RoseCottage
Field Bee
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2009
- Messages
- 718
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Near Andover, UK
- Hive Type
- WBC
- Number of Hives
- From 5 to 2 and hopefully a better year
You know how sometimes you work at something and still you don't seem to make headway. That is how it has felt this year. It has been the kind of year that has reset my self belief, that has caused much anguish, soul searching, frustration, guilt and sadness. Not a great deal of joy, not at all.
The year started well enough with 5 colonies out of 6 surviving winter and looking strong. All of them beginning to become a little more feisty than the previous year, with a couple of genuine hard nuts.
Still got through the early part of the year with that little burst of sun coming at the right time and we got 200lbs of rape honey.
Then we entered the swarm season. Work consumed my time, my hive builder became ill, and the weather turned ugly. Bees didn't fly and didn't die. When the sunny breaks came everyone tried swarming at once. I didn't have enough kit to keep up. We lost swarms, probably 3, but managed to recapture 1.
The colonies were reduced in numbers but I thought that was just about ok as the weather was bad and they would find it easier to feed themselves. I didn't feel the need to feed, I expected the weather to improve. All colonies had respectable stores.
All colonies were aggressive, 2 really angry and defensive at all times even with plenty of stores.
The weather stayed terrible and work demands at weekends grew, the rain come down, and the girls hid indoors. I went 7 weeks without being able to see them due to foul weather and work commitments. When I got back to them it was disaster. 2 colonies had starved. Probably the queen had failed to mate due to poor weather and the colonies had consumed all stores whilst being penned in.
How I felt isn't worth typing out.
So I was down to 4 colonies again but 2 of them were much reduced with small brood nests and little stores. 2 others were motoring by comparison. 3 weeks on and just 2 visits have been possible.
1 more colony has died although there was no obvious sign of death. No.mass of dead bees near the entrance or inside. The other weak colony has some brood and bees. I am feeding them ambrosia and planning a feed this week by bucket. The 3rd colony has plenty of bees but no sign of a laying queen. So I will need to combine 2 and 3 next weekend.
Colony 4 was requeened mid summer to try and sort out their nature. They are still following 200 yards. They are, however, perfectly capable of surviving winter. They are filling a 14*12 BB and 2 supers with bees and have lots of stores.
It has been really tough this year to spend enough time with them. They have struggled with the conditions, I have made some very poor judgements, and overall it has been awful.
Aggressive bees, heavy rain, oversized colonies, and poor calls. Not really how I imagined it.
For Winter I will treat for Varroa, feed, cleanse my equipment, and have a long think.
The weather is triggered by El Ninio behaviour so I an told we should expect 3-5 years of these Summers.
I think I will have plenty of kit when I cleanse it all. I may stick with 2-4 hives next year and may also try and requeen the lot with bought in docile queens. At least for a while that may make life easier and more fun.
There you go a confessional.
Sam
The year started well enough with 5 colonies out of 6 surviving winter and looking strong. All of them beginning to become a little more feisty than the previous year, with a couple of genuine hard nuts.
Still got through the early part of the year with that little burst of sun coming at the right time and we got 200lbs of rape honey.
Then we entered the swarm season. Work consumed my time, my hive builder became ill, and the weather turned ugly. Bees didn't fly and didn't die. When the sunny breaks came everyone tried swarming at once. I didn't have enough kit to keep up. We lost swarms, probably 3, but managed to recapture 1.
The colonies were reduced in numbers but I thought that was just about ok as the weather was bad and they would find it easier to feed themselves. I didn't feel the need to feed, I expected the weather to improve. All colonies had respectable stores.
All colonies were aggressive, 2 really angry and defensive at all times even with plenty of stores.
The weather stayed terrible and work demands at weekends grew, the rain come down, and the girls hid indoors. I went 7 weeks without being able to see them due to foul weather and work commitments. When I got back to them it was disaster. 2 colonies had starved. Probably the queen had failed to mate due to poor weather and the colonies had consumed all stores whilst being penned in.
How I felt isn't worth typing out.
So I was down to 4 colonies again but 2 of them were much reduced with small brood nests and little stores. 2 others were motoring by comparison. 3 weeks on and just 2 visits have been possible.
1 more colony has died although there was no obvious sign of death. No.mass of dead bees near the entrance or inside. The other weak colony has some brood and bees. I am feeding them ambrosia and planning a feed this week by bucket. The 3rd colony has plenty of bees but no sign of a laying queen. So I will need to combine 2 and 3 next weekend.
Colony 4 was requeened mid summer to try and sort out their nature. They are still following 200 yards. They are, however, perfectly capable of surviving winter. They are filling a 14*12 BB and 2 supers with bees and have lots of stores.
It has been really tough this year to spend enough time with them. They have struggled with the conditions, I have made some very poor judgements, and overall it has been awful.
Aggressive bees, heavy rain, oversized colonies, and poor calls. Not really how I imagined it.
For Winter I will treat for Varroa, feed, cleanse my equipment, and have a long think.
The weather is triggered by El Ninio behaviour so I an told we should expect 3-5 years of these Summers.
I think I will have plenty of kit when I cleanse it all. I may stick with 2-4 hives next year and may also try and requeen the lot with bought in docile queens. At least for a while that may make life easier and more fun.
There you go a confessional.
Sam
good luck everyone for a safe winter
