TN Beekeeping Assoc. President talks about losses

[Slowmodem]

Charlie Parton, our state association's president (and a really nice guy) talks about his losses this past winter.

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local/maryville-blount/2014/05/18/east-tennessee-beekeeper-stung-by-large-losses/9266861/

[LazyBkpr]

   Averaging out the numbers I had from 4 different clubs I came up with just under 60%  At one place the losses were over 70%.    Most of that was attributed to complacency though..  the keeps set up for winter like they normally did. The brutal and long winter took its toll, making those who prepared, without preparing for the WORST pay for the mistake. Right about the time everyone wanted a break in the temps so they could go pop covers to check the bees was when it started hitting wind chills of -50, and didnt let up until it was too late.

[Gypsi]

Texas never knows what winter will be like. I was on the FB page of another beek site getting virtually bullied by a guy who insisted you never feed bees sugar.

In Texas, if you take ANY honey or you don't, you'd still best feed your bees. I watch the weather. Hear the cold is coming, make more fondant.

[LazyBkpr]

you let that insistent fellow do as he pleases with his bees..     I have been looking for someone like that nearby so I can slap em!

[Gypsi]

He lives in Idaho, I gather the beekeepers are ornery up there.  Seriously, this dearth defies all beekeeping or gardening norms. we had enough flow and I cut colony numbers back enough by selling hives to get a little honey from our 6 week spring flow, and he tells me I have to leave it all for the bees so I won't feed. And it's like, what the heck did I spend a couple of thousand dollars  and do all this work for if I can't have a little honey..  I don't even try to sell any. It's just for me and family, there is no profit in beekeeping in my little corner of Texas except selling the occasional hive.

[LazyBkpr]

The spring honey is for you, the bees will gather more through summer and fall..  If there is a dearth they get fed a little to insure they are full..   I use that feeding to get the Fumagillin B into the cells. 
   I agree that honey IS the best feed for the bees, but I also want to get some Meds into the hives, if I leave all the honey on, I cant get enough of it to them in time to be capped.. Unless of course I want to feed all summer..   I prefer they feed themselves.. IF...  in the fall they are chock full of stores for winter I will even steal a bit of that so I can get at least two empty combs for them to fill with medicated syrup..  I have lost two hives in the spring to Nosema Apis, I do not intend to lose any more.
   If someone else chooses to lose their bees AFTER they survived a long hard winter I/we can do little about it.
   Your point is well received as well. There are reasons we all keep bees. To each of us those reasons may vary, and because of that, we will each manage our bees in a different manner..  For me, or anyone to judge your method as wrong because it does not match my/our own is actually the part that is wrong.