What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Do224]

Colonies differ, I wouldn't worry too much. If they were treated in Autumn and have sufficient stores, they should be fine. Likewise, cluster size can vary as well, my friend reported some on ten but most around 6 - 7. That's quite normal for our bees.

Went to have a look today as it was quite warm again.

All three of the small colonies had perished. There was a small cluster of dead bees on one frame around the queen. Half an inch of dead bees on the floor of the hives.

All three colonies were caught as swarms in the summer. They were small swarms and never grew beyond 5ish frames (I dummied them down with insulation board within full size hives. They had OA strips on from the time they were caught but no other treatment.

Sound like varroa infestation or due to cold exposure? Frames were half full of stores.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Went to have a look today as it was quite warm again.

All three of the small colonies had perished. There was a small cluster of dead bees on one frame around the queen. Half an inch of dead bees on the floor of the hives.

All three colonies were caught as swarms in the summer. They were small swarms and never grew beyond 5ish frames (I dummied them down with insulation board within full size hives. They had OA strips on from the time they were caught but no other treatment.

Sound like varroa infestation or due to cold exposure? Frames were half full of stores.

Yes it could be varroa and they just dwindled. I thought the OA strips were great when I first came across them. After all Hivemaker made his own version. While they may have a place in an interim situation I have found relying on them for varroa control is foolhardy and I have abandoned the idea. All my colonies including nucs are vaped. I vape swarms before there is any sealed brood and take every opportunity to treat splits when they have no brood.
I have one small swarm and a subsequent cast from the bees from the tree at the bottom of my garden. They have both grown to a survivable size after timely treatment.

 

[user 20297]

Went to have a look today as it was quite warm again.

All three of the small colonies had perished. There was a small cluster of dead bees on one frame around the queen. Half an inch of dead bees on the floor of the hives.

All three colonies were caught as swarms in the summer. They were small swarms and never grew beyond 5ish frames (I dummied them down with insulation board within full size hives. They had OA strips on from the time they were caught but no other treatment.

Sound like varroa infestation or due to cold exposure? Frames were half full of stores.

That's a shame after all the energy you put in and the excitement you gained from catching the bees. I also wonder if they were fed enough. I remember you were away for some of the time and relied on someone else to do it.

So, I presume it will be the same again this summer and I hope you're also able to increase from the surviving colony. Last year I concentrated on increase when I found myself with one survivor out of two, and went from one to six colonies by mid-June; all are doing well so far but I'm not counting my larvae before they hatch.

 

[Do224]

That's a shame after all the energy you put in and the excitement you gained from catching the bees. I also wonder if they were fed enough. I remember you were away for some of the time and relied on someone else to do it.

So, I presume it will be the same again this summer and I hope you're also able to increase from the h colony. Last year I concentrated on increase when I found myself with one survivor out of two, and went from one to six colonies by mid-June; all are doing well so far but I'm not counting my larvae before they hatch.

I know, it’s a bit sad. Just part of learning I suppose...I should probably have combined the weak colonies in retrospect.

Glad all is going well with your colonies . I only actually intended one colony when I first put the swarm traps out so I’m still happy

 

[Boston Bees]

Went to have a look today as it was quite warm again.

All three of the small colonies had perished. There was a small cluster of dead bees on one frame around the queen. Half an inch of dead bees on the floor of the hives.

All three colonies were caught as swarms in the summer. They were small swarms and never grew beyond 5ish frames (I dummied them down with insulation board within full size hives. They had OA strips on from the time they were caught but no other treatment.

Sound like varroa infestation or due to cold exposure? Frames were half full of stores.

Very sorry to hear that.

I am yet to be convinced that these strips count as much of a treatment at all. So yes, probably varroa.

One thing for sure - it wasn't the cold.

 

[Do224]

Very sorry to hear that.

I am yet to be convinced that these strips count as a treatment at all.

Was there plenty of food in the frames?

One thing for sure - it wasn't the cold.

Frames were half full of capped honey...I’m assuming that means they probably didn’t starve?

I thought that given they were small colonies in a full size hive the cold was most likely....you reckon not?

So almost certainly varroa related you think?

 

[Boston Bees]

Frames were half full of capped honey...I’m assuming that means they probably didn’t starve?

I thought that given they were small colonies in a full size hive the cold was most likely....you reckon not?

So almost certainly varroa related you think?

A small colony in a full size hive doesn't help, but isn't going to result in all three dying unless there's some other major issue. And you had them dummied down anyway, so the hive size isn't necessarily factor at all.

Hard to say definitively without seeing the frames/bees. But educated guess would certainly have to be varroa, yes.

 

[Boston Bees]

Frames were half full of capped honey...I’m assuming that means they probably didn’t starve?

I thought that given they were small colonies in a full size hive the cold was most likely....you reckon not?

So almost certainly varroa related you think?

Has your colleague checked his quiet hives? Did he also treat just with strips?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Frames were half full of capped honey...I’m assuming that means they probably didn’t starve?

I thought that given they were small colonies in a full size hive the cold was most likely....you reckon not?

So almost certainly varroa related you think?

Can we have a few photos of the frames you found the dead bees on?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I thought that given they were small colonies in a full size hive the cold was most likely

That's seldom the case, it's not ideal having a small colony in a large box but they usually come through - what gets these colonies is, after a very cold period, it gets relatively warm, the bees spread out a bit then you get another sudden cold snap and when the bees recluster they get separated from the food source, as it's cold, they can't get back to it. I don't think that this is the scenario this year.
They were swarms - maybe the queens hadn't mated very well, or were old and they failed to supersede. Maybe all the remaining bees were the originals and with no new brood to replace them have just dwindled. Or it was varoosis. A picture may help

 

[Nannysbees]

Checked the fondant today. A lot of bees out getting water could hear the buzz as I walked down the garden!!!

 

[StephenT]

Weighed all three national hives and they've got approx 25, 30 and 32lbs of stores so no worries there at the moment. Just picked up the poly nuc a bit and it felt a good weight. After vaping yesterday, there was a drop of about 20 from one hive so that's going to get two more vapes at 5 day intervals. The others had one each so will leave them alone. Cleaned out the chicken's run and dustbath. Avian flu getting closer now as just got an APHA e-mail telling me that it was found in a captive flock in Eton. Probably someones Peacocks

 

[Nannysbees]

Can't believe I have crocus in bud!!!!

 

[Swarm]

Nice, no buds on mine yet but something has dug up large patches of them in both front and back gardens

 

[robinharman]

Made 50 super frames and four super boxes. Will do every day that I can
And paid HMRC what I owe them

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

went up to check the castle bees, decided to barrow the stuff up to the hives as, although the field was fairly driveable, there is one soft spot on the hill which always gets you.
Not much movement but all hives packed with bees, and hefted well, one there which I thought last year might be getting a bit light, although lighter than the rest, still felt screwed to the stand.

 

[Amari]

BTW, very few flying bees so I thought it OK to wear just a hat veil. Was bent double attaching the scales and got stung on my bum through corduroy trousers - first time ever…

 

[Do224]

Has your colleague checked his quiet hives? Did he also treat just with strips?

Just spoken to him...two of his four colonies have died too. He treated with apiguard I think and is intending to vape as soon as the weather is right

 

[Boston Bees]

Just spoken to him...two of his four colonies have died too. He treated with apiguard I think and is intending to vape as soon as the weather is right

Damn

That's one hell of an apiary mortality rate given it's only January 3rd. Half the colonies gone? Or am I misunderstanding the figures.

 

[Do224]

That's seldom the case, it's not ideal having a small colony in a large box but they usually come through - what gets these colonies is, after a very cold period, it gets relatively warm, the bees spread out a bit then you get another sudden cold snap and when the bees recluster they get separated from the food source, as it's cold, they can't get back to it. I don't think that this is the scenario this year.
They were swarms - maybe the queens hadn't mated very well, or were old and they failed to supersede. Maybe all the remaining bees were the originals and with no new brood to replace them have just dwindled. Or it was varoosis. A picture may help

I’ll try and get some pictures. They were all small cast swarms. I wonder if I could have given too much syrup in autumn and therefore reduced laying space for the queen to lay the winter bees...