Author Topic: Winter losses so far, How's yours?? (Read 19074 times)

brooksbeefarm · « **on:** January 25, 2015, 06:24:08 pm »

Well it's not good news, i've been holding off posting that so far i've lost 17 hives out of 75

, but i'm thinking if i end up with between 50 to 55 live hives i'll be lucky. I found most were robbed out, 3 were trying to supersede, and 4 of them looked like a moisture problem. There was one that has me stumped?there was 4 frames with small patches of brood that the cappings had a sunken look to them with a small hole in them, like a pin point? When i peeled the cappings back there wasn't nothing in them, they were totaly dry no sign of a bee or larva?Have any of you seen this? Jack
PS. It could have been worse, i've been treatment free going on 4 years now.

Curtchann · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2015, 06:30:57 pm »

Sorry to hear that Jack!

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #2 on:** January 25, 2015, 06:46:13 pm »

If you look "CLOSE" can you see an egg in the bottom? Strange that it would be capped if the egg had died or been chilled though.. Is there a "scale" on the bottom of the cell?

I am at 4 for 40 right now, but the weather is supposed to change. Calling for 16 degrees next Sunday. Will be cold for a bit. Need to go through the hives and check the sugar!

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2015, 07:05:02 pm »

I looked close inside the cells and nothing there, i guess what ever was there could have dried up? Most of the robbed out hives were one deep 10 frame nucs that i had started last fall, but was doing real good, it must have turned cold during the robbing and other problems because i must have over 600 lbs of honey off of them that i salvaged.

What i don't feed hives that come up short i'll use for spring nucs. Jack

Perry · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2015, 07:28:05 pm »

I'm down 2 out of 65 (so far). Found another that I thought was dead, but when I popped the inner cover there was a softball group of bees near the upper entrance, so I don't hold out much hope for that one either.
Lots of honey left in the 2 dead outs, just not many bees. I found one tiny queen, so I'm guessing late supercedure and not enough time to ramp up with winter bees. I don't re-queen so there is no doubt I have some that are getting on in years. I just let the bees decide when to replace them.
Out of 5 nucs 4 are doing well, one is getting weak.

Loooooong way to go yet. Tuesday supposed to get over a foot of snow on Tuesday.

Ray4852 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2015, 08:20:54 pm »

All six hives are doing well. I wish it would warm up a little. Every night lows drop down to 5 to 10 degrees With a 2ft snow pack. Day time temp in the mid 20 with light wind.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #6 on:** January 25, 2015, 08:32:17 pm »

hmm, Wait, Do I have to count the ones I was experimenting on? :'(

iddee · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2015, 08:37:55 pm »

I murdered half my hives, so 50% here.

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Of course, I went into winter with only two.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #8 on:** January 25, 2015, 08:43:50 pm »

DANG Iddee, dont kill that one off! I want to steel some eggs!

GLOCK · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2015, 08:56:43 pm »

Have only lost 1 out of 32 so far. It has been a good winter so far still 6 weeks till spring

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2015, 09:07:34 pm »

Iddee, are you like a long gone neighbor of mine? I was at the feed store when Burl came running in and said, i need some antibiotics for my cows quick, the clerk ask what for, Burl said i've lost half my herd, the clerk said, that's awful Burl how many did you loose? Burl replied, One.

Jack

iddee · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2015, 09:20:03 pm »

Yep, that's it. I always sell down in the fall, then build up in the spring. Tried feeding corn solids on top the frames. Didn't work. Killed the whole cluster. No problem, swarms and removals will start coming in mid-march. Should have 20 or more before June.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #12 on:** January 25, 2015, 11:20:27 pm »

I don't get that many swarm calls anymore, i let the new beekeepers have them. I'm planning on putting out several swarm traps out around my outyards, to catch some of my own swarms and maybe some feral hive swarms in those wooded areas. I also have some hives that haven't had any treatments or been requeened for 10 to 15 years, i have made nucs from these hives by taking frames with eggs and bees to raise queens from them and have taken queen cells from them when i've caught them in swarm modes and made nucs. I rarely see shb's or much of a mite problem if any from these hives. Don't know if the shb or mites just haven't found them or they know how to keep them under control? It's been many years since i've had hives like these, i'm keeping my fingers crossed. Jack

Yankee11 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 25, 2015, 11:29:24 pm »

I've lost one out of 45 or so,

So Iddee, that stuff you were trying out didn't work so well?

Bamabww · « **Reply #14 on:** January 26, 2015, 07:28:02 am »

This will probably jinx me but so far have lost none due to the winter weather. Still have 7 out of 7.

Marty68 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 26, 2015, 08:13:03 am »

i've lost 2 just before winter hit. but i expected them not to survive anyway as they were failing in the first place. but i still have 6 going strong.

camero7 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 26, 2015, 08:23:50 am »

I'm running about 15% losses so far this winter, but we have a blizzard coming tomorrow, might kill a few more. I hate the wind and the cold combined. Takes it's toll on the hives.

rwlaw · « **Reply #17 on:** January 26, 2015, 08:35:02 am »

7 out of twenty so far, never got around to culling the weak ones, so I'm not breaking out the crying towel yet.

mamapoppybee · « **Reply #18 on:** January 26, 2015, 03:31:00 pm »

still have my one and only at the moment. just praying all goes well and i don't screw things up!

Papakeith · « **Reply #19 on:** January 26, 2015, 04:25:39 pm »

I might have one lost out of 15. much better so far in comparison to last winter when I lost 7 out of 11.