BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Winter colony survival 2018/19

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #2672  by MickBBKA
 10 Apr 2019, 01:54
Can I ask which southern idiot posed the question about colonies and even worse queen right colonies at the 1st of April 2019 ?
Do you all really think it is possible in the whole of England to have been able to inspect your colonies in what is still late winter / early spring in some parts. FFS it was 7C here today and a NE wind that would knock you off your feet. Last Wednesday we had snow ! As a national asociation, GET REAL !
I am sick of paying into an association that only reflects the south. It comes accross in the monthly mag, the exams, national meetings, assesments and generic advice. Its about time the BBKA was more reflective of its members. Its the 21st Century not the 1800's.
Sick of it..!
 #2675  by Chrisbarlow
 10 Apr 2019, 08:41
It would definately be better if they could move the spring convention around or even have a Spring Convention down south and an autumn Convention up north.
 #2680  by Jim Norfolk
 10 Apr 2019, 14:45
I am more concerned with the missed opportunity to obtain other useful information such as feed and stores available, Varroa treatments, age of queen, type of hive, OMF, insulation or matchsticks under the crown board, sheltered or exposed site etc. A very limited survey in my view and of little use to inform future practice.

No snow here Mick but winds and temperature about the same as you.
 #2755  by AdamD
 18 Apr 2019, 14:16
As you point out Jim, a lost opportunity; it would be easy to increase the number of questions and it would be interesting to know about the colonies that are lost each year - comparing polyhives with wooden ones for example. Or whether they starved or died of some other reason - say tipped over by pranksters or an old 'parked' queen that failed or whatever.

And what is the definition of a colony loss?
My view is one that is either:-
a) dead
b) no bees at all
c) has a DLQ
d) no queen
i.e. one that cannot survive by itself without intervention.
 #2757  by NigelP
 18 Apr 2019, 20:26
It would be interesting to know what they are really ,measuring by winter survival
For me winter survival means the colony made it through the winter, whether queen-right or not. i.e not starved due to lack of stores or too small and frozen to death.
If the colony now has a drone laying queen or the queen is gone...not sure that counts as colony lost due to winter conditions. Not viable for sure, but just part of what happens to queen bees. A certain percentage will run out of sperm some will die. This happens in summer as well as winter.....
 #2761  by AdamD
 19 Apr 2019, 08:50
As you highlight Nigel, there needs to be a clear definition of colony loss before the question can be asked.