Whining

[Parke County Queen]

I don't know how most beekeepers ever get ahead. Last year I didn't lose any hives, but this year lost 3 out of 4. I try to take all precautions. Feed, feed, feed in the fall and put on candy boards, make windbreaks, etc. Usually there is still honey when I find them starved. It is so disheartening, not to mention expensive. This year I plan on putting them in a different location. I have an excellent location at my mother's house. Sorry for the whining. Just needed to vent. Like I said, there is always next year.

[Walliebee]

Do you know why you lost them?

[Troutsqueezer]

Most beekeepers don't lose 3 out 4 hives routinely.

Unless your location is absolutely horrible, that wouldn't be my first guess as to the cause. If you are sure it was starvation, yet they had honey, I would ask where the honey stores were relative to the cluster. If it was off to the sides and the weather never allowed them to break cluster to reach it, not much you can do about that.

[tecumseh]

location can mean a great deal but also it would be good for you to think about how the seasons were different in the two respective years. how much and when you feed could also be quite important. if the hives are two years old (and you don't treat) there is also good reasons to consider mites.

when thing go very badly it is good to examine what may have gone wrong. that's really not whining... that just elaborating your problem.

if it were me and I had lost 3 of 4 hives I know I would feel badly. pick your chin up, learn from the disaster and good luck.

[AstroBee]

What was your mite drop last summer/fall? See any mite damage last fall? Were these big booming hives in the fall, or just barely getting by? How many dead bees were found in the deadouts? As said before, its very unusual to loose 3 out of 4 - stay positive! Post more data on the lost hives and perhaps this team can help you turn around those losses.

[indypartridge]

Sorry about your loses, Lisa.
Between the candy boards and the fact that this winter in Indiana hasn't been bad, I don't think I'd want to assume starvation. Give Kathleen a call and make her earn her Apiary Inspector salary. Bottle up some bees and send them to the Beltsville Lab. Unless you know for certain what's causing your loses, you're shooting in the dark as far as what to do differently next year.

[Parke County Queen]

The one hive that I took apart had bees with their heads stuck in the cells. Honey on frames nearby. The other two hives were alive when I took that hive apart. I'd say it was around the first of Feb. It's been too cold to look at the two I suspect are dead. All three of these hives were doing great in the fall. I powder sugared them all summer and when it came time to treat, the mite count was ok. Then later, the mite count exploded. Now, it is too late to treat with chemicals, but I did the oxalic acid dribble that Dr. Hunt told me about. The one hive that is still alive had lots of mites, so I treated them. They were not that strong going into winter and I didn't think they'd make it. The longer I keep bees the less I know!

Thanks for the encouragement. I will send some bees to Beltsville & let you know what the verdict is.

[Dan Williamson]

Its tough to lose bees.

Question.... when did you do the OA dribble?

[blkcloud]

I only have 8-10 hives..but have had them for 4-5 years, so far I have lost 2, one was when I squshed the queen and the other..I dont know, plenty of honey but dead bees all in a ball when I checked them in feb. I just treat it as a hobby, I pretty much knew I would never make a penny at it so I just have fun and actually give my honey away, mostly to freinds who have wifes or children with allergies..One of my buddies stopped by the other day to see if i had any honey left..he said when he left that morning his 15 yr old daughter was licking the empty honey jar for her daily dose..hahaha I have never treated my hives with anythiong except 2 years ago I did a sugar dusting to count the mites..

[Dave W]

Typically or generally?, a colony started from a package will survive its first winter.
Second winter becomes harder, third winter, oh well . . .

PCQ, how old were your hives?

[Parke County Queen]

The hives were in their 2nd, some their third year. The OA dribble was done in October, I believe. I would have to check my notes to be sure.

[Dave W]

Without sounding like I am scolding . . . :)

Please allow me to offer the idea (don’t know for sure) that,
>OA dribble was done in October . . .
was "too little" done "too late".

If your bees were heavily infested in August, and failed to get proper treatment then, the bees that hatched later were unable to survive till spring, regardless if ANY treatment was done in October.

Yes, OA when broodless is a good treatment, at that time; it kills because mites are phoretic. BUT, but if bees are already in poor health, no treatment made AFTER bees become broodless will make them healthy.

[Parke County Queen]

Well, I don't take offense, because I do everything I can. I tried to be "chemical free" and powder sugared the bees every week, which is much more labor intensive than throwing some chemicals in in the fall. At the time to treat, my mite counts were acceptable as I stated earlier. Then, they exploded when it was too late to treat with Apiguard. So, that is why I tried the OA.