Doomed!

[Noronajo]

It was warm enough yesterday to check my hives I haven't seen since February 18th- before the last Arctic blast. I have 8 hives located a mile apart 14 miles north of where I live . I checked the first 5 and bees were flying and really busy. I drove down the road and as I've noticed before, not much was going on. After a minute I did see a bee or two but nothing like my other hives. When I checked the 3 hives- 2 double deep hives and a single- the middle hive was a goner. That makes 3 hives lost at this location since December( none down the road). 2 were mine and one was Crockers( guy who saw me tending my bees at his neighbors and wanted to keep bees). When Crocker offered this spot it seemed ideal but it doesn't seem so to the bees and I can't see why. They've just never thrived here like they have one measly mile away. He's gonna get one more hive in the spring and keep it up near his house but I think I'm gonna take my 2 hives and relocate. Are some locations just doomed?

[Papakeith]

I think yes, some areas are just "better"  A mile difference can make all the difference.

[apisbees]

Poor air drainage in the winter so the hive sits in a pocket of air with a higher moisture, is an area harder for the bees to winter in. Access to water during the spring and summer. And although bees can fly up to 5 miles to gather pollen and nectar the resources spent in collecting it starts to equal the resources collected, so we see very little gain in the hive. It can even effect the hive development as the bees will only expand the hive to what the resources that are coming in will support. A lack of pollen and its quality can have a huge effect on the buildup and development of the hive. we always want to see pollen being stored in cells around the brood nest not the bees using it as fast as it is coming into the hive.

[Noronajo]

Caney River is same distance from all hives and farmland in all directions but healthier hives are a little higher above river. I've looked at variables but it's still a mystery.

[brooksbeefarm]

I have 8 different bee yards within 60 miles of home, and yes some produce more honey year after year because they are in wild unfarmed areas. Trees and brush everywhere for miles, but the weather controls if your going to have a good year or not. JMHO. Jack

[lazy shooter]

I'm with Jack.  The weather is the greatest variable to me.  Statistically speaking, you are talking about a small sample, insignificant sample.  The hives that died may have been the inferior hives.  Still, I would move the apiary.

[LazyBkpr]

Is someone near his house using pesticides, fungicides etc that are causing problems, building up in the wax etc?  Cant add much more, everyone else pretty much covered anything else I might have guessed..