Sorry to hear the colony didn't make it. Winter losses are unfortunately common, and this has been a particularly rough year across the country. A few things stand out. It looks like the hive was cleaned up before this video was made. It is easier to tell what happened if things are left as discovered. Were there beetles and/or mites among the dead bees? Did you find the queen among the dead? Was honey harvested, and if so, when? If there was honey left behind, the bees probably didn't starve. Feeding would not have been harmful, but given the other considerations, starvation may not have been the deciding factor. There was mention of a big black widow. That may have been a major reason for the loss of the colony, either because of predation or because the colony was concerned about the danger and absconded. Honey supers should be removed before winter, along with queen excluders. Bees tend to rise to the top of the hive when it's cold, and can leave the queen behind the excluder. The situation with the drawn comb indicates there was too much space and not enough bees. It is always better for them to start in smaller spaces, then add on. In this case, there may have been a different result if the colony had been consolidated into a single deep if there weren't enough bees to fill the double. A smaller space is also easier to defend against intruders, such as beetles, spiders, etc. Regarding the frames with drawn comb, it looks like the comb was built correctly, and is in overall good shape. The next batch of bees could use it. In fact, it would be a big help for them. Scrape off any burr comb, freeze the frames to kill any parasites, and they'll be ready for the new colonies.
Thank you so much. The hive was as is when I opened it. Scraped a lil bit of burr off but that was it. The black widow was found when we first put the colony in the hive. The hive body had been in place and ready for bees for a week of so and the spider moved in during that time. No honey was harvested. Was not going to take honey from the frame body, that's for the bees. Did not think to look for the queen amongst the dead bees though. That would have been a good thing to look for. I did leave the honey super on over winter though. I can see why that would be helpful. This next season Im going to give them more time to grow before I add any extra boxes. Thank you for all this info. It has been very helpful.
I just started a package this week so I am no beekeeper but I have watched a lot of RUclips. A few things I noticed, the bees building was kind of strange. They built in the top but did not fill out the bottom so they did not have a uniform hive. The white stuff is chalk brood I am pretty sure which is not a big deal so far as I know. I think the bees resources were too spread out and they probably slowly died off. When they did of starvation oftentimes they will die with their heads deep in the cells. They could have just flown off but not likely late in the year. You should keep the frames as is and the bees will just finish off what was started.
I got the bees in a nuc box so they get pretty cramped in there before they sell them. That's why they built up on the frame like that. It will straighten its self out over time. I did save the full frames of comb. The ones I cleaned off had very little comb on it. Thanks for the view. I wish you the best with your bees.
What I mean is the bottom box was not totally filled out. Looking back at one of your past videos, they were doing very well. But they were building in too many boxes. So when winter came, they could very easily starve in a cold spell because they have to cluster together and cannot get to food. In any case, you know not to spread them out this time so you will probably have more success.@@pawpawdiditagain2654
Too much space left before and you left a queen excluder on? Best to keep it down to 1 deep and that medium should be 100% honey for them. As winters moves on, the cluster would have moved up to the honey super and clustered until they would have ramped up. For all we know they absconded due to unknown reasons or viruses/pest/diseases. It happens :(
Yes, I had another guy tell me that I gave them too much space and not to winter with the queen excluder on there as well. He also told me that moving a colony into that hive would be ok. Might ever help them out. Would you agree with that. I going to pull all the frames and freeze just incase of something in there that might harm the new colony. Thanks for the advise. obviously I need it. I really appreciate it.
The above commenter pretty much covered it...I would not be afraid to use that hive as is with new bees...all that comb will give them a leg up...and don't forget to treat for mites in fall.
Sorry to hear the colony didn't make it. Winter losses are unfortunately common, and this has been a particularly rough year across the country.
A few things stand out. It looks like the hive was cleaned up before this video was made. It is easier to tell what happened if things are left as discovered. Were there beetles and/or mites among the dead bees? Did you find the queen among the dead? Was honey harvested, and if so, when? If there was honey left behind, the bees probably didn't starve. Feeding would not have been harmful, but given the other considerations, starvation may not have been the deciding factor.
There was mention of a big black widow. That may have been a major reason for the loss of the colony, either because of predation or because the colony was concerned about the danger and absconded.
Honey supers should be removed before winter, along with queen excluders. Bees tend to rise to the top of the hive when it's cold, and can leave the queen behind the excluder. The situation with the drawn comb indicates there was too much space and not enough bees. It is always better for them to start in smaller spaces, then add on. In this case, there may have been a different result if the colony had been consolidated into a single deep if there weren't enough bees to fill the double. A smaller space is also easier to defend against intruders, such as beetles, spiders, etc.
Regarding the frames with drawn comb, it looks like the comb was built correctly, and is in overall good shape. The next batch of bees could use it. In fact, it would be a big help for them. Scrape off any burr comb, freeze the frames to kill any parasites, and they'll be ready for the new colonies.
Thank you so much. The hive was as is when I opened it. Scraped a lil bit of burr off but that was it. The black widow was found when we first put the colony in the hive. The hive body had been in place and ready for bees for a week of so and the spider moved in during that time. No honey was harvested. Was not going to take honey from the frame body, that's for the bees. Did not think to look for the queen amongst the dead bees though. That would have been a good thing to look for. I did leave the honey super on over winter though. I can see why that would be helpful. This next season Im going to give them more time to grow before I add any extra boxes. Thank you for all this info. It has been very helpful.
I just started a package this week so I am no beekeeper but I have watched a lot of RUclips. A few things I noticed, the bees building was kind of strange. They built in the top but did not fill out the bottom so they did not have a uniform hive. The white stuff is chalk brood I am pretty sure which is not a big deal so far as I know. I think the bees resources were too spread out and they probably slowly died off. When they did of starvation oftentimes they will die with their heads deep in the cells. They could have just flown off but not likely late in the year.
You should keep the frames as is and the bees will just finish off what was started.
I got the bees in a nuc box so they get pretty cramped in there before they sell them. That's why they built up on the frame like that. It will straighten its self out over time. I did save the full frames of comb. The ones I cleaned off had very little comb on it. Thanks for the view. I wish you the best with your bees.
What I mean is the bottom box was not totally filled out. Looking back at one of your past videos, they were doing very well. But they were building in too many boxes. So when winter came, they could very easily starve in a cold spell because they have to cluster together and cannot get to food. In any case, you know not to spread them out this time so you will probably have more success.@@pawpawdiditagain2654
Too much space left before and you left a queen excluder on? Best to keep it down to 1 deep and that medium should be 100% honey for them. As winters moves on, the cluster would have moved up to the honey super and clustered until they would have ramped up. For all we know they absconded due to unknown reasons or viruses/pest/diseases. It happens :(
Yes, I had another guy tell me that I gave them too much space and not to winter with the queen excluder on there as well. He also told me that moving a colony into that hive would be ok. Might ever help them out. Would you agree with that. I going to pull all the frames and freeze just incase of something in there that might harm the new colony.
Thanks for the advise. obviously I need it. I really appreciate it.
The above commenter pretty much covered it...I would not be afraid to use that hive as is with new bees...all that comb will give them a leg up...and don't forget to treat for mites in fall.