Odd, isn't it, that the first gorgeous day of February also comes with the distress of finding dead hives? Of my four colonies, I discovered three starved out...I think moisture was a problem, too. One hive is still living and seems strong---I fed them big blocks of fondant and hope they can hang on for another month.
The living hive began as a swarm I captured 2 years ago, and if it hangs on, it will have survived two tough winters. I call them the Amazons.
I'm entering my third season with bees and am now more determined than ever to capture swarms and to figure out how to make splits and raise queens from surviving local colonies like my Amazons. Today, I'm dragging my table saw outside and I'm building swarm-bait boxes.
On the only bright side: Losing the three colonies gives me the chance to make a few equipment changes. I'm going with all 8-frame mediums with foundationless frames (with the exception of a some plastic small-cell foundation), and I'm switching to top entrances. I'll also add a couple of top-bar hives to the yard as I collect swarms to fill them.
And next autumn, I'll not be quite so flippant about feeding.
So, I'm making adjustments. But, still...beekeeping can get rough on the psyche.
-Liz
Sorry to hear that! I know the feeling well, the urge to build more conflicting with the urge to throw in the towel and get rid of them all!! :roll:
Glad to hear you are accepting it well by planning more hives :-D!!! If you have 20 hives, and 4 die, that's not a big deal at all.... :shock:
Seems like you've got the perfect attitude to become a successful beek :)
thomas
it happens, it sucks ,it will happen again.
with that in mind welcome to bee keeping!!
ok now for the help.
you have one great hive to start with as you have said.
make nucs now!
get ready for the swarm cells that your hive will be making soon.
1. pull most frames with cells and place them in the nucs with bees, food and caped brood.
2. leave at least 2 cells in the parent hive with about half the bees.
3. move queen and the other half of the bees, honey, larve and caped brood into another hive.
the end result will be new queens from survivor stock in the nucs, your original hive will still be able to give a crop of honey ( flow dependent )
and the old queen will start a new hive that might produce a crop as well if you can start early enough
i lost alot of my first hives until i started using the cutouts and swarms
that lived without treatment chemicals or feeding as my breeder stock.
the bees that come from those hives winter over great.
2 years ago i went into winter with 29 hives and came out with 19. used those for queen rearing source
just for me. ( learned to graft last year )
this year i went into winter with 57 hives ( mostly my queens ) and have 53 now.
i really like the survivors and your winter over will improve with local survivors
others will have more ideas for you and most will be helpful.
dont over worry about the losses, learn a few tricks and move on and you will get better!
dont let it get your psyche get out of wack just stay here on beemaster and learn.
its a great place and a great pastime!
bailey
Thanks bailey :) Your 1, 2, 3 step advise is perfect for framing in my bee corner.
thomas
Liz: my heart goes out to you! When I lose a hive, my mentor always asks, "Well, did you learn anything?" I always answer, "Yes!" In my mind, though, I'm thinking, "That doesn't make me feel better, though."
Luckily, spring is just around the corner! With it comes a healing of the spirit, renewed hopes, new game plans, and best of all...new bees!
Happy 2011 to you!
Hi Liz
Sorry to hear about your luck.
This has happened to me.
My mentor said to me. Why is there to much moisture in there.
no. 1 I put a piece of 1" foam under the hive cover to keep moisture from dripping into the cluster.
no. 2 I use shims to prop the back of the hive cover up, So there is ventilation.
My question is.---What did you do for ventilation. Drill holes ????????????
I live near Richmond Indiana, about 50 miles north of you
Baily" is right you must have good stock. But you got to keep them dry.
Like my mentor say's most of the hives lost every year. is from moisture, not the cold.
Good luck You have a lot of work to do.
I sure like these russian bees. Jerry
Sorry to hear it. I checked today and 5 of my 6 are dead. Last year my losses were 25%.
It's a great life if you don't weaken.