tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post314105495523566580..comments2024-02-04T20:25:58.971-08:00Comments on How's Robb?: We Lose a HiveLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932975112078606231noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-48869176936789779202011-02-23T14:34:42.895-08:002011-02-23T14:34:42.895-08:00If the bees lost their queen, could they have star...If the bees lost their queen, could they have started bringing their forage to the Gloriana hive, and been adopted there?Megnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-54148806660892856492011-02-22T08:31:29.949-08:002011-02-22T08:31:29.949-08:00Lisa, I'm so sorry. I've heard so many si...Lisa, I'm so sorry. I've heard so many similar accounts this year at our guild meetings. Many of those hives seemed to have been knocked back by varroa, and then the erratic weather just tipped them over the edge. Our neighbor lost his single hive in January and now has to start over. However, you still have the Gloriana hive, and that is the advantage of having multiple hives. I hope your remaining bees do well enough by late spring to early summer that you may be able to split that hive. You're lucky you still have bees. Some of our guild members lost all of their hives this winter.Curbstone Valley Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06714297348566721344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-35443593491020576492011-02-22T00:03:20.399-08:002011-02-22T00:03:20.399-08:00Your photo of the (dead) baby bee hatching is at o...Your photo of the (dead) baby bee hatching is at once chilling and beautiful. So sorry to hear about your hive. ::hug::Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15606871266195740524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-69741843951691787412011-02-21T23:32:20.614-08:002011-02-21T23:32:20.614-08:00My hive looked about the same way when the bees le...My hive looked about the same way when the bees left! There was a huge honey harvest - but only in the top box/"super." There were a few bees that hatched, but didn't even make it out of the frames (sad). And a few dead bees, but not even many of those. I'm guessing that they "absconded," since, last I checked, they looked pretty healthy. They can do this for any number of reasons. Your were at least partly related to mine, so there could be something genetic about it (they were a swarm hive originally, which means they are more prone to swarming later on). Also, I don't think they died, because I seemed to see a few of them visit the yard to "clean up" some of the wax and propolis left in the grass after I cleaned up and took down the hive. And I know exactly how you feel. Heavy heart is right. Harvesting the honey was a real bittersweet experience for me.TaylorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10818977452612758029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-10593076232241384132011-02-21T18:53:03.137-08:002011-02-21T18:53:03.137-08:00That's weird and sad. The photo of the bee w/...That's weird and sad. The photo of the bee w/its tongue out..wow! Great shot. and sad.Kaarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05794597879840006165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-67621962128129080112011-02-21T17:24:34.142-08:002011-02-21T17:24:34.142-08:00I'll ask my uncle the bee entomologist- I thin...I'll ask my uncle the bee entomologist- I think that he will say what you already figured- 1 knocking over the hive- 2 the contaminated mold could have sickened or killed them- I bet mostly the knock over did it- but the cold had a good bit to do with it as well- You know how old fashioned bee hives were made from straw? I say buy some straw bales for next year and heap it loosely around and on and OVER the bee hive- then wrap loosely one of those black fruit tree nettings around it to keep the straw in place over the winter months, It should help protect them from weird weather- Many orchard places will keep the smokers/heaters on the hives as well as the trees during a cold snap. <br /><br />Course, it could also have been the early am tuba music?<br /><br />So sorry about the missing bees- <br /><br />AnnalisaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-43379086228976114992011-02-21T17:12:02.593-08:002011-02-21T17:12:02.593-08:00Same thing happened to my two. Apparently it'...Same thing happened to my two. Apparently it's been a tough year- is it the weather? I do know one thing though and that's only you can photograph a dead bee hive and still make it look beautiful.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07938196559124125578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21900544.post-39304722134394331252011-02-21T15:42:58.220-08:002011-02-21T15:42:58.220-08:00Some folks have asked if this was Colony Collapse ...Some folks have asked if this was Colony Collapse Disorder. I don't know. Colony Collapse Disorder is like Alien Abduction. We all fear it, but really don't know what it might be like.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03932975112078606231noreply@blogger.com