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Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

123K views 416 replies 68 participants last post by  BayHighlandBees 
#1 ·
We've had to listen to Jolly Ollie brag all year about all the swarms he's caught so let's see how well he does at keeping them alive all winter.

We'll go by number of hives lost beginning October 1, 2012 thru March 1, 2013. Check in with the number of hives you have as of October 1st. if you want to participate so get done with all your combines and such before then.

Ollie may be old, bald and cheap but he's as honest as they come so we'll go by the honor system like we did the swarm challenge. Last I heard, Ollie had 60 hives. Is that right Ollie?
 
#327 ·
Went and checked yeseterday, all of my nucs had a 100% mortality (that's no big deal, I was completely expecting that because they were late season nucs and I didn't feed them or prep them to survive the winter at all) and have lost 4 of my 39 production colonies. Down to 35 hives of 39 and 0 of probably 20-25ish nucs? Not sure because I didn't keep an accurate count of the nucs becaues as I said, I was anticipating a 100% mortality from them last year.

Total loss ~ 29 hives
or
~ 45%
 
#328 ·
All 4 survived with 1weak so it went to a smaller box. Bottom comb full of moisture and few brood so we shall see. Moved a gift hive down from the about 2-3 miles away, today is the first day and they are bringing in pollen. Reconfigured my hive layout (with the help if a few strong men) yesterday with some hive movement, pissed off bees! Today they are over it and orientation all day. Spectacular warm perfect day in Novato, suppose to stay this way a few more days. I think I will be able to split two hives in a few weeks.

Not sure how swarm active I will be this summer....
It has already started!
 
#329 ·
Alright everyone, the challenge is over. Time to report in with your dead vs. live hive counts and then figure the lose by percentage. I lost 10 out of 35 which is a 28% lose. :(
 
#333 ·
I have 2 strong nice looking hives, double story 8 frame mediums. I started with 13, all nucs in various configurations. I'm not surprised, but would have been happier with a couple more. These are no treatment, survived one winter, so will be my base for increase this year, after honey. 15% survival rate, first year all treatment free last year.
 
#334 ·
17/18 survival in 5 over 5, or 5 over 5 over 5 nuc configuration (94%), and 8/12 (66%) in standard 10 frame equipment ranging from a single deep with an empty medium under it to a stack of 4 deeps. This computes to an overall survival rate of 83%.
All had a Fumigillan treatment in the fall, according to evolving opinion it is not needed!, and no chemicals for the mites; 12 of the nucs had a solid defined brood break in June as the queen got mated. When it is warm enough to get in there I am curious as to their strengths.
5 degrees F. at the time of writing, we in the midwest are likely to lose a few more before winter turns away its chilly face.
 
#337 ·
16/17. 94%. My only loss (so far) was a nuc that I rushed into 10 frame equipment and was robbed out by it's strong neighbors. As mentioned earlier, it's really too early here to declare success. I've got a few that are really light and are going through candy like nobody's business.
 
#338 ·
6 out of 6 survived! 5 Carnie's and 1 Italian. All in 8 frame mediums stacked 2 and 3 high, no treatments. 4 had brood breaks in July/August. The other 2 had spring queens. All went into October with at least 1 super of honey stores. Dec. 1 I placed sugar cakes on them all for insurance. I hope everyone adds as many details as possible so we can learn something from this challenge..:waiting:
 
#339 ·
Well 12 out of 19 made it and i am happy this is my 4th year and i don't have to buy bees that was a goal and soon the games begain.
This years goal is 15 strong hives and 15 nucs by fall. The hives i lost where dinkys and 3 where mite infested i know one thing ya have to do something when it comes to mites {varroa}.
 
#340 ·
I wasn't registered for the contest - hadn't been stopping in much since I was depressed over losing both my hives last winter... that's the winter before this one.

BUT - this year both are still alive and kicking as of yesterday, so had to stop in and this looked too perfect a thread to not present my happiness at making it this far. :D 2 hives - both untreated and the only thing I did differently this year from last is wrap them in tarpaper. (well, I think that was the only thing) Just very happy to find them alive - Will be feeding lots of sugar to see that they stay that way.
 
#347 ·
>Must be real tough for you guys that don't have a winter to deal with! What a challenge! :lpf:

Because we have no winter, there is no brood break and the mites have a year round season.
 
#352 ·
This is just a theory I have. I'm not an entomologist or a scientific researcher but I think because of our milder climate, we get no brood break and the mite populations don't die like they would in a much colder climate. It's interesting that the cold climate hives seem to be doing better so far or it could be that we Bay Area keeps are not that good at beekeeping!
 
#349 ·
I have not had time to make the rounds and make a tally. Wife needed me for a trips to the mall, mistress had to go to the fancy new Japanese restaurant in town and also shoe shopping. Spent a few days helping sexy young blonde I met at the bee club assembling her new Lang. I don't know why at my age I spend so much time on women. Lot of bee work I have to get done.
 
#351 ·
>Do you feel it's harder to "over winter" bees in California than areas that get snow and cold for months

I do know that the losses right here on the peninsula have been massive since 2006. And amazingly, lots of beginners losing brand new hives from packages in brand new boxes on Ritecell foundation. So clearly this is not a comb renewal problem. And would the contaminants in the tiny bit of wax on plastic foundation contribute to the losses? And how could it be a nutrition problem? Bees in suburbia with hundreds of different types of flowers blooming year round? And a massive eucalyptus flow starting in October? We do have year around DWV and most folks are treatment free. The bees die in mass during cold, wet weather even though they can fly most afternoons and the strong ones are bringing pollen. All I can figure is that it is mite vectored viruses.
 
#359 ·
No losses here. I woudn't have minded just one, as now I am already out of dark comb for bait boxes. I have 5 boxes out. But that is a different thread...

Oh, and this is the winter I was supposed to lose hives to varroa, according to a lifetime beekeeper.
 
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