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View Full Version : Dead bees from fall queen probs.


JoeMcc
02-28-2009, 02:50 PM
Is it possible this is what happens when a failing queen and an attempt to re-queen goes bad? First queen failed. Second queen laid a few eggs and was superseded. The third queen was from a cell and obviously took several weeks to mate and start laying if she ever did. I will inspect for brood when the weather gets warmer. This hive never had a chance to winter well. Maybe I should have combined. Time will tell.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3316509521_c7eaffcc8e_o.jpg

JoeMcc
Durandal
03-01-2009, 09:39 PM
Is it possible this is what happens when a failing queen and an attempt to re-queen goes bad? First queen failed. Second queen laid a few eggs and was superseded. The third queen was from a cell and obviously took several weeks to mate and start laying if she ever did. I will inspect for brood when the weather gets warmer. This hive never had a chance to winter well. Maybe I should have combined. Time will tell.

Why wait for warmer weather? If they are dead open it up and see what happened.

Just curious.
JoeMcc
03-02-2009, 08:22 AM
Why wait for warmer weather? If they are dead open it up and see what happened.

Just curious.

I popped the top. There are about 3 frames of brood in the top and the bottom deep against the sunny side. They might make it. We will see. Also they were hauling in pollen last week from the alder trees.

JoeMcc
beemandan
03-03-2009, 12:48 PM
I was once advised to 'take your losses in the fall'. This has proven to be good advice. Although you may be able to nurture a weak hive through the winter, in the spring you'll most likely still have a weak hive. Whatever was going on in the fall that caused problems isn't likely to be solved over winter. And you'll have invested a lot of time and energy that could have been better spent nuturing your strong hives.

Its not always the best advice....but most of the time it is.
chief
03-06-2009, 11:56 AM
That is a lot of dead bees but not what I would consider an abnormal amount of dead bees for normal winter casualties. I have seen a lot more in front of colonies that made it though the winter just fine. Some bees don’t keep as clean of a house as others. They drop their dead bees right out in front instead of hauling them further away. If they are still alive and have brood and stores I think they will be fine.
Chef Isaac
03-06-2009, 07:48 PM
make sure you are feeding them with something... at the very least a sugar cake or something.
Fred Bee
03-06-2009, 08:15 PM
I agree with Chef...check your stores and make sure they have enough honey. If not feed some sugar or sugar syrup. They may just pull through and be ok. Good luck!
Chef Isaac
03-06-2009, 08:17 PM
I wouldnt even check the stores. Put a sugar cake on and call it good for now.
JoeMcc
03-06-2009, 08:33 PM
I wouldnt even check the stores. Put a sugar cake on and call it good for now.

Theres more honey on this hive than any other hive in the apiary. In fact I just about robbed a couple frames and gave them to the neighbor. Im thinking they will make it through ok. They are about 3 frames wide ...2 hive bodies deep (I assume you would call that 6 frames)...against the sunny side. I suppose I could put some sugar directly above the cluster in case they move up.

JoeMcc
Ravenseye
03-07-2009, 06:16 AM
Won't hurt to put sugar on. Always take losses in the fall. You never know what winter will bring. I got hurt this year but my combined hive never noticed how bad things were. By the way, when combining, make sure you combine stores as well!
Chef Isaac
03-07-2009, 07:44 AM
Joe:

I always put sugar on all my hives. Doesnt matter if they have tons of stores. The reason behind this is so if they cant move to other stores, they can live off the sugar for a while. Acts like insurance.
JoeMcc
03-07-2009, 08:04 AM
Joe:

I always put sugar on all my hives. Doesnt matter if they have tons of stores. The reason behind this is so if they cant move to other stores, they can live off the sugar for a while. Acts like insurance.

I see your up early too...lol

I have sugar on all but a couple hives.... but will prob put some on them too. Its snowing here again so Im thinking that its a good idea to have a little "insurance" and assurance too.

BTW... i was looking at mountain camp's web page of feeding his bees with syrup and dry sugar at the same time. Chef have you tried that in winter? The sugar woul take up the excess moisture and with some pollen and syrup I bet you could have some serious splits going next month.

JoeMcc
JoeMcc
03-07-2009, 08:19 AM
Hey Chef... you got any coffee made... I just checked here... the one thing my wife forgot to get at the store yesterday!

:S

JoeMcc
franktrujillo
03-07-2009, 08:36 AM
well i noticed u dont have any hive entrance reducers on your hives or did u remove them i use them to help with wind and less chance for critters to enter hive
JoeMcc
03-07-2009, 09:01 AM
well i noticed u dont have any hive entrance reducers on your hives or did u remove them i use them to help with wind and less chance for critters to enter hive

Where I live we get very little wind. Critters are only an occasional problem. I only use them if there is a danger or robbing...IE feeding syrup or young hives in the main bee yard.

JoeMcc
JoeMcc
03-07-2009, 12:38 PM
I went out and put some sugar on them... they actually look pretty good. I think they will be fine.

I also popped the lid on my buckfast hive... wow... they will need split. With the temp down in the low 30's they are wall to wall and lots of stored honey.

:)

JoeMcc
Chef Isaac
03-07-2009, 12:42 PM
I use his method all the time. I love it. Works freaking wonders.

How many packages you getting this year? Getting them through jerry?
JoeMcc
03-07-2009, 01:38 PM
I use his method all the time. I love it. Works freaking wonders.

How many packages you getting this year? Getting them through jerry?

I have not decided on packages yet. (I need to right away though)
I can get a little better deal from the usual supplier. Also for even less money I have a connection for NUCs. I would have to talk private about that though.

I just spent a grand on frames so im not sure how much my wife will let me buy...LOL

JoeMcc
Chef Isaac
03-07-2009, 01:46 PM
call me today around 3 if you would. 360 261 2055.
JoeMcc
03-07-2009, 10:09 PM
call me today around 3 if you would. 360 261 2055.

Sorry Isaac.... i went down and got an air compressor and some other junk. I didnt get home until now (8 pm). Let me talk to the beek to see if hes for sure doing splits and I will get a price then.

JoeMcc
Chef Isaac
03-07-2009, 10:38 PM
Joe:

Call me tomorrow anyway. Leave your number. I will be at a culinary compatition but will have some time to talk in between rounds. It will be nice to catch up.
JoeMcc
03-08-2009, 01:25 PM
Joe:

Call me tomorrow anyway. Leave your number. I will be at a culinary compatition but will have some time to talk in between rounds. It will be nice to catch up.

Ok... I will try....

I play drums and have a gig until about 1ish.

Joe
jackalope
03-10-2009, 11:18 AM
My hives always look like that at the end of winter. In fact just this w/e it went up to 10 C so I put feeders on the hives and cleared out the inch or so of dead bees that built up on the bottom board stopping the bees from getting out. Before I was even done they started pilling out to make their first "toilet break" since November.

So yes, I wind up with a sorryful mount of dead bees at the base of each colony.

BTW I'm up near Ottawa Canada - winter is long and gets freaking cold.