Found 3 more dead outs today. Looks like they were too few numbers and couldn't break the cluster to move to food and starved. Plenty of stores in all three of the hives. But you can see from the pics the numbers were real low.
Each of the pictures is a different hive. Each picture shows frames that were next to each other in the hive.
~Alfred
(https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1911732_10202305617115208_957365066_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1655986_10202305617875227_1319954125_n.jpg)
(https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1/1932444_10202305618235236_540942921_n.jpg)
Mind if I ask what your mite load looked like last July/August? It seems, from what I have read, that is the time that you have to get the mites low enough to build healthy winter bees. Where these hives first year? Where did they come from? Swarm, split, package...etc.
Just kinda wondering... Sorry for your losses and if there is a lesson in it I hope you learn it (and then pass it on to us new bees)....
Did not check where you are at but in Washington State you can send dead outs and whatnot to WSU for free testing to find out what diseases, if any, they were suffering at the time.
Spring will come and with it a chance to rebuild. I guess I am just an optimist that way. Good luck to ya.
They were new splits from summer. Probably lack of proper build up on my part. Did not feed enough through fall. Stores were low in late fall so I did late feeding which built up stores but obviously didn't build up population enough.
I'm in Colorado We have had some unusually sustained cold temps this year. I have some supplemental heat supplied to my hives, but didn't get it started till after the hard cold snap started.
I thought we was in the business of raising bees.
well are we?
then in my mind, as with my children, I would give them the best chance I could. true?
then why the hesitation about insulation and or ventilation?
they are still survivors with help.
no adequate ventilation is their death warrents
so I just shoot my own darn foot. because what i paid for them is just money. I haven't formed an attachment them. NOT ME no sir
when mine died of insecticide poisoning yes I was bothered. got some more, I'll do somethings different now
jay