Why Do Bees Die In Winter - How Do Bees Die Over Winter - How to Over Winter Bees

Why Do Bees Die In Winter - How Do Bees Die Over Winter - How to Over Winter Bees
Black Mountain Honey is a No Nonsense Beekeeping Channel.
We are based in North Wales and manage around 150 colonies of bees, plus nucleus colonies.
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[@Allen.Hickers_]

I just started out Bee keeping and I must say it is such an interesting thing to be part of. I never knew that there is so many different species of bees in the world and their importance in the world. Now... I see lots of videos of killer bees in the Americas that started in the 1956 to 57 that was a hybridization of African bees and western bees.... Now, like Im located in South Africa, would that then be the case If I would introduce a Buckfast Queen or any other European Queen... BTW!!!! Love your channel!!!

[@markmurphy8303]

Hi Lawrence, thanks mate lots of good info, all of my hives have a good amount of fondant to get them through the winter months, all preparations done will hopefully get them through till next spring. Good luck with your bees mate.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Thanks Mark. Best of luck getting them through

[@eastsussexbeesandwildlife5801]

Laurence, just to say again that this is such a helpful video, I think my colonies were in fact too small and perhaps had too much space to keep warm, next time I will be keeping an even closer eye on them and amalgamating them, or better still get them bubbling like your colonies. Really enjoyed the live stream.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Glad it was helpful, Peter.

[@rogerwilson6367]

Great video and easy to understand.

[@retepcooper1756]

I would be interested to see a video on types of insulation and, even, cladding/second-skinning for winter, if you haven't already covered this. I read with interest that the single-skinned hives we predominantly use came about through shortages of wood in the second world war.any thoughts, Laurence?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Nice idea for a video, Retep. Yes - the national hive is influenced as a result of timber shortages during the war, but the vast majority of bee farmers I know, run single skinned wooden hives and they have no issues whatsoever. Id prefer poly. I think bees prefer to well insulated, but there is no doubt they can cope and thrive in a single walled wooden hives.

[@homesteadinthehood11212]

🐝 🐝 🐝 Thank you for sharing. Be well and be safe. Peace

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Thank you! You too!

[@thedude2178]

Morning Laurence, thanks for VLOG - as ever excellent. Is it worth mentioning potential storm damage eg hive falling / breaking up is not strapped down / weighted down in winter storms and if in more exposed position? Really appreciate the learning L. Regards Richard

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yes! Great points Richard. I focused more on losses within the hive and didn't really look at external factors like wind, storms and flooding. Nice one.

[@MrJustinWheeler]

Good video. Beautiful landscape.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Cheers Justin! I have subbed to your other channel :D

[@MrJustinWheeler]

@@BlackMountainHoney thank you sir! I appreciate it!

[@LindaFord-km2qr]

My colony was big and strong and I added a block of sugar on top in December and a week later they were all dead🤷‍♀️

[@rossabram2742]

Laurence, have you ever tried dry or damp granulated sugar instead of fondant?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yes - works fine as an emergency feed. Plenty of people in the US use this. Problem is in cold snaps, the bees need water to effectively process dry sugar. Fondant is easier and not that much more expensive.

[@SummitForWellness]

I just checked 2 of my strongest hives (mid summer) and they were completely dead. This is 2 years in a row this has happened. I think for mine this issue is climate differences, most of our bees come from California where they are used to warmer, more mild temperatures. Then when they come to Washington (wet and cold winters), they go from booming to bunk because they don't realize the temps change and stay cold for the rest of the winter. Both years my booming hives go from completely full deep boxes, to eating all the honey stores in the first 2 weeks of cold weather (as if they think it'll switch back to warm soon like California weather). But at that point, it's too late. This year I had 3 deeps full of honey and it was all gone within 3 weeks. But my other hives that are bought from local breeders, or swarms I've caught, are doing fantastic. It's so weird seeing the differences. Next year I may swap the bought packages of bees with local queens and see if that will help with over wintering.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Oh dear! Doesn't sound good :(

[@rangersteve2279]

you answered your own question "hives that are bought from local breeders, or swarms I've caught, are doing fantastic" ergo... stick with locally adapted bees and make sure they are strong going into winter... im in UK so ask your local beeks what they do to ensure winter survival :) All the best

[@martini5025]

....which queens do you use? are the California queens ligustica? Sounds so?¿

[@SummitForWellness]

@@martini5025 definitely California queens. This year has been way better so far (knock on wood), 0 losses and I treated for mites in spring and summer. I think the issue before was probably because of mite load and not treating early enough.

[@martini5025]

@@SummitForWellness... sorry i am not familiar with the type of queens used in the states... here in Bavaria we have 3 different ones... carnica, buckfast and the dark bee... varroa mites are the beekiller#1 here... good luck to you and your Ladys 😀 P.S. Washington is a great Place to 2 live... been there for 9 weeks... Seattle... Enumclaw.. Mt. Rainier i still have a smile on my face thinking of that time 😉

[@paulineraybould6660]

One of my hives that has died this winter has dead bees accross the bottom along with dead wasps. Can wasps cause.the colony failure? Thank Pauline

[@radoslawjocz2976]

This is the question!!!

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Indeed! Or a combo of many!

[@won2winit]

Using Hivealive for the first time this year and put it in the syrup and also mixed It through the first lot of fondant. Got some syrup ready for Spring as well to try and give them a boost.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

How did you mix it into the fondant?

[@won2winit]

@@BlackMountainHoney a plastic bowl, rubber gloves and a lot of elbow grease. Only had 2kg of fondant at the time but every little helps

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@won2winit Nice one!

[@norfolkhoneybee273]

How do you put mice guards on you wood floors you make. I have added a sliding ply board to your design. So can have closed, 2 bee space , 1/4 open, or full open.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

I don't use mouseguards on them. They are 8mm wide entrances to should deter all but the very smallest of mice. I have never had one enter through them but that's not to say they couldnt squeeze through

[@eastsussexbeesandwildlife5801]

Lots to take in there, thanks. Have hefted my 4 colonies, all feel like they are nailed down, but hope there is enough laying space, do you think its a bit too late to inspect? (3 are wood nationals each with with a super, one a wood national only. Ta.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Unless you have been feeding for the past few weeks they should be fine. Most will have a brood break soon and will consume stores anyway so should be fine 🙂

[@eastsussexbeesandwildlife5801]

@@BlackMountainHoney Thanks so much.

[@williamsummers6438]

The primary and common cause of colony death is the thin walled hive designs that you have behind you.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

You mean the 50mm polystyrene insulated ones with the 6 inch insulated crownboards? Last winter I got 23/24 through in this apiary..One had turned DLQ

[@williamsummers6438]

@@BlackMountainHoney No. Not those. The wood ones that they are pretending to look like. 23 out of 24 eh! That is almost as good as ZEST hives.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@williamsummers6438 Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of insulation in beehives. Especially above winter clusters. But to say thin walled hives that are used all over the world is the primary cause of death just clearly isn't true.

[@williamsummers6438]

@@BlackMountainHoney Thin walled wood hives are the industry standard religion in the UK. Such good taste you see. The winter losses survey carried out by the BBKA of its member hovered around 33%. The Bee Farmers Association one hovered around 30%. If your poly hives had been wood ones you are unlikely to get 23 out of 24 come through. There may be some other dynamic here that causes all this, but merit is claimed for thin walled hives that the bees go into a cluster, but this is a prelude to dying. It is true that Nosema and Acarine are caused by condensation water in the hive like the un-insulated walls and window in a shower room. And then there are mesh floors..................!!! and bottom entry!!!!!!!! ZEST is better. For (R) value (Resistance to the passage of heat) 39 times better.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@williamsummers6438 Ah see I'd be challenging those figures. 30% losses from bee farmers?? Im a huge advocate for insulation but it's most important to sit above the cluster to allow moisture to track down the side walls. I know plenty of bee farmers who use exclusively thin walled wooden hives and there losses are between 5-10% each year.

[@jpettymd]

Are you saying fondant, as in what people use on cakes??

[@dakota5660]

my hive just died, opened it up today. they had food and everything else except no brood or queen.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Any signs of spotty drone brood?

[@dakota5660]

Not that I seen, I honestly think the queen went into winter weak and just didnt make it then the hive slowly died off

[@dakota5660]

This is also my very first hive and I'm still learning, will be alot more diligent this year with getting them into and through winter

[@robertburgin1688]

Great video Lawrance, so I made a couple of nucs following 1 of your previous videos and they are doing great over 6 frames, 1 felt slightly lighter so put a takeaway carton in with fondant but they have eaten this and its now full of bees haha they are bs nucs so if I remove and put some new in they will all get stuck up in the feeder in the process What would you advise Thanks

[@BlackMountainHoney]

It's a pain when they do that. I'd be inclined to leave them for the time being. They should cluster soon and will start at the bottom, which will give you the opportunity to remove and refill

[@wadebarnes6720]

How do you make fondant

[@BlackMountainHoney]

We buy ours. Be a nightmare making it in any quantity

[@polmacbradaigh9506]

Verystrange how you and gweyn gruffyd put out a similar video the same day

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Yep. Crazy that one isn't it. I dropped a comment on his video. They went live within 15 mins of eachother!