BBKA Forum

I have heard some horrific tales lately about peoples losses this year. A guy from Coventry said he has lost all 50 of his colonies. Locally friends have lost 8/10 6/12 2/3 6/6.
I have lost 5/34. 2 were weak in Autumn, 1 Marie Celeste and 1 for reasons I don't understand, possibly Q died as they were very spread out across the frames and last was a drone layer so met a sticky end.

Unfortunately inevitable as I know some chose not feed so as to weed out the weak and some will have assumed all was okay, without realising there was no foraging since last October due to inclement weather.
I've lost 2 this winter, one for some strange reason wouldn't take down any fondant.....and another to what looks like Nosema and/or dysentery, as stores still there but poo all over the frames and hive sides.
Also a queen in a nuc failed to mate last autumn and so the bees were evicted.

All my colonies get through winter but one which was quite small by spring and had an old DLQ so it was no surprise. Another couple have superceded in spring. Colonies were well-fed last year and the full-sized ones have had enough stores. Nucs have needed feeding at some point this spring and I would have lost some if I had not been checking.
One local beekeeper spoke to me and had lost 4 out of 5.
I have a had a few calls where small-scale beekeepers lost their single colony but nothing more than usual. Wax moth and autumn wasps were two examples given.
I am thankful that I haven't any signs of dysentry or chalkbrood or CBPV this year. I do occasionally see little patches of bald brood, but that's a genetic thing and seems to cause no harm. A few wax moth larvae are seen every year. A few taps on the frame usually gets them to wriggle their heads out, ready for the chop.

NigelP wrote: ↑

26 Apr 2024, 12:46

I've lost 2 this winter, one for some strange reason wouldn't take down any fondant.

I don't usually feed fondant except in winter. However I've had colonies that won't take syrup for a while. Then it starts to get taken slowly. Not had that for a few years though. I used to put thymol emulsion in the feed to help with nosema. Not done it for a couple of years.

I lost 2 out of 3 between Christmas and mid January. They both had plenty of fondant but did not take much. Both hives (Nat and WBC) had poly crown boards which collected a lot of what I presume is condensation and were in a 20 foot arbor surrounded by high shrubbery which I had hoped would shield them from the north winds. My other hive was on the edge of the lawn with a solid crown board and is doing fantastic.

Your poly crown boards would only collect condensation after the bees had died.
Thankfully I got a small window of warmth to inspect today and one colony was on verge of starvation, dribbled syrup over bees and gave spare stores. Fingers crossed.

NigelP wrote: ↑

26 Apr 2024, 19:34

Your poly crown boards would only collect condensation after the bees had died.

I put a poly crown board on the remaining hive and that got water condensation on the underside.

Sounds like its quite a small colony if that is happening. There shouldn't be any condensation on poly crown boards. Water vapour condenses on cold surface (or when it reaches it's dew point), the inside of your hive should be warm due to the bees and as heat rises the warmest surface should be the crown board. How many seams of bees are there in this colony?

Cable_Fairy wrote: ↑

26 Apr 2024, 21:02

NigelP wrote: ↑

26 Apr 2024, 19:34

Your poly crown boards would only collect condensation after the bees had died.

I put a poly crown board on the remaining hive and that got water condensation on the underside.

What is above the poly crown-board? Air or insulation?

NigelP wrote: ↑

26 Apr 2024, 19:34

Thankfully I got a small window of warmth to inspect today and one colony was on verge of starvation, dribbled syrup over bees and gave spare stores. Fingers crossed.

It's amazing how they recover with some syrup dribbled over them; usually up and running within a few hours. But usually no brood as it's been eaten. I'd be inclined to give them a litre of syrup to get them going too. ANd just maybe we'll get some decent weather soon.