Comments on: Winter Losses http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62 A beekeepers journal, thoughts and random rants. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:22:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tim Arheit http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2628 Tim Arheit Tue, 08 May 2007 03:33:06 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2628 We are near Lima, Ohio (Halfway between Toledo and Dayton along I-75). Right now we are seeing a lot of tree (wild and fruit tree) and a lot of wildflower. Quite a bit seems to be blooming as they are ignoring all the dandelions. Wild raspberries and roses should be blooming in just a few weeks. Most years we don't have to feed for the winter. A few light hives may need some feeding, but most will not. Last year was very unusual in that nearly all hives needed some feeding. We are near Lima, Ohio (Halfway between Toledo and Dayton along I-75). Right now we are seeing a lot of tree (wild and fruit tree) and a lot of wildflower. Quite a bit seems to be blooming as they are ignoring all the dandelions. Wild raspberries and roses should be blooming in just a few weeks.

Most years we don’t have to feed for the winter. A few light hives may need some feeding, but most will not. Last year was very unusual in that nearly all hives needed some feeding.

]]> By: Robert Buntine http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2583 Robert Buntine Sun, 06 May 2007 21:12:53 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2583 Where are you fellows operating from? Which state? What normally flowers at this time of the year? Is winter feeding always required ? Where are you fellows operating from? Which state? What normally flowers at this time of the year?
Is winter feeding always required ?

]]> By: Tim Arheit http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2442 Tim Arheit Wed, 02 May 2007 12:13:34 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2442 I'm not expecting any significant price changes. A small change, yes, but mostly related to generally increased costs of running the business (gas, jars, shipping, equipment, etc.) and not really due to the loss. So far things are looking pretty good. Weak hives are slowly recovering and the package bees I brought in to make up for some of the loss are looking really good. Still have a ways to go, so only time will tell, but I'm hopeful. I’m not expecting any significant price changes. A small change, yes, but mostly related to generally increased costs of running the business (gas, jars, shipping, equipment, etc.) and not really due to the loss. So far things are looking pretty good. Weak hives are slowly recovering and the package bees I brought in to make up for some of the loss are looking really good. Still have a ways to go, so only time will tell, but I’m hopeful.

]]> By: Eric http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2431 Eric Wed, 02 May 2007 01:34:25 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2431 I ment August : p I ment August : p

]]> By: Eric http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2430 Eric Wed, 02 May 2007 01:32:44 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-2430 Man I was going to buy a 60lb bucket from you for my mead. Hope this doesn’t drive the price up above what I can pay. Wish I didn’t have to wait till April. I’m completely out of honey. Hope everything works out. Man I was going to buy a 60lb bucket from you for my mead. Hope this doesn’t drive the price up above what I can pay. Wish I didn’t have to wait till April. I’m completely out of honey. Hope everything works out.

]]> By: Tim Arheit http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-1584 Tim Arheit Mon, 09 Apr 2007 19:56:47 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-1584 It's possible GMO had some impact, but it would be hard to say. I would have expected that type of thing to show up sooner, and while it is widespread, it still missed some areas with the same crops. Latest news from the experts is still that everything is still suspect, though queen genetics and corn syrup (one possible GMO connection) have 'virtually' been rulled out. I'd still have to say the biggest part was simply weather added to the other stresses in the hive. -Tim It’s possible GMO had some impact, but it would be hard to say. I would have expected that type of thing to show up sooner, and while it is widespread, it still missed some areas with the same crops. Latest news from the experts is still that everything is still suspect, though queen genetics and corn syrup (one possible GMO connection) have ‘virtually’ been rulled out.

I’d still have to say the biggest part was simply weather added to the other stresses in the hive.

-Tim

]]> By: Cheryl http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-1239 Cheryl Thu, 29 Mar 2007 23:35:32 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-1239 Do you think it's possible that the pollen/honey from hybrid or bioengineered crops is affecting the bees' immune systems? Cheryl Do you think it’s possible that the pollen/honey from hybrid or bioengineered crops is affecting the bees’ immune systems?

Cheryl

]]> By: Al Cascaddan http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-1156 Al Cascaddan Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:15:28 +0000 http://honeyrunapiaries.com/blog/winter-losses/62#comment-1156 We had a 23% loss this past winter. I can say most starved as there was not as much as a tea cup of honey left in any dead out. I blame most of it to the monsoon like fall we had. It started raining in mid Sept nearly no stop which killed the golden rod flow. In early Oct we got freezing rain and snow for a week which killed the wild aster Flow. Yes we fed heavy, but have been told by Roger Hoopengarner Former prof. at MSU that they couldn't really store it. Also the weather being on the mild side I feel kept the bees active so they used more food than normal. Lost one of the NWC colonies which is cause sadness as that colony had looked so good during the first part of Sept check and was still alive in late Febuary when we started our feeding program again. Al We had a 23% loss this past winter. I can say most starved as there was not as much as a tea cup of honey left in any dead out. I blame most of it to the monsoon like fall we had. It started raining in mid Sept nearly no stop which killed the golden rod flow. In early Oct we got freezing rain and snow for a week which killed the wild aster Flow. Yes we fed heavy, but have been told by Roger Hoopengarner Former prof. at MSU that they couldn’t really store it. Also the weather being on the mild side I feel kept the bees active so they used more food than normal. Lost one of the NWC colonies which is cause sadness as that colony had looked so good during the first part of Sept check and was still alive in late Febuary when we started our feeding program again.

Al

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