Lost two colonies

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steveselvage

House Bee
Joined
May 8, 2009
Messages
112
Reaction score
28
Location
Southampton Hampshire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
14
I checked mine today( i couldnt resist a quick peek) and two out of the four have only a small handfull of bees left. They seemed to have loads a few weeks ago when i applied oxalic acid. I was quietly confident at that point that beginners luck and the info on this forum had got me through the winter.
The remaining two are flying but nowhere near as busy as a couple of weeks ago even though the weather is much warmer.
 
The remaining two are flying but nowhere near as busy as a couple of weeks ago even though the weather is much warmer.

I looked your forecast and weather. 3-6C is not a flying weather for bees.
Rain showers may kill lots of foragers in that weather.
 
Have you tested the deadouts for nosema, seems to be quite a lot of losses after oxalic.
 
Or dare I suggest it , beacause of the oxalic treatment?
 
I checked mine today( i couldnt resist a quick peek) and two out of the four have only a small handfull of bees left. They seemed to have loads a few weeks ago when i applied oxalic acid. I was quietly confident at that point that beginners luck and the info on this forum had got me through the winter.
The remaining two are flying but nowhere near as busy as a couple of weeks ago even though the weather is much warmer.

Always sad to hear of a colony deadout.

How many times have you opened the hive this year?

I'm not suggesting you may of caused the deadouts by opening the hives.

Its one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make opening a hive in cold weather because they believe they can help or they think they need to inspect them, even if the bees are flying and the sun is out. 32'C to what ever the temp is in a few minutes is bad for the eggs and brood unless the colony works like mad to warm up the hive once they put the roof back on. Lucky wax is a good insulator.

What a beek said to me as I was guilty for the same offence last year, but imagine its very cold outside and some one walks in your house opens every door and window and turns off your heating and just for fun takes all your clothes. :nature-smiley-12:
 
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Or dare I suggest it , beacause of the oxalic treatment?

I am beginning to wonder myself after seeing a good pile of casualties outside some hives after OA treatment, the casualties were commensurate with the size of the colony, the Varroa kill rate was exceptional, but i do wonder how many of the old girls also fell.

I have not opened the hives but am really desperate to get going now..
 
, the Varroa kill rate was exceptional, but i do wonder how many of the old girls also fell.

I have not opened the hives but am really desperate to get going now..


As far as I know OA trickling is not the reason that the hive dies out.
But every one should know that varroa surely kills hives and whole yards.


None of my hives have died for Oxalic trickling during these years I have done it.
And no queen has violated as far as I know.

I just read Canadian raport from big winter losses 36% and so and the biggest reason is varroa, when mites cecome tolerant to "legal" Apistan and Coumafos.

Too small bee colonies in too large cold hives either tolerate cold weathers.

They are just "learning costs". It is normal.
 
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2 summer ago I lost a big hive. In August it was in normal condition.

In September it had exceptionally big brood area when I prepaired it to winter feeding. When these new bees the whole box emerged, they were totally spoiled by varroa.

I am quite sure that they had robbed some wild beeswarm which was weakened by varroa. They got the whole load of mites to themselves and mites went to last brood.

From 5 box hive I got a fist size winter cluster.
 
And no queen has violated as far as I know.


Do you know of any research that says oxalic acid is completely harmless to queen bee's,one dose of oxalic acid, plus three or more doses.
And its effects on older queens,as it seems to effect older bee's worse,plus any with nosema.
 
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This is not the fisrt time you ask same questions

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Do you know of any research that says oxalic acid is completely harmless to queen bee's,one dose of oxalic acid, .

Who is seeking for COMPLETE HARMLESS MITE KILLER! If it is harmless, it will not kill either mites.
Stupid question!


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plus three or more doses. .

Whose has told to give more doses than one. Our mite researcher has given during many years time trickling in early winter and after cleansing flight. I do now the same.

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And its effects on older queens,as it seems to effect older bee's worse,.

I have not seen any reports.

If you love your older bees, don't give then enything. However they will die ALL after 2-3 foraging.

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plus any with nosema.

I have had nosema in my many hives and none of them have not died in trickling.
 
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Thought so,does not seem to be any easy to find research about the effects on queen bee's,just that you must not use oxalic more than once in the winter or it is harmful,which suggests one dose is harmful,so a queen in her second year which could of had three doses must for sure be very harmful.
Not to worried about the older worker bee's,but nice to have them around a bit longer to get the early generation of spring bee's on the go.
 
Thought so,does not seem to be any easy to find research about the effects on queen bee's,.

In most researches it has been said that handling did not affected spring laying.

I have not any seen any mentionings, that OA would kill older queens. If it happens, it will be easily noticed.

I asked that from our society beekeeping consultant and he said no. He rear hundreds of queen avery year and he has many hundred hives.
 
So if three doses would do no harm to a queen,why would more than one dose be harmful to the colony.
 
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The basic question is what killed steveselvages two hives?

Who knows if you have not seen them?

And what disease killed the hive, it is difficult to say in these days.

How many reports have told that OA killed x,x%
 
I'm sure your an expert practitioner,but this is one prescription i am not so sure of.

Death of hive, same as you i suspect,if i could look at them, i would most likely find the cause of death.
 
So if three doses would do no harm to a queen,why would more than one dose be harmful to the colony.

I have not made any researches. I just trust on them who has done and they are paid for doing researches.

Oxalic acid is a natural stuff. It has been researched that labeled carbon in oxalic acid will appear to respiration air. The bee body burns the stuff.
 
And honey contains oxalic acid,so why not just trickle honey over the bee's.
 
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I use oxalic acid but have not mysterious dead hives after winter.

Last winter I had one HOT hive all the winter and it revieled that it had made all the time drone brood untill food was finish.

2 winter before that all hives were alive in spring.

Queens will die during winter even if you do not use oxalic acid.
At least it has happened to me during these 47 years.
 
And honey contains oxalic acid,so why not just trickle honey over the bee's.

Carrot has oxalic acid 100 times more and potato 10 times more than honey. I do not use potato or carrot in killing mites.

Pete, it time to go to bed and stop drinking.

Lets look further next morning.
 

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