Hello from New England

[gdoten]

Just checking in here. Started my first hive about a year ago. All the bees disappeared from the hive sometime around the end of Sept. All the honey was gone. I'm guessing they either swarmed or were robbed by mean neighborhood bees. So I still have lots of reading and learning to do. Going to go with at least three hives this year and see if I can do better!

 

[Moggs]

Hi there and welcome. Sad loss of your bees. A couple of comments(?)

Swarming doesn't deplete a colony fully - bees are clever enough to leave enough bees with a developing queen - their means of reproduction.

Robbing would perhaps leave some evidence (battle worn bee corpses being an example) unless the hive was robbed after the bees' departure.

Something more sinister I fear.

The condition of the colony prior to the loss may give a clue to the cause, however, probably not worth getting unduly troubled by it!

Anyway, as the saying goes "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again".

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Hi gdoten.


Nothing to add, but my welcome to the Forum.

I'm a newbie myself - in the middle of my first (anxious) winter.
I have one hive of my own and am responsible for a second on the roof of our cathedral.
I'm more worried about the latter as it was a relatively new colony, going into winter.

Pretty sure you will get good advice later, as the Forum Big Beasts wake up!

Anyhow, welcome; enjoy this valuable but occasionally crazy and crabby site!


Dusty

 

[Luminos]

 

[MuswellMetro]

WELCOME

Hopefully we wont confuse you too much with Nationals ,Smith and 14x12

 

[busybee53]

Welcome. Better luck next time. Just a thought. It is possible that the bees you had before were diseased in some way. If you intend to re-use the hive and equipment it would be worth sterilizing it with a blow torch (unless poly) and getting new frames and foundation. Good luck.

 

[REDWOOD]

Hello from Wales, welcome to the forum, glad you are going to give it another go. any picture of what was left, combs etc

 

[village girl]

Hello and to the forum
Good luck for the season ahead,

 

[youngyoungs]

Welcome. good to hear you're sticking with it. Please post lots of photos for us, it's great to have the opportunity to see beekeeping in another country.

 

[yeogi75]