lost my colony

[Alicia]

Sorry delayed reaponse. The bees were there, just dead.
I will check in with her thanks! I did save the frames, in the garage - cold and protected. Will move to freezer. Do they need to b covered with anything in the freezer?

 

[Alicia]

@Alicia If I was you, I would catch up with this lady for my new bees... She's in Roy, WA, and she sure knows her stuff.

Is there another way to contact her? I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who doesn't have facebook

 

[babsbag]

I only freeze mine for a few days, enough to kill any wax moths and then I put them in plastic storage crates. I have left them in the freezer longer, sometimes I put them in those giant Zip lock bags so they don't make a mess.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Ditto on using the giant ziploc bags. The comb will get brittle and if they bump together, you'll get was pieces in your freezer.

 

[Alicia]

Okay. Getting some bags and then to the freezer.

 

[Latestarter]

Well, while the weather out east is a blizzard, it's low 50's here on the front range and feels like 70s in the sun so I waded back to the hive (still about a foot of snow) wearing slippers and a T-shirt. They're gone/dead. So in the end, I lost both my hives in my first year. I opened it up and pulled frames so I could see down into the lower deep. Lots of capped honey. plenty of pollen stores, no brood at all. Very few dead bees, and none with heads stuck into comb.

It's for the better as now I don't have to worry about selling the hives or moving them full of bees when I move this coming summer. still a bummer. I really began to worry over a month ago when I saw yellow jackets entering the hive. <sigh> Oh well. I completely blocked the entrance to keep mice and robbers out. Will deal with it in the spring.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I can't like that one for you, brother. Chalk it up to experience. Wonder how many of mine will be gone when this blizzard clears...

 

[Latestarter]

Thanks... I hope yours do OK... Keep warm!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm sorry Latestarter. What a bummer. I hope your move goes well and you can get set back up in bees this year.

 

[Latestarter]

Thanks Chooks. I WILL have hives again, just a matter of where and when. I liked the honey too much. At least this way I don't have to make another huge investment in woodware to start... I'll have these 2 hives to start over with.