Hive ransacked

[Susan1]

Am fed up as my big double brood hive at the start of the season has now been reduced to a few frames. I feel I have mishandled the hive totally it swarmed, was robbed by all and sundry and finally by the wasps.
I feel like giving up. I am also fed up because I still haven't got my results of the Intermediate beekeeping course I did. With all the disasters I guess I have failed anyway.
Sorry for moaning but I am disappointed.

 

[VEG]

I lost one to wasps this year dont beat yourself up it happens.

 

[pargyle]

Am fed up as my big double brood hive at the start of the season has now been reduced to a few frames. I feel I have mishandled the hive totally it swarmed, was robbed by all and sundry and finally by the wasps.
I feel like giving up. I am also fed up because I still haven't got my results of the Intermediate beekeeping course I did. With all the disasters I guess I have failed anyway.
Sorry for moaning but I am disappointed.

**** happens Susan. Pick yourself up ... what can you salvage from your hive to get them through them winter ? ... Have you got a nuc you can get them into with a few good combs, bang some 2:1 syrup in a feeder on them, close the entrance down to 1 bee space and find as much insulation as you can to put on it. The season's nearly over and next spring get yourself a bait hive built and out there early and before you know it you will have two colonies to worry about (with a bit of luck).

Chin up ... the bees have already forgiven you !

 

[Susan1]

I know. Thanks. I am just feeling a bit low and tired and this is my first real disaster in three years. I have been lucky and got both hives through the winter. I have a spare queen in an apidea and will sort out what I am going to do this weekend.
Will have to get started with feeding soon. I am not normally so down about things. Sorry everyone.

 

[oliver90owner]

Analyse why it happened as it did and what you can do, in the future, to aviod the same result. It's called experience.

Was it really a double brood hive? Or two brood boxes with a lot of stores?

Be honest with yourself - no point in pretending. Learn from the experience and go forward from there. Only losers give up. Don't be one of those. Bee keeping is simple, really. Bees are only interested in two things - survival and procreation. We steal their excess of survival stores and hopefully help them to survive to the following spring strong enough to give another harvest. It is as simple as that.

RAB

 

[beebreeder]

That's beekeeping, we all have our good years and bad years, I lost half my stocks last summer and winter, spent this year getting back to where I was two winters ago, sacrificed honey crop unless the heather flows!!!!!!!

 

[denise washington]

hi susan don't give up I have had a bad year and its my first had my bees piosend that killed all my flying bees and my queens, reared new queens and they were back laying in just over a month now I am pestered with wasps that's robbing my bees food spent a few hours today killing wasps it wont be long anyway before wasps are gone so don't pack in and good luck
denise

 

[richardbees]

I have been lucky and got both hives through the winter. I have a spare queen in an apidea

Susan,

Lucky?.. not really... I suggest you give yourself credit for the skill needed to achieve the above!

a better proof of your expertise in Beekeeping than any written exam

Richard

 

[HM Honey]

Susan, stop looking for simpathy and take it all as a learn.... I stupidly let both my hives swarm this year and havent managed to get any honey (bar a very small amount). I was sure one of my hives had laying workers but was wrong. Have struggled to get a collected swarm built up in time for winter and will probably now have to combine it....

I take all these things as "learning opportunities".... It sounds cheesy, but its a fact. To Err is human....

If your the sort of person who gives up at the first bit of bad news, then quite frankly, the bees are better off without you.... I know that sounds harsh, and please dont take it as an attack or insult.

Dust yourself down, re-address your situation and kick on....

Oh and as richardbees says above, no luck involved in bringing the bees through last winter.....

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

Susan, stop looking for simpathy and take it all as a learn.... I stupidly let both my hives swarm this year and havent managed to get any honey (bar a very small amount). I was sure one of my hives had laying workers but was wrong. Have struggled to get a collected swarm built up in time for winter and will probably now have to combine it....

I take all these things as "learning opportunities".... It sounds cheesy, but its a fact. To Err is human....

If your the sort of person who gives up at the first bit of bad news, then quite frankly, the bees are better off without you.... I know that sounds harsh, and please dont take it as an attack or insult.

Dust yourself down, re-address your situation and kick on....

Oh and as richardbees says above, no luck involved in bringing the bees through last winter.....

Well that could have been done with less of the unfeeling prat button being used.
How about this instead :
Susan, take it all as learning experience.... I let both my hives swarm this year and haven't managed to get any honey (bar a very small amount). I was sure one of my hives had laying workers but was wrong. Have struggled to get a collected swarm built up in time for winter and will probably now have to combine it....

I take all these things as "learning opportunities".... It sounds cheesy, but its a fact. To Err is human....

I don't think you are the sort of person who gives up at the first bit of bad news,
Dust yourself down, re-address your situation and kick on....

Oh and as richardbees says above, no luck involved in bringing the bees through last winter.....[/QUOTE] that is a more positive response which is what is needed on here!Now

 

[pargyle]

Well that could have been done with less of the unfeeling prat button being used.
How about this instead :
Susan, take it all as learning experience.... I let both my hives swarm this year and haven't managed to get any honey (bar a very small amount). I was sure one of my hives had laying workers but was wrong. Have struggled to get a collected swarm built up in time for winter and will probably now have to combine it....

I take all these things as "learning opportunities".... It sounds cheesy, but its a fact. To Err is human....

I don't think you are the sort of person who gives up at the first bit of bad news,
Dust yourself down, re-address your situation and kick on....

Oh and as richardbees says above, no luck involved in bringing the bees through last winter.....

that is a more positive response which is what is needed on here!Now[/QUOTE]

Eh Lad ... there's now't like calling a spade a bloody shovel is there ?

HM's hearts in the right place .... just needs to get a bit closer to his feminine side !!

 

[Margaret Elisabeth]

that is a more positive response which is what is needed on here!Now

Eh Lad ... there's now't like calling a spade a bloody shovel is there ?

HM's hearts in the right place .... just needs to get a bit closer to his feminine side !!

[/QUOTE]

No and theres no one like a Yorkshire lass to use it either !

 

[pargyle]

Eh Lad ... there's now't like calling a spade a bloody shovel is there ?

HM's hearts in the right place .... just needs to get a bit closer to his feminine side !!

No and theres no one like a Yorkshire lass to use it either ![/QUOTE]

Love it ... just makes me miss God's own County even more ....

 

[blackcavebees]

Susan, Intermediate results were out couple of weeks ago. Where did you do it? At Greenmount or Gormanstown? Provinsial results were posted out by CAFRE, guy called Ken White. PM me for his details if done at Greenmount.

I lost 2/3rds of my colonies last winter/spring and had to sacrifice most of my honey this season to get back to early 2012 levels. As long as you still have bees you can rebuild your stocks next year. Get what you have left ready for winter, treated and ready for ivy in next couple weeks.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Hi Susan,


I would like to include myself in the list of those encouraging you to persevere.

You do have a lot of experience and the bees need that!

In my first year, beekeeping seemed easy-peasy.
I guess I thought I led a charmed life and that I knew it all.
Of course, this was a foolish fallacy; I was relying on the wisdom of others, rather than really knowing my bees and how they lived. Such crashing around didn't really honour the bees or others' wisdom.

This second year, I've realised that mature colonies throw out real challenges for which I've not been ready. I rue the gobby overconfidence of last year.
But I've still been incredibly lucky not to meet disaster.

But you have quietly gone about your business of learning the craft. You undertook formal studies to learn and reflect on best wisdom and practice. Yet it seems to me that beekeeping is less about managing livestock, than it is about cooperating with wild creatures with a 'mind' of their own. They are under our influence but largely out of our control (except in the grossest of ways).
Yes, you came a cropper this year - but how far was it all out of your control?


Sure, your confidence has taken a hit. But don't chuck out the baby with the bathwater. You have, I am sure, gained great pleasure from watching bees, working with them and putting your skills at their service. You know a huge amount - and if you walk away from beekeeping now, you will rue the day every time you see a bee, every time a friend or acquaintance asks you how the bees are doing, every time you use or taste honey.......

I'm sure there will be some wise and kindly old Beek who will gladly share knowledge and experience with you, for a few months next season.

Persevere, lass.

Dusty

 

[thurrock bees]

chin up, ive lost half my stock last year, and the wasps killed two recently. so your not the only one out there

 

[thebhoy]

Well Susan, lot's of well worded and some not so well worded support but all delivered with the best of intentions from fellow beeks.

As many say, it is a learning curve, an opportunity to gain first hand experience of the good the bad and the ugly within our 'hobby' ..... we then have choices of what we do with this experience;

we can use it to improve what and how we do it in future.
we can ignore all the lessons learned and continue to do it the same way...usually with the same outcome.
or we can make the personal changes to ensure we use the lessons learned for the benefit of the bees and ourselves.

or we can just give up.

In this instance, I think you should take a look at what you have left, decide what you want from it (colony wise), determine what is needed to get them through the Winter, work to that and then, when they survive, you will know you have turned a corner and can look positively into future years of bee keeping with the determination to succeed.

Keep believing in yourself and work to make it work

 

[HM Honey]

Well that could have been done with less of the unfeeling prat button being used.
How about this instead :
Susan, take it all as learning experience.... I let both my hives swarm this year and haven't managed to get any honey (bar a very small amount). I was sure one of my hives had laying workers but was wrong. Have struggled to get a collected swarm built up in time for winter and will probably now have to combine it....

I take all these things as "learning opportunities".... It sounds cheesy, but its a fact. To Err is human....

I don't think you are the sort of person who gives up at the first bit of bad news,
Dust yourself down, re-address your situation and kick on....

Oh and as richardbees says above, no luck involved in bringing the bees through last winter.....

Margaret, youre right of course... My response was a little too sharp and out of keeping with my usual contribution. I dont agree it was negative though.....just a bit rude....(apologies Susan).

All I can say in my defence is that it was meant the way Margaret said it....

I just have a lot going on personally at the moment....Sorry

 

[Cazza]

this is my first real disaster in three years..

Only one! Then I think you are doing well. We all have them and some of us still have them many years further on......

Next year you will wonder what all your angst was about.

Bet you passes your exam too. Let us know.

Cazza

 

[thorn]

Susan, stop looking for simpathy and take it all as a learn.... I stupidly let both my hives swarm this year and havent managed to get any honey (bar a very small amount). .....

It must be a Yorkshire thing. Something in the water, perhaps.