Almost One Third of Ontario Beeks lose 70% or more of their Hives

Bush_84 · May 21, 2018, 09:55:53 AM

Most people around here bring their bees down south for the winter. I don?t have that luxury. So I keep my bees indoors.

Acebird · May 21, 2018, 09:56:53 AM

Quote from: Bamboo on May 21, 2018, 09:15:24 AM
So you tell me they burn their hives at the end of the season.

Some people interchange the word hive with colony. Nobody is burning their equipment.
If you want to do a cost analysis you have to compare the costs of overwintering to the costs of replacing the colonies.
A lot of the commercial operators are migratory in the US. Instead of destroying the colonies they move them south in fall and run them north in the spring. Certainly there are costs associated with that. Apparently the costs are less then replacement or timing of pollination enters the picture.

gww · May 21, 2018, 10:23:38 AM

On bee scorce forum, an ohio bee keeper broke down his cost. He buys packages every year for about 70 bucks each. He puts them in hives with drawn comb and then keeps the brood frames down to about 5 or 6. On the hives that make more brood then that, he pulls the brood and starts more hives for sale or honey. He averages about 140 lbs of honey per package. At the end of the year he used to just shake the out but now has package producers come up and shake out the bees into packages. I think he makes another thirty or so bucks per package and the package buyers come and get them and do the shakeing. He does not have to leave anything in the hive for the bees to winter on and has to spend no money on treatments and such.

He is very happy with what he produces for the work involved.
Cheers
gww

Ben Framed · May 21, 2018, 10:44:35 AM

There is a fellow, who lives in Canada who seems to be pretty successful at not only bee keeping but overwintering his bees there. I am talking about a commercial operation . He, along with his family, run cows, farm, and run the bee business. All seem to go hand and hand. They seem to be very successful in their operation. This is found on YouTube. Very interesting to me. Short little blogs that go on from dad to day life. The videos are usually anywhere form 2-5 minutes give or take. " A Canadian Beekeeers Blog "
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCkQVs6-xm3mVNdwW4Zt8McQ

gww · May 21, 2018, 10:59:26 AM

Your vidio does not work. Is the beekeeper Ian steppler? He has great vidios.

Still, what does it matter if he is successful if the guy that shakes out is also successful. Most people keep bees so they can get something from them. Ian feeds lots of fall feed to get the hives back up to winter weight. The ohio guy does not have to worry about loss rate or treating or bee health and the labor involved. There is more then one way to skin a cat and usually there is no right or wrong but only wether your kids have shoes or not.
Cheers
gww

Oldbeavo · May 21, 2018, 05:12:48 PM

Acebird, may be not in NY, but what about Florida, or Southern states.
In Australia our subtropical areas really don't have a serious winter, I suppose cartage would be an issue, but if you got the hive for a low price?

Acebird · May 21, 2018, 05:47:50 PM

Quote from: Oldbeavo on May 21, 2018, 05:12:48 PM
Acebird, may be not in NY, but what about Florida, or Southern states.

Yes, FL and southern states are a different story but the topic is Ontario Canada.

Ben Framed · October 22, 2021, 02:11:39 PM

Just because the loss may be high in one part of Canada, there are others which are very successful in Canada in comparison. Methods and management of keeping bees vary as well as the success rate in doing so... Ian Steppler is a good example of just that... We have folks here in the states with similar loss problems and varying percentage losses. I was taking to a couple at a farmers market in my area recently. They told me they suffered great losses last season. While others in my area, 'the generally same area', faried quite well. What is the difference? A number of things I would dare to say. Management and knowing how to properly manage may be the biggest asset? Gaining substantial knowledge then putting that knowledge into practice may be our most important tool?

Oldbeavo · October 22, 2021, 06:01:30 PM

Quote from: Acebird on May 21, 2018, 08:09:29 AM
Quote from: Oldbeavo on May 21, 2018, 06:31:03 AM
If so why not sell them to southern states in US to use for Spring pollination.
Who buys warn out bees in the fall with no resources to make it through winter?

If I was looking to build my numbers quickly, then why not keep super with honey from the season, bring bees in and add a super of stores. if you could buy them cheap enough / compared to burning, surely a hive of bees that is wintered and then goes pollinating will give you a good return.
There is a saying " if you make bees you won't make honey".