Lost my girls - I'm sad

[tereads]

Just opened them up:  my weaker hive appears to have died earlier in the winter; my stronger hive died more recently.  I wanted to feed them two weeks ago but couldn't get through the 24 inches of snow on the ground (late snowstorm).  Both hives had stores left, but in the stronger hive the cluster was all the way to the top and inches away from full frames.  We had weather in the 50's through december and the bees were active but there was nothing to bring in.  I think a lot of stores got used up with all the late activity.  And then February brought -0 F weather and snow.
I feel very bad.

[Understudy]

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your bees.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[tillie]

I lost a hive too - feels awful and makes you sad.  I also think it's a way to learn something - how to manage differently next winter---must be tough with all that snow.

With sympathy,

Linda T

[kace069]

I lost 2 of my 3 colonies. I had plans for a big expansion this year, but that was counting on these 3 to make it through the winter. The thing that bugs me though is the 1 colony I expected to lose is the one that made it. Funny how that works isn't it?

[Cindi]

I feel your sorrow.  We all do that lost bees.  Don't be discouraged, and I know that is hard to not, but there is nothing more to say.  I lost 8 of 10 hives, and still don't know yet if the remaining 2 will survive.  Weather has stopped me from even looking inside for a couple of weeks now.  We have had non-stop rain.  Best of the better days to come.  Cindi

[Eve Sylvia]

I sympathise, I know how horribly sad it is. I almost gave up last spring, but tried once more, and now I think I made it this spring. But my losses made me try harder, so all is not lost! Try again, and really pamper them!

[Brian D. Bray]

I'm starting over this year too.  A bad storm blew down my hives and pretty much ruined every thing but the boxes.  I'm cleaning up and rebuilding frames from the broken bits.

[Cindi]

Brian, I remember when you put in the post about the loss of your hives from the wind that blew down the hill.  It horrified me when I was reading about how the starlings? ate all the little bees that had been blown all over the place.  That was a trauma.  I wish you well this year.  Have you figured out how you can stop this wind from coming again?  I think that you are going to place the bee hives into a different place on your property.  Tell us what you are going to do?

I remember the wind last winter, we had some horrible wind storms too.  You have weather that is similar to ours and we get your storms and you get ours.  Storms, who needs them.  Have the best of the day.  Cindi

[jamiev]

I am starting my 2nd year beekeeping.  This winter I lost the strongest hive I had last season, last one I expected to lose.  I have two left,.. so far both have survived.  I am hoping they make it as more cold is sure to come. 
I spoke to two commercial beeks in the upstate NY and northern Pa. area this past week.  They lost 30% +- of their hives and they are professionals!  Don't feel bad.  Learn from it.  Order more bees and stick with it.  Losses seem to be part of every beek's life.  Managing it makes us all better beekeepers. 

[tig]

aw man, brian, i'm sorry to hear about your colony losses.  this is the first i've heard of it.  i've lost hives to typhoons also.  some toppled over in spite of the cement blocks we put on them and the wind and rain was too strong to be able to go out and try to rescue them.  i've also had trees smash into my boxes when they toppled and nothing much was left of the hive except splinters of wood and crushed combs.  my sympathies.

[Cindi]

Tig, and what a bummer for you, like I said, that wretched wind!!!  Who needs it?  Best of this day.  Cindi

[tig]

thanks cindi...we all seem to have weather problems...what with winter and typhoons...

[beemaster]

I'm really sorry to hear about everyone's losses, my only hive had only a cup or so of dead bees in it and nearly 110 pounds of honey after seeing a large cleansing flight weeks prior - where all the other bees went is a total mystery to me. Sure sounds like the horrors of CCD but it is eerier than I thought it would be - when I saw them cleansing and I tilted the hive and felt the weight, I was sure they had made it through the Winter - ugh.

Please respond to "this poll" to help all of us with the REAL NUMBERS of hive survival and loss, if you haven't already. http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=8294.0 I hope this season treats us all a bit better.

[Cindi]

Yeah, John!  Let's cheer everyone on who did have losses, and we are many.  I think that we are all armed (well I know that I am) with all kinds of new information on how to keep healthy and stronger colonies.  Maybe this CCD will go by the wayside. It does sound like many of the forum members have experienced this loss in one way or another. 

I have 1 out of 10 left.  Thanks to good advice on how to baby a weak colony, I believe that this colony is coming through strong and certainly alive.  It has many many new bees floating around outside, discovering their home.  Many many bees out collecting pollen and it is good to see.  They still have lots of winter stores and are munching away on the pollen patty.  I have lots of stored pollen and honey in the freezer so I won't give them more pollen patty, they are bringing in enough and I have enough for them too.

They had a treatment in the fall for varroa mite, oxalic acid, near the beginning of December.  They had a long broodless period and so at this point in time, I don't expect any varroa present.  So they are starting off healthy and I will keep them healthy.

I am getting 4 nucs on May 5 and I will keep them healthy.  That is my intention.  Best of this new season to all the beekeepers, and great luck.  Work hard to keep your bees in tip top shape for the upcoming winter.  Best of this wonderful and beautiful day.  Cindi