Category Archives: Q & A

Costly hobby

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

It has been very costly for us on our farm- losing all 6 hives and having to replace them- but we have made a substantial investment in woodenware, time taking the classes etc……we’re all in, but this is difficult.
Response – Loss of 6 hives is indeed heavy. And you are certainly correct that it is a significant loss of time and money. I trust with restarts, if you elect to do so, the loss rate will be reduced this year. Best of luck with them. Thanks for your comment.

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Yellow Jackets & honey reuse

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

My 2nd year hive yielded nearly 3 supers of honey (65#). No honey was harvested from the 1st year hive. Both were moved to my home after the property they were on was sold. Both hives were active for about 1 month then it was apparent that a very large yellow jacket nest was located across the road in my neighbor’s tree (an 18″ bag). The yellow jackets had invaded both nests and all honey bees were dead. I have started one new hive this spring with 3# of bees w/queen. They are very active and I have been supplementing with sugar water. Their upper box was left intact with 6 of the 10 frames full of last year’s honey.
RESPONSE – There are many other critters, certainly Yellow jackets that want to use the resources of a honey bee hive. Sounds like you were able to get some yourself. WELL DONE. First year colonies are not normally able to supply us with surplus. Trust restarted colony goes well this year.

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bee keeper challenges

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

It is very challenging to be a bee keeper, it is very expensive hobby. I am doing it to help the bees. It is very hard. You lose bees to yellow jackets, robbing …
Response –  You are certainly correct that when a colony dies that it is a significant loss of time and money. They are expensive. Trust you have better successes this season. Thanks for sharing

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Mentor sought

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

Had my 3 hives since 2014 and left all honey for them over winter of 2014. They were fine and over-wintered well. All survived winter of 2015 but were robbed in March 2015 during warm spell. LCBA meetings are too far and at night. I would LOVE to have a knowledgeable mentor in my area. I am hoping to re colonize with feral swarms, or swarm from neighbor who has 10+ hives. Didn’t have robbing until they moved in. I cleaned and charred all parts of hive boxes and have one screened bottom board, so far. Each box has drawn comb, albeit void of any honey. I want to get going again. Too expensive to buy bees. Thanks for this survey.

RESPONSE – Bees can be expensive. Some years swarms will be plentiful and they are good to restock hive with. Robbing is a problem – last year we did see more of it. Too many bees in one area, or one apiary, might be a factor. With neighbor bees and your own you are likely correct to assume it was perhaps why robbing got started in your colonies. Very difficult to control once it starts. You might contact officer of local group to see if they have someone to recommend as a mentor. We do not have enough for sure. Trust you are able to capture some swarms to reestablish your hives.

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Bee class

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

Early in survey no place to explain that I was valuably helped by taking a bee class.

RESPONSE – You added into comments at end and that was good. We do have class by an association and by bee supply or garden store as possible answers. When not sure we can get this information in comments as you have done. Thanks for sharing.

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Survey mite assumptions & failed inventions

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

There is no selection in mite control for none as an answer it assumes all do mite control and I do not.
RESPONSE – We have a none for non-chemical treatment controls. Then a screen did you use a control – clicking none takes you past the specific controls to section 9 on queens. We do have another for all multiple answer choices and you can put none in there.

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My bees are in a hard to feed area and I do well except in wintering. This year I moved them in to their bee house and failed to connect the entrance I invented with nosema and blocking the hive entrance. When I realized my mistake my hives were doomed to fail. Mostly my fault I should have 6 strong hives right now. I lost two hives in late September 15 airplane spray of some type then seven in January 16 I think five I killed with my invention 2 hard cold killed, I lost 2 in February march 16 hard cold snap week hive but one with brood and 3 frames of bees just died I think it should have made it.
Response – The main thing is to learn from the mistake – you had a good idea but it didn’t quite work out as intended. The losses you describe are too common for our area however so maybe it wasn’t just your management (or lack thereof) that was the issue. I trust this season will be different – at least the chance to make a different mistake with the bees.

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Spring Swarms & Survey Count

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

I have 2 additional hives, due to swarming this spring. They swarmed the end of April. I don’t know if this is useful to you, but thought I would mention it.

RESPONSE – We will hopefully capture this in our next season’s survey, if you would return and provide information next spring. . Our year is April to April. We have had several April swarms this year – more than normal it seems. Trust the colonies do OK.

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Hands off experiment

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

This was great. Unfortunately, I may have lowered our percentages by being incredibly hands-off this year, as an experiment.

RESPONSE there is no one way to keep bees. No treatments, as an option rather than default, is one a large number of individuals elect. It does come with the cost of heavier colony losses. By seeking to capture different beekeeper approaches and their variations, I hope to have a widely representative survey. We do not have a good solution yet – some solutions lead to less overwinter losses while others are effective for one individual but not be for another. It is a difficult time for bee survival. Thanks for sharing.

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At a loss on hive loss

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

I am uncertain why all of my bees died. Until I find out I will not keep bees this year.
Response – Even those individuals with more experience often cannot tell the reason for loss – and it is not necessarily the same for all colonies or beekeepers. We sometimes can eliminate one or more factors but then are still left with well it could be due to this or maybe to that, etc. Our bees are having a tough time of it – the reason for our survey is to document how many, probable why and what some individuals are seeking to do about reducing losses/improving success. We do not have the answers – it is discouraging to do what we consider the best and then to lose a colony or all of them. Trust you will seek to get back into bees at some point. Thanks for sharing.

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Master Bee Keeper Program

Posted on May 22, 2016 | Leave a comment

Attending master bee keeper through OSU and believe my losses should greatly improve with better knowledge.
REASON: We all learn from mistakes. The OMB program has some great mentors and a generous amount to share about bees. Welcome and good luck.

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