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Offline dutchlion

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Must've made rookie mistakes...
« on: November 09, 2015, 09:54:02 am »
 :'(

So I've spent plenty of hours over the last few weeks crying over my lost bees. I know that I've not been active on the forum, and life has kept me from my association meetings, but I've been diligently watching over my hives.

In the past 4 weeks though, I've lost both of my hives. The first hive was completely emptied of everything. The second hive, which was going strong just last week (I know because I fed them and they were all there), is gone. Well, I have the queen and 8 of her workers. I also have all the honey that hive produced (an 8 frame medium super- and just about completely full). They just seemed to have vanished.

I am simply perplexed. Any thoughts?
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Offline apisbees

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2015, 10:08:57 am »
Did you check your mite loads, treat for mites early?
At first CCD was considered a commercial bee operator problem that the back yard beekeeper was immune from. With more and more reports like yours I am not so sure it is.
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Offline Jacobs

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2015, 10:21:49 am »
I'm sorry about your losses and hope you won't get too discouraged.  One question comes to mind initially--did you keep track of your varroa mite situation?  I did mite treatments in early to mid September and now am hoping for the best.  I did not treat (no practical way) the observation hive that Iddee has "given" me to use.  I was able to watch and learn as I saw a healthy and functioning hive rapidly decline in September.  It appeared to be overwhelmed by a variety of brood diseases.  Many of the nearly ready to emerge bees that I pulled from cells had deformed wings.  Once disease hit a critical mass, population of the hive declined very rapidly.  If I had not been able to watch the progress of the decline, I would have been puzzled about what had happened.

Even though you haven't been able to make GCBA meetings, I hope you have or will join our local forum and participate there as well.  Hands on help from local beekeepers can make a difference.  I know.  I've been helped by Iddee more times than I can count.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2015, 02:24:34 pm »
Agree with the others. I have screen bottom boards where I can check the mite drop every couple weeks. When I see 10ish dropped mites, I treat the Oxalic Vaproizer pronto. I keep my hives pretty darn clean of mites.

However, it has amazed me how quickly a mite load of 2,000 dropped mites can happen, like 2 or 3 weeks. Like Jacobs, every year in the beginning of the fall season, I notice some deformed wings virus. Let Me Tell Ya! That can happen in a blink of an eye, and I am on it like lighting.

Sorry to hear of your lost bees :(
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Offline Perry

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2015, 05:38:10 pm »
Probably mites, but not sure. Something happened to cause them to abscond I imagine, and a heavy mite load would do it.
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Offline CBT

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2015, 06:31:49 pm »
I think ( take that with a grain of salt) that a heavy hive beetle load and or with varroa issue can drive a colony out of there home.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2015, 07:26:28 pm »
"In the past 4 weeks though, I've lost both of my hives. The first hive was completely emptied of everything. The second hive, which was going strong just last week (I know because I fed them and they were all there), is gone. Well, I have the queen and 8 of her workers. I also have all the honey that hive produced (an 8 frame medium super- and just about completely full). They just seemed to have vanished.
I am simply perplexed. Any thoughts? "

within 4 weeks?  absconding as others have said............within 4 weeks?...........the second hive going strong last week and is now gone?  would like to know more.  describe the first hive........also interested in anything or any observations of these hives you can share with us dutchlion! 
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2015, 08:13:13 pm »
Quote from: Perry on November 09, 2015, 05:38:10 pm
Probably mites, but not sure. Something happened to cause them to abscond I imagine, and a heavy mite load would do it.

I am wondering about your theory, Perry.  If they abscond, doesn't the queen go with them?  Dutchlion said he found queen with 8 attendants. 
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Offline iddee

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2015, 08:54:42 pm »
Baker, dutchlion has a pink symbol next to gender.  A heavy mite load usually means the workers leave and don't return. Not always at one swoop.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Must've made rookie mistakes...
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2015, 09:24:59 pm »
Quote from: Bakersdozen on November 09, 2015, 08:13:13 pm
I am wondering about your theory, Perry.  If they abscond, doesn't the queen go with them?  Dutchlion said he found queen with 8 attendants.

Looking back you are right B12. CCD (whatever it really is) more aptly fits the description alright, but I have zero experience with that.
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