Nearly 100% how about you?

[biggles]

Just been out to look at our hives, looks like only 1 in over 200 have not made it through the winter (so far), all the others had bees buzzing about today like it was a summer day and still another few weeks before I have to open any. Seems like ages since i had to do anything with them.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

They may be flying, but are they viable? We won't know until we see if the queen is a go-er.

 

[B+.]

Seems like ages since i had to do anything with them.

It won't be long now!
So far, I'm at 100% but there are a few that have less stores than I would like. At other sites, they are so heavy that I can't even heft them. I mean, completely full! Its weird how you can travel a mile or two and the colonies winter completely differently. I have sheets of clear plastic as cover boards so I can see the colony is alive.

 

[biggles]

It won't be long now!

I'm hoping for at least 3 or 4 weeks, Last year I didn't open some until may

 

[wightbees]

I could probably open this weekend but nothing I can really do, other than feed them. So store checks it is, can't wait for the season to get going though: )

 

[Plenty of honey]

No idea of numbers and were still a way to go but initially, looking very good! I will be more relaxed in another couple of weeks.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Too early for me though all flying when they can and a good hum if I put my ear to the sides

 

[Amari]

8/8 OK so far

 

[Nige.Coll]

Haven't looked inside yet but all have bees in and flying on nice days.
Some are still heavy but others are eating fondant quickly.
Seeing a few dead bees in front of some so the undertakers have woken up.
No losses this winter so far.

 

[Stiffy]

All looking good so far. With OSR not too far away I have been out picking ones 'bouncing' with bees to use. I have a limit on the number of hives for the site I use for OSR otherwise I would take the lot as they look so good!
I just hope the rain stops soon or this crop will not be worth having
S

 

[Angularity]

Also at 100%. As the options were 100, 50 or 0%, that's not such an achievement.

They were flying yesterday, with about 40% of them coming back with pollen.

 

[Into the lions den]

Its been a really kind winter overall, though we have one or two poorish sites, due to issues last summer.

Surprising that anyone of any scale is at 100%, will have sites close to that, and indeed a FEW still at 100%...BUT....all the queenlesses and drone layers are still to be found...and we count those as a loss, even if we sort them out other than by shake out.

We do not do autumn uniting so I suppose we will have worse winter losses than many on account of that, but to my counting system uniting is still a -1 process, a loss, no matter what the reason is.

Whilst low or absent losses is a great thing, the also bring an unseen danger long term. Such winters are no use at validating or otherwise your methods...they are no test at all, and its easy to think you are doing everything well, which can sadly come seriously unstuck the first truly challenging late summer/winter. Not much to learn from such an easy winter.

And yet I am getting reports of some who have significant losses this year. Be thankful you are not in one of the areas where paralysis virus has been a big issue recently.

Our biggest concern is dwindling in a few groups (lack of young bees into winter due to severe animal (four legs but one lot it was two legged) disturbance last summer, and some evidence of nosema in a couple of groups which could hamper spring growth. 80% of groups are most satisfactory.

Lack of equipment could be most peoples big issue this year. Zero losses often equates to zero splitting space.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Its been a really kind winter overall, though we have one or two poorish sites, due to issues last summer.

Surprising that anyone of any scale is at 100%, will have sites close to that, and indeed a FEW still at 100%...BUT....all the queenlesses and drone layers are still to be found...and we count those as a loss, even if we sort them out other than by shake out.

We do not do autumn uniting so I suppose we will have worse winter losses than many on account of that, but to my counting system uniting is still a -1 process, a loss, no matter what the reason is.

Whilst low or absent losses is a great thing, the also bring an unseen danger long term. Such winters are no use at validating or otherwise your methods...they are no test at all, and its easy to think you are doing everything well, which can sadly come seriously unstuck the first truly challenging late summer/winter. Not much to learn from such an easy winter.

And yet I am getting reports of some who have significant losses this year. Be thankful you are not in one of the areas where paralysis virus has been a big issue recently.

Our biggest concern is dwindling in a few groups (lack of young bees into winter due to severe animal (four legs but one lot it was two legged) disturbance last summer, and some evidence of nosema in a couple of groups which could hamper spring growth. 80% of groups are most satisfactory.

Lack of equipment could be most peoples big issue this year. Zero losses often equates to zero splitting space.

Very mild here this winter, you can almost count on one hand the frozen days. Wet and windy mainly in the midlands.

Stores have been the biggest issue I am seeing and hearing about. Some of mine have used a lot more than others but I'll record it as part of the process.
Not had anymore CBPV since last august so that's a bonus.

Not seeing anything alarming so the thymol is working, hopefully.
Until I open the hives I won't know about dlq or other problems.

I think there is a good chance of early swarming if the weather picks up.
I allowed for 30% losses but now have more than I wanted but that is yet to be confirmed with the first inspections.

Your spot on about the zero space, might need another site before long.
Will be easier when I move the bees to out apiaries.

 

[Stiffy]

I am not so sure the last winter in my locale has been particularly kind. We rarely get frosts but have to deal with a far wetter climate than most of the country. This last winter, I believe has been one of the wettest I can remember and although time will tell, I am surprised the bees are doing as well as they seem to be.
S

 

[Into the lions den]

I am not so sure the last winter in my locale has been particularly kind. We rarely get frosts but have to deal with a far wetter climate than most of the country. This last winter, I believe has been one of the wettest I can remember and although time will tell, I am surprised the bees are doing as well as they seem to be.
S

It might seem bizarre but winter losses are not that often actually caused by winter.

Sometimes are, sometimes not. So if its wet or windy or cold it can make surprisingly little difference unless extreme

Most important thing is condition going INTO winter, thus its the second half of summer that is the biggest single influence on winter losses. Bad losses are often predictable to some extent well in advance due to poor late summer weather.

Much of the UK got a decent spell in August and early Sept....the key period for raising brood for fit young winter bees.....so low losses were always on the cards.

Also why our hives left open to the elements by animals and vandals last August, despite being well fed and looking OK in October, are now the ones in trouble.

 

[Icing Sugar]

Unfortunately it looks like I am on track for my 3rd successive year of 0% winter losses, although I culled one colony myself last spring which had CBPV that got visibly worse week by week. However, I suspect that this month will be quite decisive if the brood area grows at a rate that cannot be maintained by existing stores combined with the March forage influx. Each successive autumn I have fed my colonies less syrup and I never feed them when there are warnings of protracted poor weather during the forage season. (Last year, the autumn syrup was nothing more than a vehicle to give them a bit of thymol). It is up to them to get enough stores from himalayan balsam and ivy to see them through winter - I put a near-empty super on top of each brood box (no QE) after my final extraction for the season. I let them keep any uncapped or part-filled super frames but, as they hate empty comb in their larder area, they have an incentive to forage and completely fill the super. Culling the weaker colonies in one's stock (or allowing it to fall prey to perfectly natural conditions) is an essential part of developing a stronger total stock. I could really do with a bit more winter selection pressure but, in the absence of that, I ought to see if there are other ways I could mollycoddle them less. Perhaps it is time to stop feeding any thymolated syrup in autumn.

Sent from my LG-H340n using Tapatalk

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I see there's still quite a bit of rubbish being spoken on here

 

[SDM]

I see there's still quite a bit of rubbish being spoken on here

Tell it how you see it why don't you.

I've 12 still to check, but it looks very like 100% are up and running. I'm pretty damn sure some have got heavier this last fortnight too.

 

[Millet]

I see there's still quite a bit of rubbish being spoken on here

I don't have a clue, but good to see you back..

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I have lost four. One I knew would not make it as they got hammered by wasps, Surprised that One from the heather went almost like they had swarmed not a single bee in the hive?. It has not really dried up here all winter, Cold and damp especially in sheltered spots, All the losses in timber hives and they are behind they poly's from what I have seen by a quick peek under the crown boards. ITLD makes a good point which I agree with but the heather hive was bursting with bees and a youngish queen and loads of stores left behind.