Winter losses 2014/15

[Monsieur Abeille]

Those of you that don't mind sharing, it would be interesting to have an overview of what losses we experienced last winter. Divided very simplistically into those with more or less than 5 hives. Drone laying queens count as a loss.

I've done these the past four years, results here

2013/14 http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28489 (157 participants)

2012/13 http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=22931 (228)

2011/12 http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=16415 (213)

2010/11 http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9654 (217)


I'll include the last four results in brackets by each option.

Not all will have broken in to their hives yet, so I will leave this open for a few weeks.

 

[dpearce4]

im really impressed that this year I have so far lost none even thought 1 is critical atm.

I think the sales of nucs at the auctions this spring will be cheap due to this as it seems like lots of beeks lost very few this year.

 

[einsteinagogo]

Inspected today, and all went through the winter fine, although I've put a watch on two colonies, as they are building up slower, than others. These were casts last year. So 2014 Queens, the others are Red 2013. and were slow last year, but this year they are steaming, good patterns, and laying well. (will also watch laying space on these!).

 

[Honeybeeco]

First time in 11 years we had no losses over winter and all hives and Nucs are super strong strangely.

Here up the hill in wet North West Wales over winter we have had :-

89mph Winds - gust of 97mph
Temps of -9 windchill of -21c
124mm of rain

 

[Canary Honey]

Both hives doing well, almost as many bees as the end of last summer already, I am going to have my hands full as a beginner this year!!

 

[Bosleeu]

Lost one Nuc where the queen seems to have disappeared and had only about one frame of bees left.

 

[aberreef]

Lost one out of eight colonies, one I was glad to lose tbh because they were quite hideous and non productive.

Of those that are left, three are very small but the others are steaming ahead

 

[snelgrove]

23 colonies went into winter, 2 hives stolen, BA×××××DS, 2 hives drone layers. Lost 4

 

[theeggman]

Went into winter with 6 (2 more than we wanted) and came out with 6.
After some manipulations we are back to 4, which we have enough kit to AS.
Combined the weaker 2 with others.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Just a quick reminder this poll closes in a couple of weeks

 

[Karol]

Thought I'd look at trending the 100% survival rates for both groups based on the polls so far conducted. Not scientific I know but helps visualise the results.
Here's the graphical representation: