Bees don't just die overnight.. from cold or starvation.. takes several days - see posts from yesterday starting with Murray McGregor
@calluna4u
19h19 hours ago
More
Team out feeding reported three dead colonies. Starved before we got to them. Have met this situation before and anyone meeting it should be aware.....they may LOOK dead but might not yet be so!"
https://twitter.com/calluna4u?ref_sr...Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Thanks for interesting link, Madasafish.Originally Posted by madasafish
Fiona, to add to what others have already said - whatever the cause of your colony's death (or not? as per Madasafish), I doubt that the Beehaus can be blamed. It is a nicely insulated hive.
Was your mesh floor open, or closed? In a windy area (and I'm on a very exposed hill), I tend to keep the Varroa inserts in over winter well into spring. A mesh floor open to icy wind is the only weather-related factor I can see that might have contributed to the colony's death - but probably not caused it.
Perhaps starvation? Were they within easy reach of food above their heads? They huddle together when it's cold, and can't really move sideways to combs of honey right next to them. They need food above their heads.
Kitta
In my experience those colonies brought back from the brink rarely properly recover, especially when there's little pollen to forage.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks