We set up two hives with packages three weeks ago, inspected on Saturday and one hive was a little behind the other but both seemed to be doing well (being novices, it was a guess). I walked out by the hives this evening and noticed NO traffic at the entrance of the "slow" hive so I slid the cover back to take a peek and there were only about six lazy drones sitting on a small chunk of comb. Everyone else was gone!
I'm hoping the weather will hold tomorrow so we can look into the first hive to see if everyone moved over there, but we may have lost everyone to a nicer home?
Thoughts?
Anyone in NW Indiana, SW michigan with an extra nuc they'd be willing to part with?
I love this forum and all the great advice found here...thank you to everyone.
Homebru, you've received no reply to you Q's so I will jump in with some sympathy at least. :-\ So sorry :'(.
I had two hives build up beautifully last year, and survive the winter, to only dwindle away and essentially disappear with the spring. (this in spite of ample stores..)
This year I am reading and hearing too many stories of packages gone the way of yours. And lots of queen issues, bees that won't take syrup and appearances of general malaise. There seems to be an ill wind blowing through the apiaries, and I do not like the feel of it.
I installed three packages -on gear from my failed hives- and one (at least) is looking suspiciously low traffic...we'll see how this all plays out for each of us, but frankly, I do not like the looks of it one bit.
Best of luck to all of us. Seems we (the bees) need it. :-*
Sometimes bees just leave, many factors can cause this, such as:
1. Fouled boxes.
2. Too new a box with frames that needed to be aired out.
3. Bad location with too little sun. They like it warm.
4. Critters scratching the hive.
Sorry to hear about your loss. It's alot to learn and Bees have a way of doing what we don't expect.
As the old saying goes:
If at first you don't succeed, try try again..It's well worth it.
Sorry to hear about your loss. I remember our first year when we had a hive just all die on us. As I drove into our driveway, I saw my husband back by the hive with the boxes and frames spread out all around him. I knew that was not a good sign. but in our case we had dead bees everywhere, very very sad.
Even after keeping bees for a few years now, we sometimes lose a hive. Also upsetting but we do the best we can with the girls and hope for the best. We're up to 6 hives on our property and 2 at a local school. The habit becomes addicting.
Thanks, all. It's been frustrating, but Ben and I got out on Sunday and peeked in the remaining hive and they're doing pretty good. Queen's laying eggs, they're gathering pollen and feeding on syrup and local nectar but growing very slowly. We did talk to a local beek and he's struggling with his new hives this spring as well. Cold, wind, and rain haven't helped the bees out much.
We're going to a gathering this Saturday and I'm hoping that I can find someone who will sell us a Nuc or a split...
J-