So many good responses, all very different but point clearly to the fact that over wintering surveys say NOTHING OF VALUE!
Eastside's bees were all perfect and a bear wiped them out. Come on,,,;we're not going to count that ;are we?!!
Keith and Harry get on the bees and stay on them, stay on them, stay on them right up till it's too late: CHEATERS!!!
And how about plugging in nucs? Is that a combine that would mean one loss or is it a seasonal beekeeping manipulation?
And here is another >>story<< for you to digest:
If I were to honestly answer many winter loss surveys by their oddball parameters, my answer would normally ZERO. Even in the years that I have suffered 17% loss or 20% loss, those losses were taken in the fall.
My 5.5% losses were all taken in the fall this year. Mainly queen issues.
Last year I had a 17% loss. All in the fall.
Year before, broke my record of 2.8% , at 2.6%. All taken before the hives were wrapped.
What I see in the last look in November when the hives are wrapped are what I have in the spring, year after year.
Sorry to say this to my fellow beekeepers, but....
If "winter losses" come as a surprise, your outfit is out of control in my opinion.
It's not CCD, not Disappearing Bee Syndrom.
Its a bad case of TOO MANY BEES TO KEEP TRACK OF syndrom.
Don't hate me but I see it all of the time. :/