grizzly
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2008
- Messages
- 1,103
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Hampshire
- Hive Type
- Langstroth
- Number of Hives
- 6
I requeened 4 colonies last spring with NZ Carni queens, purchased on the south coast, i guess imported originally, but those i bought were raised here.
Anyway, i worked them in a veil, shorts, tshirt, no gloves, they had a super temperament, expanded rapidly to fill the brood box and brought in my largest crop yet, however only 1 remains and they are 50/50, only grapefruit size patches of brood, considering its warming nicely during the day i expect a more rapid increase than experienced.
They were strong going into winter, however 2 of them have been lost to Nosema this year, 1 died out, cause unknown, and the one above as i say looks to be failing.
Such a shame that they can perform as they did in their first year, and all but die off as they start the second, has anyone else experienced these ? and have they failed this spring ?
They seem overly susceptible to Varroa and Nosema, whereas my local bees at my other apiary are free from Varroa and are clear from Nosema.
Anyway, i worked them in a veil, shorts, tshirt, no gloves, they had a super temperament, expanded rapidly to fill the brood box and brought in my largest crop yet, however only 1 remains and they are 50/50, only grapefruit size patches of brood, considering its warming nicely during the day i expect a more rapid increase than experienced.
They were strong going into winter, however 2 of them have been lost to Nosema this year, 1 died out, cause unknown, and the one above as i say looks to be failing.
Such a shame that they can perform as they did in their first year, and all but die off as they start the second, has anyone else experienced these ? and have they failed this spring ?
They seem overly susceptible to Varroa and Nosema, whereas my local bees at my other apiary are free from Varroa and are clear from Nosema.