My hive died within the past week

[weathershaman]

That's a really good point. I have to somehow get beyond the GMOs, chemical processing and the bee die offs, but I'm getting there! Thank you!

[Gypsi]

I have already made a difference. By losing a swarm I brought bees back to an area where they had been wiped out. If they make it through the winter, it will be an ongoing difference. My friend next to Dallas has done the same. We are still learning, but every little bit counts.

[weathershaman]

I agree, you have made a BIG difference in Dallas by bringing back the bees. Each of us counts. I created my blog, www.cherryplainfarm.blogspot.com, years before I started keeping bees. The front page says "saving Gaia one bee at a time," featuring photos of bees I took on various herbs around the homestead.

I'm with you 100%. BTW, just checked on my bees, they are humming loudly and happy. I spent the morning on this forum and speaking to two experienced local beekeepers, one about building some wooden frames for us this spring, and one about feeding in the winter. Both gave me great ideas, which I implemented immediately.

Our community is a powerful force for the bees...May they return in strength.

Jules

[Ted Kretschmann]

CG, Sadly to say all my bees are Diabetic!!! They all crave SWEETS!! TED

[cg3]

Are you sure it's not the Bud Lite?

[Ted Kretschmann]

Stella, Maybe....

[azeryth]

hello, everyone,

im having a similar problem on some of our hives... two of my strongest colonies started showing signs of mite infestation...the broods are dying or not completely developing--they have that dried up appearance, both eggs and larva..i've seen some mites in some of the cups.

at first i thought it must be the queen. she was also laying two or more eggs in a cup even if there were a lot of space available.

then i also thought it might be because i didnt feed them enough. rainy season most of last quarter but an adviser told me that they still can get there own food.

now i lost one colony and im afraid i might lose another.

any ideas? i would appreciate it very much.

thanks.

thesa

[delber]

At first description it sounds like chalkbrood. I'd encourage you to go to Michael Bush's site and look there for descriptions etc. I hope this helps.

[Gypsi]

If you have mites and are seeing mites, (I have never seen chalkbrood), I dusted mine with powdered sugar, as they cleaned off the sugar they cleaned off the mites. BUT I did this in August. It is now January. I also fed like crazy, it was a dearth.

Hopefully someone in the tropics will chime in.

[hoodswoods]

Here in the south, this would be pretty early in the winter to have starvation death - they usually have enough stores to get them thru a bad month or more of it before we start seeing a collapse. I would look at some previously-mentioned mitigating circumstances (robbing, poor queen, parasites & diseases).

[seamuswildflower]

l put a jar of sugar water right over the cluster so it will not freeze and they can reach it. lf you use an outside feeder it may be too far away for them to reach it. l add a deep and a spacer so a gallon jar will fit. l also feed pollen patties.

[beeware10]

throw the grease pattys away. trachael is not much of a problem anymore. Its hard to feed syrup until spring in your area. your best chance for feeding is to use a candy board. good luck

[seamuswildflower]

you can make your own feed syrup. 1 to 1 sugar to water. heat till disolved

[delber]

Guys, This guy is in New York. It's too cold up here to fee syrup regardless of whether it's 1-1 or 2-1. Dry sugar or candy board is the only option for feed at this point. Once temps are above 50 in a couple months you can start feeding syrup, but not now. In NC and Ga. things are different.

[StevenG]

do not under any circumstances feed 1:1! Even 2:1 if iffy, as Delber says. Get a recipe for a candy board, mix it up, cast it in foil, invert the feed over the inner cover opening, put an empty shallow super (if you have one) around it, and feed your bees. As has been posted previously, the bees will not be able to eliminate the moisture from their bodies with 1:1 syrup, even if it was warm enough for them to take it. You don't want to give them dysentery.
Regards,
Steven