Winter losses 2014/15

[Torq]

13deg C and sunny today so did my first inspection of the year.

Checked 4 of my 5 colonies. All have capped worker brood, larvae and eggs. Plenty of stores and pollen coming in.

Will check the last one tomorrow as it is on a roof and they are a bit(very) aggressive.

But it's looking like a 0% loss this winter! Fingers crossed!

 

[Tim.S]

Early days yet - starvation is still a very real possibility. Chickens, eggs etc.

 

[protheroe]

Lost 2 so far.one double brood with signs of nosema and another colony which I had problems with all last season.requeened them but they didn't make it.

 

[For want of a better word]

Lost 2.. swarms of the B variety... pity because they each gave me 2 full supers of nicely filled and capped comb.
Went into winter with a queen and lots of happy bees..
No sign of starvation... well fed for Autumn on thymolated 2:1.
In fact no sign of a lot of bees or a dead ( white marked ) queen... just empty!

Must be the variety of bee possibly not liking the subtropical weather we enjoy in the great grey green greasy Tamar river valley all set about with social housing?

Yeghes da

 

[Dishmop]

In fact no sign of a lot of bees or a dead ( white marked ) queen... just empty!

my thoughts on this are that for some weird reason, they went out looking for food, and didnt make it back.
I watched most of my observation hive bees do this in January and have spoken to another local beek who said he had much the same thing happen....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Early days yet - starvation is still a very real possibility. Chickens, eggs etc.

All my chickens are fine - laying constantly - far too early to make any judgement as to the ---s yet

<<Edit>>And why is the word --- being redacted now? have I missed something or are we not allowed to talk about ---s on the ---keeping forum?

 

[Erichalfbee]

---s

Hell....JBM, you're right!!!

 

[For want of a better word]

All my chickens are fine - laying constantly - far too early to make any judgement as to the ---s yet

<<Edit>>And why is the word --- being redacted now? have I missed something or are we not allowed to talk about ---s on the ---keeping forum?

Conspiracy theory... now we have to call them Apis ...

Yeghes da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As for some reason we are not allowed to say the brave echo echo word on here for some reason from now on I intend to substitute the word Balls
Just off to the 'what did you do..............' thread now to tell everyone how my balls enjoyed being out all day in the fresh air and sunshine, although I did have to discourage my neighbour's wife from swatting them

 

[REDWOOD]

---S

 

[REDWOOD]

--- in quantity

 

[REDWOOD]

Buzzy things

 

[REDWOOD]

buzzy things

that one works

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

or do you mean balls?

 

[galileo]

I rather suspect you'll be particularly assiduous with your swarm prevention measures this coming season, JBM. You wouldn't want to lose half of your colony, eh?

Cheers
M

 

[Hivemaker.]

---S

No.....Balls.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I rather suspect you'll be particularly assiduous with your swarm prevention measures this coming season, JBM. You wouldn't want to lose half of your colony, eh?

Cheers
M

I'm also thinking of ditching my QX's - don't want my fat little balls getting stuck between the wires

 

[REDWOOD]

OK, I'll go with that, all my balls where flying well today and they were orientating themselves, noticed a few balls on a tub of crocuses

 

[kazmcc]

I went on a balls walk today, spotting and identifying bumble balls. I enjoyed it I have ---n given the honour of being our local parks balls expert

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I went on a balls walk today, spotting and identifying bumble balls. I enjoyed it I have ---n given the honour of being our local parks balls expert

You're lucky Kaz - no responsibilites in tending your own hive - Dusty being a kindly old saint lets you play with his balls whenever you like