Expected winter losses

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Tonyatcwfarm

House Bee
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Messages
203
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Location
Ireland
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
7 colonies(national) 1 nuc
Can we expect a higher than normal percentage of winter losses this year due mainly to poorly mated queens during July and August
 
I have two queens that were mated in early July when the weather was blazingly hot and still. Another three are HM's, two from last year, one from this.......................so I hope not
 
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There are no expected Winter losses. You do your best, and then it happens what happens.
 
I'm DEFINITELY not losing any of mine ....I've already given them a good talking to and told them they are NOT going to die ... they all agreed.
 
If you had enough data points to produce a line of best fit, it should be possible to produce a graph that would give you an estimate of colony loss. What a depressing thought!
 
My apiary doubles-up as a compost area and so I fully expect a handful of losses between now and spring as several overzealous little minxes confuse my composting activities with the approach of the honey monster and sink their hindquarters in to me!
 
Can we expect a higher than normal percentage of winter losses this year due mainly to poorly mated queens during July and August

No, I'm not depending on this years Queens to take our colonies through to spring. The ones going well for me are with new Queens or last years because they were the best.
 
I don't think poorly mated queens should have much effect on over-wintering. Late supercedure this year or early next season is the risk. Soo, depends on the weather for mating this month, whether you count spring drone layers as winter losses or take weak colonies into winter.

The greater risk is going into winter with varroa-ravaged winter bees. Simply assuming apiguard treatment has worked effectively is one area which would likely lead to losses - particularly if the autumn brooding keeps going until December (so the post-apiguard varroa count has quadrupled, at least).

Simply put, strong healthy colonies, with adequate stores and thermal retention will generally survive without any fuss; weak nosemic colonies with high varroa loads and possibly short of stores or in draughty, cold hives will be the ones at most risk.
 
If you had enough data points to produce a line of best fit, it should be possible to produce a graph that would give you an estimate of colony loss. What a depressing thought!

My apiary doubles-up as a compost area and so I fully expect a handful of losses between now and spring as several overzealous little minxes confuse my composting activities with the approach of the honey monster and sink their hindquarters in to me!

No, I'm not depending on this years Queens to take our colonies through to spring. The ones going well for me are with new Queens or last years because they were the best.

This is going to be an interesting thread....
 
This is going to be an interesting thread....
I think RAB is absolutely spot on, not much else to say
 
......not much else to say

The same could have been said way back at post 5!

You do your best, and then it happens what happens.

Although the op's question IS valid, and I've heard similar concerns from others in recent weeks. There have been reports of bad matings from different areas and there are good beekeepers who are far less bullish about the coming months than some poster's here. Time, not graphs, will tell.
 
If you had enough data points to produce a line of best fit, it should be possible to produce a graph that would give you an estimate of colony loss. What a depressing thought!

That makes no sense. When I am 75 years old, statistically I am dead.

Estimate of colony loss. Oh dear
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According statistics, am I a good beekeeper....no, absolutely no. I do not want to an average beek.
 
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Assuming I have done all I can to get my colonies ready for winter I expect a 10% loss (so winter 10-15% more colonies than I need) and am always pleased if it is less than that as I can then sell the surplus colonies in spring as there is always a ready market for them at that time of year. I do remember a 30% loss a few years ago when Bayvarol resistant Varroa were present and I hadn't discovered this in time.
 
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However I have kept 20% extra hives over Winter and it has been a good measure. My teacher said that number 50 years ago, but do not expect anything.

That figure includes for excample angry hives.
 
Always go into winter with more colonies than you need or want for the following spring.

A couple of overwintered nucs is a sensible precaution. Even more relevant for people with just a few hives.
 
I'm not overly optimistic, hives seem to have plenty of bees here but no brood the last few weeks so they'll probably struggle in spring
 

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