What went wrong?

[Rosieriveter]

So I'm very new to beekeeping. I had a hive set up for me last spring by a teenager who was going to coach me, but he never really got back to. I bought a couple of books & by the time fall came realized I should have been doing more for them than I had! I live in Southern Oregon & right now we're having crazy weather 55-60 degree days & into the teens at night. There's been lots of activity around the face of the hive since the days are sunny & warm. I've been feeding them, but have noticed about 10 dead each day. Yesterday there was no activity & no noise from inside so I took the top off all were dead! There's some yellow gooey stuff in some of the cells. I'm so sad: Any help would be great!

[Allen Dick]

The simple facts are that a certain percentage of hives always die over winter. If you have one hive, that could be the one, so it might not be anything you could have prevented. That is one of the reasons most recommend having at least two. It improves your odds and gives something to compare to.

At any rate, unless you post pictures, and even if you do, there is going to be a lot of guessing, but no sure answer because we are not there to see, feel, and smell.

If you know of any beekeepers around where you live, give them a call and see if they are interested in doing a post mortem. If there is a local bee club, that is a good place to start. Otherwise look in a store and see who is putting local honey on the shelves.

[Rosieriveter]

Thanks for the help! I'll look for a local beekeeper. I'm determined to try again & this time I'll try two hives.

[Sundance]

Don't give up until you pop the lid and take a good
frame by frame look......

[LBEE]

Hi Rosieriveter!

Last night (Feb 2nd) the Southern Oregon Beekeepers Association met. We meet at 7:30 PM until 9:00 and almost always on the first Monday of each month. The meeting is held at the Southern Oregon Research & Extension Center. 569 Hanley Road, Central Point OR 97503. The next meeting is scheduled for March 2nd.

We will have a beekeeping school on April 4th.

The following is a map of the location of the Extension Center:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...29,0.2211&z=12

From Grants Pass, the fastest route would be to go to the "North" or first Medford exit, which intersects Hwy 62. At the stop light at the off ramp, turn right. Follow the signs to Jacksonville, which means that you will travel generally straight until you turn left on Hanley Rd., on which the Extension Center is located.

If you are coming from the north on hwy 238, you would take the second driveway to the right. After turning into the driveway, in 200 feet will be a meeting hall to the right and parking to the left.

You will opportunity to ask questions after the "business" part of the meeting.

I hope this will be of help.

Larry Edwards

[Rosieriveter]

Larry: Thank you so much! I'd love to come to the beekeeper school in April & also the next meeting if it's open to the public, or what do I need to do to join. I'm familiar with the extension office. Any suggestions on where to order bees other that Glory Bee in Eugene?

[LBEE]

Hi again Rosieriveter!

There will be a charge for the school in April of $ 30 per person, $ 40 per family and $ 20 for club members. The beekeepers meetings are open but after visiting for 3 or 4 times you would be encouraged to join the Association, the dues are $ 1.00/month. I would have to check on where people are getting bees. If you came to the meeting next March, you could ask for suppliers.

I do know of one source which is Old Sol Enterprises which is North of Rogue River. I do not believe that he sells packages, but he does sell 5 frame NUCs. (The NUCs get established much more quickly.) He also sells queens. The catalog page is at:

http://www.oldsolenterprises.com/catalog.html

The contact information is on his home page at:

http://www.oldsolenterprises.com/

If you want to get a NUC from him, it would be best to give him a call and get on his list. (So you would not have to wait as long.)

If you have some experience (or are brave) you could put an ad on Craig's List or in the local newspaper or call the Vector Control for Josephine County and see if you can get some swarms. I got two from Jackson County Vector Control last year.

At the meetings last summer, several requests for swarm removals and "cut outs" (removing an existing colony from a building or tree or ?) were announced at the meeting. Most of them were fairly difficult to get. (Such as 30 feet in the air!)

I hope that this helps.

Larry Edwards

[Rosieriveter]

You've been a great help & I look forward to seeing you at the March meeting!