives but they also do well in cedar. I've lost 2 poly this year and no cedar.

If they were my bees I'd be focusing on how I'd treated them for Varroa.

 

[jeff33]

Sorry to hear that, heart breaking when you spend so much time looking after them during the year. I have lost 4 hives this year, 1 probably my fault for overwintering them on dble brood when à single could have done but the others were overwintered as usual, insulated, treated with sublimation and with ample store.
I read you are burning all the equipment from these hives, is it necessary?

 

[B+.]

The other side of the coin is that this is natures way of selecting those that are fit for survival in a changing environment. As Michael Palmer says: "Winter is my friend". From a "fitness" point of view, he is correct. I know this will be no comfort to those who have lost bees, but, this should teach us that all bees are not equal.