Winter loss survey 2012/2013

[drumgerry]

Along with other association secretaries I've been emailed a survey form asking for details of this winter's losses - to be returned to Dr Chris Connolly. I think I probably complained enough about the conclusions taken from last year's results. So in order for the survey to be accurate and representative can everyone respond? It should come from your local association secretary if you're a member. But if you're not just PM me with your email address and I can send you a copy in Word format.

Personally I can't complete the survey yet as it's still too cold to do my first inspections!

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi Drumgerry,
Weather still bad here but I will PM results when I can
So far though, and there's a long way to go things look ok
Would it be best to kind of settle on a date when the survey should take place ??

[Jon]

I think this year it should wait until May as there are loads of small colonies with little or no brood yet which may not make it.

[Trog]

I'm just about to do mine and have forwarded it to members with bees for them to complete and send their own. Still too cold for inspections here, too, but I'm basing it on colonies flying and ones I've already cleared up as they died!

[drumgerry]

DR - the survey has come from the SBA and I don't have anything to do with it. I think May would be a better time to assess losses as Jon says but the survey has opted to use April. Pm me when you get a chance.

[Jimbo]

Our association had planned to ask the members as they attend our next meeting at the end of April. I agree with Jon this might be a bit early this year as I know I have not looked in some of my hives for weeks, and only then to see if they had sufficient stores.

[Jon]

Any other year I could have answered by the middle of March.
I know several people thought their bees were fine as there was activity at the entrance - but when they checked there was a cluster about the size of an apple.

[Feckless Drone]

DR - I've lost the comment so not quoted. You mentioned/implied use of formic acid as a VD treatment (quiet at the back of the class!) in the West being more prevalent than in the East. Where did you get that info from? I do think that if formic can penetrate sealed brood then might be useful as spring treatment so I'm thinking about it. If our Westie friends have some info on this I'd be interested to hear.

[Jon]

Those new MAQS strips are based on formic aren't they?

[Trog]

I suppose if it's left any later it becomes 'spring losses' ... There is a box on the form for 'alive but weak' which would cover Jon's apple scenario.

Any survey is a bit like the Big Garden Birdwatch. You can almost guarantee that all the birds you see everyday will vanish from the garden on the day of the count. Thus, the publicity put out afterwards says that bird x is in serious decline when you know fine the 40 regular chaffinches or whatever were just elsewhere when you were doing your count! At best, a survey of living creatures is no more than a snapshot of the day you check them.