Winter losses in England

[lindsay s]

Two articles today on winter bee losses in England. Does anyone have a link to the data? Up here our losses have been low and most of them could be put down to lack of feeding or neglect. The more competent beekeepers I have spoken to here have suffered no losses but I must admit most of our colonies were very weak this spring. I find it hard to believe that isolation starvation was one of the main causes and I wonder if a lot of it was down to a lack of autumn feeding. By the way Doris is blaming neonics.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22861651
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jun/13/honeybee-colonies-england-winter?CMP=twt_gu

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi Lindsay
It must be great to be varroa free usually they are implicated directly or indirectly
Bleeding menaces

[lindsay s]

HI D R
I agree that varroa will be a major factor in the winter losses. It could be said that the coming together of last year’s lack of pollen, the bad weather, stress and varroa created The Perfect Storm for the demise of bees, but I wonder how much of it was down to the complacency of beekeepers. The lack of varroa management and/or autumn feeding for example. Also there are a lot of beginners out there who have yet to get a proper grip on beekeeping; I know I’m still learning. I might be totally wrong but I’m just thinking out loud.

[gavin]

http://www.bbka.org.uk/files/pressreleases/bbka_release_winter_survival_survey_13_june_2013_1 371062171.pdf

Pretty much in line with the Scottish Government one recently published, and indeed with our own local small one if you lump in all the weak no-hopers from last autumn, which as far as I know these other surveys are doing. They should really take note of the data from the German group as a sign that you have to put the colonies into categories based on autumn strength before you start claiming percentages.

The claims made by the BFA secretary of 50% losses and a further 25% unproductive due to weakness is worse that this. Why? Surveys taken too early? Claims of loss by BFA members inflated to try to get government support? Genuinely more difficult to keep colonies healthy in a difficult year when you have lots of them? A few large scale beekeepers who do not manage their stocks well bringing the loss average up?

I've said this before but I simply do not believe that, to take a local example, to go from over a thousand to 400 last autumn and then only a handful this spring is the pattern you expect from a competent beekeeper. I know enough beekeepers in the same area to know that losses may be higher than normal in that area, but not that severe.

[gavin]

I might be totally wrong but I’m just thinking out loud.

I think that you are totally right.

[lindsay s]

Sorry Trog and D R I’ve just noticed you have been discussing this in another thread maybe Gavin can lump it all together.

[gavin]

More trouble than its worth I think.