Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: My CCD colonies.  (Read 10341 times)

Offline don2

  • Doak
  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 536
  • Gender: Male
My CCD colonies.
« on: June 10, 2013, 07:25:42 pm »
From the other thread. Haddon, they were already gone. I will start from the beginning. At that time I had heard about bees dieing for no apparent reason. During that fall and winter I would glance at my hives now and then. General observation, to make sure none were upset, say from varmints. "I did have a problem with some 2 legged type varmints" another story. I would see bees flying around my bee yard on nice days and figured they were doing their winter thing. As some of you know how winters can be here in central Ga. Bees tend to work all winter.
So when I started my initial spring inspection that Feb or March that is when  I found the die outs. The two normal winter losses were apparent. Wax moths and other such thing had moved in. The other 5 had not been touched. At least one medium full of honey on most and more on some. I let them set there, along about June the clean up crews moved in, wax moths etc.
I don't recall if there was a power line spray by my place that year or not.

At that time I was not on this forum, so now I would like to give some more info. Starting into my 14th year of beekeeping I still don't know jack squat about beekeeping. I have never started a package or a nuc. All I ever had was swarms from the woods. That is why I have been asking some questions about my nuc. I just never did know what to expect from one. So yes, I'm a nu-be to nucs.

I have learned a lot since 06/07, and a lot of it from this forum. Thanks all.
I have learned that when there is a problem that you can't get help with, just do the best you can and wish for the best and accept the results. It may not be what you want but some time it is what you might need.

My nuc is doing fine. I got it on the 11th of May. I added the second brood box two weeks ago today. Last Monday they had about 7 frames drawn out and Yesterday I checked it and the bees are covering 3to4 frames and eggs are every where. I did see my Queen last Monday and she is a bute. :) d2

Offline buzzbee

  • Ken
  • Global Moderator
  • Galactic Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 5930
  • Gender: Male
    • N Central Pa Beekeepers Facebook Page
Re: My CCD colonies.
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2013, 07:37:41 pm »
Do not confuse dead outs with CCD. Know your symptoms to be better able to make management decisions.
With Nosema Cerana and Nosema Apis running rampant along with heavy mite loads in the fall, not to mention the hive beetle troubles you have down south, you may have something you can treat via different methods and have your colonies survive.

http://extension.ifas.ufl.edu/hot_topics/agriculture/colony_collapse_disorder.html
Collapsed Colonies

    Contain no adult bees, with few to no dead bees around the colony
    Contain capped brood
    Contain food stores that are not robbed by neighboring bees or colony pests

Collapsing Colonies

    Do not have enough bees to maintain colony brood
    Have a workforce workforce that consists of younger adult bees
    Contain a queen
    Are reluctant to eat food provided by the beekeeper