sudden colony loss from observation hive

[RoseCottage]

thought this may be of interest...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-us-canada-12437121

 

[oliver90owner]

Posted yesterday, hidden as post #4 (I think)

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8843

RAB

 

[BeeNice]

I read this today and was puzzled by the comment below from the musuem...


"The queen stops laying eggs in early- to mid-October and starts laying again in late February," University of Guelph researcher Janine McGowan told the Toronto Star newspaper.

"If she didn't lay enough winter worker bee eggs to make sure the hive and honey is kept warm during the winter, that could have contributed to the die-off."

Said about not enough winter bees but also said that the hive was 20.000 strong!!
I think they need a new beekeeper.

 

[drstitson]

an observation hive possibly only gets to 20k strong at **** so that figure may not refer to how the colony headed into winter.

it is basically a vertical few frame nuc after all.

 

[biggles]

Maybe the 20000 were on strike or they were holiday bees.

 

[Finman]

.
It is normal that observation hives die during winter. It it too warm to hibernate thay way.

It is a miracle if they are alive after long winter.

 

[BeeNice]

If that's the case, why is this news and have they survived during other past years. Can an observation hive in this musuem be just part of a larger hive. We do not know all the facts of this news item so can't really comment.
regards
Steven

 

[Storm™]

Slightly off topic but I noticed this on the same site as mentioned by the OP -

FRED. Found here: http://www.reflectance.co.uk/index.php

And stands for Floral Reflectance e Database - its complicated at first glance and to search you need to input the Latin name for plants. But tells you what bees see when looking at various flowers. Sorry if this is posted elsewhere.

 

[Dishmop]

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It is normal that observation hives die during winter. It it too warm to hibernate thay way.

It is a miracle if they are alive after long winter.

Only a very small number of mine have died so far.

They throw the dead ones down the entrance tube and then clear them away on a nice warm day. Last week there were three dead in the tube and they had been there for a week or so. Since the clearance there hasnt been any more dead..
I can see the bottom of the hive and therefore know that there is not a stack of dead bees waiting to be thrown out...

 

[Vergilius]

.
It is normal that observation hives die during winter. It it too warm to hibernate thay way.

It is a miracle if they are alive after long winter.

This is is what I thought originally, but I think Dishmop knows best on this one.


Ben P

 

[Dishmop]

Well, I wont go as far as to say that I know best, I am only saying what has happened in my hive.
I did wonder at one time if they would be confused by temperature because the hive is not far away from a radiator..... however.. it seems as if it doesnt matter.
They judge the outside weather by the same method as ordinary hives.... Someone volunteers to go out and have look and then comes back and tells the others.....

 

[Finman]

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There is a diffence between Canada and England. I think that bees do not fly and forage pollen in February in Canada. The lengt of winter is different when bees just stay in their hives.

But if one hive dies somewhere, is it really worth of news.
I just read Canadian hive losses data and some places lost 40% of hives.
We may wonder what ever in this world.

 

[Dishmop]

.
There is a diffence between Canada and England. I think that bees do not fly and forage pollen in February in Canada. The lengt of winter is different when bees just stay in their hives.

Well mine have only been out for about 3 hours in total so far this year so I dont suppose they have managed to do much foraging either...

 

[Finman]

.
In Toronto 14 days forecast is about 0C by day and -6 by nights.

 

[Dishmop]

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In Toronto 14 days forecast is about 0C by day and -6 by nights.

Indoors?

 

[Finman]

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Sorry Dishmop, it seems that you do not understand bees wintering. Bees' average age is in summer 6 weeks and over winter even 9 months.

Forecast indoors in Toronto , eh!

 

[Dishmop]

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Sorry Dishmop, it seems that you do not understand bees wintering. Bees' average age is in summer 6 weeks and over winter even 9 months.

Forecast indoors in Toronto , eh!

I see no relation to what you are saying and what I said.

You said that bees in observation hives always all die.

I said that mine hadnt all died.
If observation hive is indoors in Canada why should bees all die?

Then you started talking about temperature in Canada, and said that bees dont forage in February in Canada........
so I said that mine havent foraged either...

 

[nelletap]

Do you mean that hive losses are at 40% this winter in Canada? My sister lives in Alberta and for the last few years has suffered more from her allergies because they have had more wet snow - previously the low temperatures meant it was powdery and dry. now the variations can be enormous from one day to another so the snow changes /melts. I read somewhere that damp kills bees not cold - could the dampness be more of a factor in Canada now?
then again - what do I know as a new beekeeper?

Tricia

 

[Finman]

.
Only in worst area it was 40%. Cold kills bees, it is sure, when food is end.
Main reason in Canada is untreated varroa.

I have here just no -27C

 

[Finman]

.
OK, dishmop. That is new to me that observatory hive survives over winter in England.

What do they do in the hive during winter? How long brood break they have had?
How big pollen stores they have?


To me dead hive is same as in bad condition=no future.