I lost or (killed) my bees :(

[Bee1]

Hello all -  I'm feeling bad.  I believe I've chased away (or killed ? ~ i hate to think or say that) all my bees away.  I went in the hive last week for a quick look and to put a screened bottom board on and I thought I'd do a sugar shake for good measure too.   The number of bees I found was disturbingly few, and I saw no signs of brood or queen, but there was activity on the frames and at the door and enough bees and honey that I thought there may be a chance of recovery if a queen were around... I put a feeder out too...However, today I don't see any bees coming and going, and it doesn't look like any syrup is gone... and a tap on the hive didn't elicit a buzz or activity and lifting the lid ... Not one bee in sight!  I'm disappointed and feel guilty...  Did I kill them buy going in to early?  With the sugar shake?? or when the temp dropped the day or so after I was in the hive?? egads...   

I guess I will have to start over and round up another package of bees and a queen. 

-Bee1,  feeling bad for my sweet bees. 

[JP]

Don't feel bad, you will have more bees that's for sure. We all feel like we've failed our hives at times, the key is to jump right back on that horse. Your bees may have starved, its not hard for this to happen. Winter is a funny thing with our bees, we don't want to go in and break their seal or make them chilled, but it is important to check them in winter. If you can lift the hive and check their weight this is the easiest way to check their stores. We are here to help. Now put this behind you and get ready for your next hives!  ;) ;) ;) :) :)

Sincerely, JP

[Cindi]

Bee1, yes, don't feel bad, I know that is hard to swallow, but we all have experienced that, and yes, it still does make us sad.

Keep your chin up, and start again.  But this time, I strongly, and I mean really strongly, encourage you to get two hives, not just one.   If you have two hives you can help the other hive out if it is weaker by giving a frame of brood and bees (and maybe a shake of bees too) to the less strong hive.  You can do so many helpful things with 2 hives, and you can compare how the colonies are doing too.

Like JP said, jump back on that horse, get your TWO packages ordered (or nucs) and begin again.  We learn so many important things really when things go wrong because we don't want to repeat them.  Keep us posted on how and what you are doing.  Have a wonderful day, great life, Cindi

[DayValleyDahlias]

Oh that is tragic Bee1.  I feel for you, really...

[Scadsobees]

Yeah, it really bites.  I think we've all been through it, and the only thing that makes it better is getting 20 hives, that way it is hard for them all to die  :-D

Are there any dead bees in the hive at all?

Sounds like they went queenless at some point in the fall or winter.  From that point they would just dwindle as they slowly leave and die.  This happens occasionally, you may or may not have caused this.  I know I've caused it on my hives in the past many times .  But it does happen naturally for unexplained reasons.

Chin up, spring is almost here, your new package can start out gangbusters on all that drawn comb... :lol:

[Frantz]

Bee1, Oh boy do I feel your pain. I got 12 hives of bees given to me this last fall. I had studied bees for only a short time when a developer friend of mine called and said that they had found hives on a 150 acre parcel that they had just purchased. They were flipping the property pretty quick so if I wanted them I had to come get them right away. So I did, without any experience or much knowledge at the time. I only have 3 hives that still show any activity at all. I have lost 9 hives this winter. I think mostly to starvation. I have set sugar boards, sugar cakes, tried to check on them without being intrusive, but bottom line is I have 3 hives left with bees and about 18 deeps with empty frames.... I am just praying that the last three make it the rest of the way through the winter. I am at about 5500 ft here and we are still looking at about 3-4 ft of snow. Temps are warming up slowly, its about 32 now and lightly snowing. But keep your chin up, and Cindi's ideas of multiples is a good idea...
Good luck, and just keep posting, it helps to know others are out there reading your plight.
Frantz