Can I expect a ~30% loss of my hives?

[pokerman11]

Is a ~30% loss what I should be ready for?

I know that there is a lot of winter die off, but 30% loss was this mostly from commercial managed hives - or is ~30% also a good expectation for the hobby farmer?

Depressing. :cry:

http://maarec.psu.edu/pdfs/PrelimLosses2009.pdf



The Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and USDA-ARS Beltsville Honey Bee Lab conducted a survey between September 2008 and early April 2009 to estimate colony loses across the country. Over 20% of the country’s estimated 2.3 million colonies were surveyed. A total loss of 28.6% of managed honey bee colonies was recorded. This compares to losses of 35.8% and 31.8% recorded respectively in the winters of 2007/2008 and 2006/2007. While a decrease in total losses is encouraging, the rate of loss remains unsustainable as the average operational loss increased from 31% in 2007/2008 to 34.2% in the 2008/2009 winter.

[clarkfarm]

Be optimistic. Those loss numbers are averages. I was a beginning beekeeper last year and had only one hive so some on this forum will not be impressed but my hive came through just fine. This year I have 3 hives and may lose one that is kind of iffy from an earlier bout with chalkbrood but I feeding it like crazy and am optimistic about this year too. Good Luck.

[Dave W]

I'd expect more :)
That way if you only have a 30% loss you could count yourself lucky :) :)

Lots of hives are lost over winter.
Some loose 90-100%.
New beekeepers seem to have the worse luck!

[JOHNYOGA2]

There was a posting in the spring on this forum about winter survival rates. I seem to recall less loss then that but I don't recall the final totals.

[sqkcrk]

Is a ~30% loss what I should be ready for?

I know that there is a lot of winter die off, but 30% loss was this mostly from commercial managed hives - or is ~30% also a good expectation for the hobby farmer?


Yes, I don't see why you would necassarily do any better, but we can always hope. One advantage, if you want to call it that, is you probably aren't going to move your hives to a different wintering location. That in itself will remove one aspect of commercial beekeeping colony loss. It is often said that trucking bees long distance results in queen loss, 10% on average.

[bnatural]

Commercial beeks have more practical knowledge than hobbyists, just from the sheer number of hives they work. But, from what I have read here and elsewhere, they are also more inclined to 'let' the less fit colonies die, since they do not have the time to baby every hive. So, if you have the time and the knowledge to work your bees and make sure that each hive is ready for winter and in good health, you should be able to do better than average. If you are in the early stages of the learning curve, then the loss could be greater. Either way, there is still something of a crap shoot to the whole thing, since weather and individual colonies are unpredictable. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't.

Bill

[sqkcrk]

There's a reason that they are "less fit" and you aren't necassarily doing yourself a favor by working so hard at getting weak genetics through the winter. Just an idea.

[bnatural]

There's a reason that they are "less fit" and you aren't necassarily doing yourself a favor by working so hard at getting weak genetics through the winter. Just an idea.

Agreed. I was just pointing out why the numbers might seem so high. When it's a business, economics drive many/most decisions. For someone with just a couple of hives in the back yard, that's a hard decision to make. I guess the longer answer would have been that, if you have to give a hive TLC to get it through the winter, and if it is not required because of actions or inactions on the part of the beek, then the colony should be assessed critically in the spring and requeened, if necessary. But, I'd rather start with a small colony that needed to be requeened than an empty hive.

Sometimes, too, you get surprised. I had a hive last year that I was sure would not make it through the winter. Never built up really big, smallest cluster I had ever seen, and needed dry sugar to get through to spring. Ended up being a boomer this year, surprised me with a swarm, and the daughter is running a solid hive. Go figure. NWC, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Bill

[Cedar Hill]

In general, the hive losses (and spring clean-up work) are far less for the beekeeper who unites his weak hives with the strong in the fall. Later in the spring, he makes his divides, often from the same strong hives. Feeding weak hives thinking that they will go through the winter is sometimes a waste of time and effort. Unite the weak with the strong and divide when it is time. Less work, more profit. OMTCW

[waynesgarden]

I'd expect more :)
That way if you only have a 30% loss you could count yourself lucky :) :)


"Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed."
~Alexander Pope


Wayne

[alpha6]

As a commercial beek all my hives are important to me, I don't just let them "die out" if there is something wrong with the hive though if I notice a hive is dying off and too weak or sick to combine I won't waste effort or money trying keep it going and I think that's what some were taking about in earlier posts. If it's weak or no queen I will combine but more then not pull frames of brood from strong hives and boost the weak one. It's amazing with two or three frames of brood will do to bring back a struggling hive. But the question I think is about winter losses.

There are a couple of things you can do to mitigate your loses.
1. Pull supers in time for the hive to pack itself out for winter. If it isn't then pour the feed on so it fills it out. Not enough stores...dead hive in the spring.
2. Make sure your equipment is in good shape. A box with holes, a poorly fitting top or bottom board will take it's toll on your hive.
3. Build a wind break. You don't have to insulate your hives but you better have a wind break on them.
4. Top entrance and get rid of the SSB. Moisture will enter through the SSB if the ground is wet with snow. Heat from the cluster will rise, hit the cold roof and condensate, drip down on your bees and kill the whole bunch. Wet and cold = dead hive. A top entrance provides a way for warm moist air to exit the hive, plus it gives the bees an exit should snow build up over the bottom entrance.
5. Check your hive on warm days during the winter. Look at the cluster check the weight. If you have a long winter you may need to feed. Starvation kills more in the winter than cold so be prepared to get some feed on them.

These are just a few things. Remember bees are like any other livestock you have to take care of them.

[sierrabees]

I lost 80% about three years ago. After changing my whole approach, getting rid of all my old comb, and breeding my own queens for three years I am finally up to fifty percent survival. I'm looking forward to the year when I only have thirty percent loss over winter. This isn't the same beekeeping world it was when I started in 1982. Back then a five percent loss would have had a beek hiding his head in shame.

[Beeslave]

I lost 80% about three years ago. After changing .., getting rid .. my old comb, and breeding my own queens..up to fifty percent survival... looking forward .. only have thirty percent loss over winter. This isn't the same beekeeping....

So your old comb was not the problem and it is the repeated contact with outside sources, Your queens just fail(don't even become drone layers), They starve,They just disappear or do you not treat for mites and/or nosema? Curious

[Dave W]

[QUOTE=waynesgarden;462284]"Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed."

When you go through life expecting only the best, you are often disappointed.
When you dont expect everthing to be perfect, everything that comes you way is a blessing. :)

[Axtmann]

If I have to expect 30% losses each year from my 25 hives I would give up beekeeping immediately.
I calculate 5-8% losses but I lost (I should knock on wood) 0 the last 5 years.

If a beginner with one or two hives lose 30% what would be left?

[honeyman46408]

If I have to expect 30% losses each year from my 25 hives I would give up beekeeping immediately.

If I only had 30% loss I would think I am a beekeeper but after 10 years last year was better :scratch:

[Mike Gillmore]

Is a ~30% loss what I should be ready for?



I will echo what others have suggested ... hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Another way to take some of the "sting" out of winter losses is to have a Plan B for early spring swarm management. If you're anticipating possibly having 30 - 50% losses than you can plan on using this empty equipment for early splits on your boomer colonies which are most likely going to swarm anyway at the worst possible time. You will control the timing and it addresses the problem of losing half of your colony to swarming when you are in the peak of the spring flow. This will also help you naturally cull the inferior stock and reproduce the best.

[devdog108]

for real, I only have one right now here and one in Tn with my Dad.......i DOnt want to lose either. I am def paying attention...

[StevenG]

Last winter I had three colonies, lost one. 30% loss. Now I have 14, and am working hard to set them up so as not to lose any. Time will tell. In the meanwhile, I'm developing plan B, and building equiptment to implement it next spring, if I do have 30% loss again. But I sure hope not!