Well it looks like my putting sugar on some newspaper on the top bars was too little too late. I went into the hives yesterday while it was so nice to find both of my hives had died. It looks like the last few weeks of nasty weather killed them. They were all but totally out of honey/syrup and I guess it was too cold for them to move up onto the sugar that I put into the hive a few weeks ago. all the bees that could were face first in cells the rest were still clinging onto the comb or down on the bottom board. I don't think I fed them enough in the fall either. Live and learn I guess. Looks like it's time to start looking around for some nucs. I cleaned them out took out all but a couple drawn frames and filled the rest with blank frames and starter strips. Maybe I'll get lucky and catch a feral swarm before I'm able to get a hold of some nucs.
I need to start doing some bee lining; because I'm pretty sure there are at least 1 or 2 feral hives out there; No one that attends local bee meetings is all that close to where I have my hives. There are a ton of bees going ofter the spoils of my dead outs. What little is left after I cleaned them up anyway. Mostly just a little pollen and some of the little bits of sugar that I missed.
wtiger. Sorry about the losses. It is a hard thing when the bees don't make it, not much can be said or done, just these hard though lessons that we learn through life experiences. I have lost bees, it is not a nice feeling at all. Though, as you are doin', keep on keepin' on. Have a great and wonderful life. Cindi
Don't be too hard on yourself, beekeeping can be a real challenge. Get back on the horse and saddle up for your next ride is just around the corner. Put out a swarm trap or two, you can even use the old hive for a trap, by placing a little lemon grass oil on a sidewall or botom board. Make sure you have ten frames in the hive so they will draw out something workable though. Good luck to you.
Sincerely, JP
it was warm yesterday and I went to check the hives to see if the girls were flying. Two of my three hives were, I opened the hive that was dead, they looked like i hit a pause button in the middle of there routine, some where cleaning out comb, and others were huddled together, but i did notice that the queen was away from the cluster, so not sure if she was trying to find food or what, I just thought that was a little weird. Anybody ever have that happen where the queen is by herself???
Beekeeperrookie. Now that thing with the queen does sound kind of strange. I always got the impression that the queen cannot feed herself, that is why she has so many attending to her every need. I would be interested in hearing the comments coming on that we know will come, just wait and see. Have a great and wonderful day, love our life. Cindi
yeah i wish i took a picture of it but, couldnt find my camera. There was a cluster on the frame that she was on but she was by herself away from the cluster
I'll take whatever flack for this but....
Some colonies do not like working piles of dry granulated sugar.
I've tried to figure out why, but I have no good explanation.
I have never had a hive refuse a candy board or sugar block on the top bar.
This lends me to wonder if they don't like crossing the paper edge?
Jeff, I don't know why you think you would get flack from this. It is probably very true, maybe some bees just don't, period..... Have a wonderful and beautifully awesome day, Cindi
I found spraying the edge of the sugar with some water until it's damp helps get them interested.
yeah I tried that. Oh well no use crying over spilled milk. I'm just going to order a couple nucs from dixie bee supply. I already ordered a few cardboard nucs for swarm traps that I'm going to scatter about and some swarm lures.
I was wearing shorts sunday and today we're getting buried in snow. :)