Hive losses- help forum newcomer!

[JohnM]

Hello, I've been beekeeping for the last seven years.

For the first time ever it looks like I've lost all my hives! Loads of food, perfect hive conditions, no severe adverse weather (mild here in the midlands UK!), no obvious reasons for total loss!! But that seems to be the situation I'm presently faced with.

I guess this may have been covered here, but information from the USA seems to imply this is a Western-wide problem, with various reasons for it being offered. Very concerned re future stocks being affected...have had good harvest last year with new queens, but now this!  :'(

Any explanation much appreciated!

[Stingtarget]

CCD or Colony Colapse Disorder.  I had no problems with my hives but looks like something that is happening nationwide here.  There is another forum dedicated to CCD on this site.  You may want to browse through it and read up.  So far a lot of theories but nothing stated as fact yet 

Welcome to Beemaster.

[JohnM]

Hi Stingtarget, thanks for that. Right now I don't know what the problem is, but it could indeed be this CCD thing. Everything should be fine but instead I've been taking out a lot of dead bees today- very sad.

[Mici]

i doubt it's CCD lot of symptoms don't match
-location
-scale of beekeeping
- you HAVE DEAD bees, CCD affected hives DON'T!

[pdmattox]

Here is some stuff from a link that is posted in the CCD board here on the forum. Hope it helps.

http://beealert.blackfoot.net/~beealert/surveys/index.php


National Bee Loss Survey
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the latest problem facing bee keepers today. Symtoms of CCD are:

1) In collapsed colonies

The complete absence of adult bees in colonies, with no or little build up of dead bees in the colonies or in front of those colonies.
The presence of capped brood in colonies.
The presence of food stores, both honey and bee bread
    i. which is not immediately robbed by other bees
    ii. when attacked by hive pests such as wax moth and small hive beetle, the attack is noticeably delayed.

2) In cases where the colony appear to be actively collapsing
An insufficient workforce to maintain the brood that is present
The workforce seems to be made up of young adult bees
The queen is present
The cluster is reluctant to consume provided feed, such as sugar syrup and protein supplement
Please take time to fill out a survey, whether or not you have experienced CCD. All data collected is confidential and helpful for determining the exact cause of CCD.

[Kirk-o]

Chemicals in the Hive Polluted wax from chemicals.Its starting to catch up with the bees
kirk-o

[Stingtarget]

I'd have to agree with Mici.  If you have dead bees then it's probably not CCD.  When you say "total loss" of your hives, how many hives does that include??

[JohnM]

Many thanks!! There's a lot to learn but that's help eliminate one or two theories I guess. Actually one or two of my hives I can see today still have a few flying bees, but I'm reluctant to open them up fully yet as the temperature is generally far too cold here... Will monitor and report back!

[Mici]

hmm, how bout good 'ol varoa, did you treat your bees at all? or...just guessin'....

[tig]

how do the dead bees look?  are their tongues sticking out? if it is...that could be pesticide poisoning,

[JohnM]

Okay tig, let me get back to you on that...!