I think I'm finished

Francus · May 14, 2012, 10:27:14 AM

Not on purpose, mind you, and I guess I'll start up again as soon as I can.

About a week ago I noticed gobs of dead bees in front of my hives. I went into the new hive from package bees and almost no larve, no eggs, no queen, gobs of dead bees. I figured it may be just the new bees. Went to the established hive and the same thing. Two weeks ago both of these were doing fine. Lots of honey, lots of eggs, lots of larve and brood.

My only guess is they got into something with a lot of pesticide, but I'm in the city and I don't know of any farming operations within bee flight range. If it was just one hive I'd figure I had a disease or something, but both at the same time with the same symptoms I figure it has to be environmental.

Either way, when it stops raining here I'll go in and see what's up. I'm hoping the queens were just hiding real well and taking a break or something. I still have a few bees coming and going from the hives, but not near the numbers there were a few weeks ago.

It's real disappointing, though. I'm hoping they pull through, but I just don't see how they have the numbers to make it.

Seanmhair · May 14, 2012, 10:37:59 AM

Did your city spray for mosquitoes? I called our Vector Control guy last week to be put on a list to call before spraying. It was lucky I did because he was a new guy who did not even know we could have bees in the city. He was very courteous and interested. He took my phone number and email address, but I will keep my ears open as well.

I know how awful you must feel.

David McLeod · May 14, 2012, 10:44:10 AM

Here's one thing I have seen in urban enviroments.

A homeowner calls a PCO or NWCO wanting someone to come out because of a "bee swarm" all over their bushes. Upon arrival they find a blooming holly or some other blooming shrub. The ethical operator would tell the homeowner it's just foraging bees and to wait until the bloom is over or to remove the blooming plants. The unethical will douse the bush with Sevin. I have seen this many many times in my market and can state for a fact that a former employer of mine teaches his techs to do this.

Intheswamp · May 14, 2012, 10:46:55 AM

Mosquito spraying is definitely a possibility. Though there is no "farming" close by, could there be some gardeners who use sevin on their peas and tomato plants? Or even a neighbor who uses some type of yard "fogger"? :-\

Ed

Francus · May 14, 2012, 10:48:45 AM

No mosquito spraying from the city. The city sprayed for cankor (sp?) worms a few years back but they gave everyone a week's notice of the fact. The city has been real good about that sort of thing.

I do think it is very likely some homeowner or pest controller that got spray happy. Either way, the damage is done. I didn't find any pest problems that would have caused it. My girls always kept a clean house.

tillie · May 14, 2012, 11:15:55 AM

Are you a member of a local bee club? I'm wondering if someone there would help you with a few frames of brood and eggs - you could combine what's left into one hive and not totally throw in the towel?

Linda T sad for you in Atlanta

Kathyp · May 14, 2012, 11:18:08 AM

i think you are more apt to have a bee poisoning in the city. it has been my experience that farm people understand the value of the bees and are far more careful about spraying, etc. city people tree hug on the weekends then squeal about bugs and smells all week long. farm people call me for removals before they do anything. city people call after they have tried every way to kill the bees and have failed.

maybe you'll get a few swarms calls... :(

snmyork · May 14, 2012, 12:07:45 PM

Hey Francus,

I am in Clover, SC and if you need a few frames of brood and bees let me know.

snmyork

Jim134 · May 14, 2012, 12:17:33 PM

Quote from: kathyp on May 14, 2012, 11:18:08 AM
i think you are more apt to have a bee poisoning in the city. it has been my experience that farm people understand the value of the bees and are far more careful about spraying, etc. city people tree hug on the weekends then squeal about bugs and smells all week long. farm people call me for removals before they do anything. city people call after they have tried every way to kill the bees and have failed.

maybe you'll get a few swarms calls... :(

:piano: :piano: :piano:

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

FRAMEshift · May 14, 2012, 12:50:08 PM

Quote from: kathyp on May 14, 2012, 11:18:08 AM
city people tree hug on the weekends then squeal about bugs and smells all week long. farm people call me for removals before they do anything.

Oh please! First I think you are generalizing a bit too much. There are all sorts of folks in the city and on farms. Monoculture plantings and large scale application of pesticides and herbicides are certainly more common in the countryside. There is a resurgence of beekeeping going on in places like Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Many urban women especially are becoming involved with raising bees. They are taking up the slack from many old white guys who got out of beekeeping when mites made it much harder to make a profit. (I can say this because I'm an old white guy. :evil:) The Orange County Beekeepers Association has many new, environmentally conscious urban beekeepers, who hug trees all week long and take good care of their bees too.

Kathy, I have to think that your ragging on urban dwellers must be the product of things getting a little too boring in Boring. Are you just trying to juice up your day a bit? :-D

Kathyp · May 14, 2012, 03:52:23 PM

Quotewho hug trees all week long and take good care of their bees too.

ah, but they are beekeepers. what do their urban neighbors do?

QuoteMonoculture plantings and large scale application of pesticides and herbicides are certainly more common in the countryside.

sure, but the farmers are usually a little more careful about when and where they spray.

i'm sure there are some lovely city people who care deeply about the honeybee, but if i could bet on who is going to call me AFTER they have sprayed, it's going to be the folks in the city.

iddee · May 14, 2012, 05:09:09 PM

Francus, there's still plenty of bees in my yard if you want to come after them.

BabcockFarms · May 14, 2012, 05:19:01 PM

I have been on both sides of the fence and have used to much pesticides when I lived in the city. Mostly because I had a bit if Tim in me. If a little was good then a lot was better. That was very ignorant and reckless on my part.

Per square mile farmers use less pesticides. Bottom line pesticides cost money and I guarantee you that they are not going to use any more than absolutely necessary to get the job done. Most, and I am generalizing, city folks are going to use more because if they use twice as much as needed the cost at their scale has a far less impact on their bottom line and they expect immediate results.

That being said, there is a lot of nasty pesticides that are used and misused in the field. Farmers along with city dwellers need to be more cognizant of the environment and become better stewards of the land no matter how much land we are charged with it's care.

We need to work at educating homeowners as well as farmers as to minimize this impact to our environment.

Francus · May 14, 2012, 05:21:56 PM

Thanks for all the offers of help on this one. I'm going to wait until I can get in the hives. Hopefully tomorrow or Wednesday. I am hoping a magical queen cell has appeared in at least one of them! If not, I'll be assessing just how far gone they are. But the pile of dead bees in front of the hive is pretty big. The ones that made it had a lot of work to do cleaning things out.

T Beek · May 14, 2012, 06:26:50 PM

A year ago a four hundred plus pound BEAR completely destroyed my beeyard, including a three winter (WISCONSIN) survivor colony. Today I have six colonies going strong.

Failure (of some sort) is a regular part of beekeeping (emphasis on the keeping................alive, that is). Don't give up........just get better at keeping bees instead.

t