Hive Weights.

[REDWOOD]

I have never seen isolation starvation myself. What I have seen is colonies dwindle from a failing queen, varroa or nosema seeing a dead colony with plenty of stores is not always as one seems


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[Poly Hive]

My polys do not need "cosies" as they do not produce tea.

I would frankly be surprised to see brood in a poly pre late March, and I base that on Aberdeen not further south.

I use fondant as I said for insurance on the basis it is better to be safe than sorry.

Any issues with the above then please address your mirror.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Why is this hive getting lighter?

Because the bees are eating/consuming the stores within.

 

[castanea]

Thank you

 

[Poly Hive]

I have seen several instances of isolation starvation so that is actually one that should be in the books.

PH

 

[REDWOOD]

What would you expect to see when you open a hive that has died of isolation starvation.

 

[Millet]

What would you expect to see when you open a hive that has died of isolation starvation.

Dead bees..

 

[REDWOOD]

How many dead Bees


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[Eyeman]

What would you expect to see when you open a hive that has died of isolation starvation.

One argument is that healthy bees won't die from isolation starvation.
The bees are sick in some way and won't/can't move to where the stores are.
Perhaps that's an argument in favour for putting some fondant over the cluster as suggested by PH.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dead bees..

Traditionally you find a decent cluster of bees with the queen amongst them dead head down into empty cells with food only inches away. I have never seen it.

 

[REDWOOD]

One argument is that healthy bees won't die from isolation starvation.

The bees are sick in some way and won't/can't move to where the stores are.

Perhaps that's an argument in favour for putting some fondant over the cluster as suggested by PH.

So all things considered equal Bees don't die of starvation but some other related diseases. The way I see it if a colony has dwindled to the point where it can't leave a patch of brood to feed then something is wrong. If a colony is weak going into winter then it shouldn't be in a full hive but a nuc
It would be interesting to know if colonies that die from what some might say isolation starvation have actually been tested for other nasties. I really think isolation starvation is a misleading diagnosis and a more in depth judgment should be established even if it's only for the protection of another colony that might occupy that hive next season


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[Millet]

How many dead Bees


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8 or 9 May bee..but then again who would count each dead bee to get a accurate number..

 

[REDWOOD]

All the ones I have seen has been a cup full of dead Bees on the floor and a few with their heads in the cells, not enough Bees to sustain a colony in my opinion


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[Millet]

All the ones I have seen has been a cup full of dead Bees on the floor and a few with their heads in the cells, not enough Bees to sustain a colony in my opinion


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Hopefully i will not see that come spring..i am thick but not thick also..

 

[Erichalfbee]

All the ones I have seen has been a cup full of dead Bees on the floor and a few with their heads in the cells, not enough Bees to sustain a colony in my opinion


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Yes...something wrong with the colony.
A few days ago it was hovering around zero. I took the deep roof off one of my poly hives (leaving the PIR slab on top of the clear crown board) to take a thermal picture of it. I couldn't resist taking a peek so lifted the insulation off and the hive is full of bees ambling about...not clustered at all)