The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Bees & Beekeeping => Topic started by: farmers wife on March 17, 2016, 08:49:09 pm
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Gutted checked today - 2 weeks prev too. All the colony is dead, many are piled up on the floor and the rest are dead on the comb. They look fresh.
The hive got blown over a few months ago and had to be put up hasty and the top feeding section was left off so I was unable to feed them. Actually I have never fed them. But this winter being so long and excessively bad weather I assume they have starved to death?
The hive is too exposed and I plan to move it as its against the wind and balancing on a pallet - yes it is strapped down.
Feel terrible - even though we've had the hive a couple of years I havent bothered much with it and left them get on with it.
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That is sad. They should have been fed to get them through the wet weather but there is nothing to say they would have survived even then.
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Ive been told that if they had their heads in and bums out then they were starving however they look like they've been frozen insitu?????
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Setting two 3 x 3 wooden stakes concreted in deep holes the same height as a hive plus three supers & lid etc.
Setting one at the back of the hive and one to a side of it about an inch away from the hive & lid etc . is one way of keeping hives from being blown over , if you have a static apairy .
You then use one of three ratchet ties to go round from top to bottom and two more to fix them to the stakes by passing these last two ties over the one that runs top to bottom going round the hive and stake together.
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What Bionic said. Because the winter has been mild the bees have been flying more and have used up their shoes
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What Bionic said. Because the winter has been mild the bees have been flying more and have used up their shoes
I am sure D&C meant used up their stores but I did have a laugh at the thought of them using up their shoes
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I also lost both of mine, so having to start again now. I had fed mine, but wasps killed one hive at the end of the autumn and mice managed to get into the other over the winter and has killed the other hive. Lessons learnt as this is the first full winter in the new location.
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is a real shame, are you going to repopulate the hive, love looking after bees give me so much joy
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It is very disappointing when you find dead hives. So sorry to hear , we too lost our hives this year. :'(
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Our neighbour had a lovely hive of bees and even though he fed them a sugary kind of syrup to keep them going until they could get more pollen they too all died last winter. It is so sad - I love bees.
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I am so sorry for your loss :hug: When my dad kept bees everything was going fine until the verroa disaster came over from Europe and wiped out our hives, since then we haven't had the courage to buy in any more bees as the first time was so distressing. I love bees and am hoping to keep some more this year :excited: I hope the next lot work out well for you and all the best with everything! :thumbsup:
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Sorry to hear that, but hives need checking on, and feeding accordingly pre 'close up' for the Winter or these things will happen.
You also need to treat them for mites.
This is a bit of what I do:
If stores are low feed a sugar syrup before the hive goes into the Winter so they have plenty of readily available stores (if you don't feed or check they have enough stores to see them through the Winter you take the risk of losing your hive. And this time you did).
Stake the hives regardless. And put a large heavy block on top.
If really cold weather due I double insulate mine using WBC outers.
I keep mouse extractors on year round. Keeps the mice out but we have a lot of Hornets in this area so it helps to keep them out as too large to fit through the holes.
Don't forget to restrict doorways to help them guard against wasps.
NB: I forgot to say, I also always keep them strapped up with ratchet straps.
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Hope this helps a bit.
:bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: