When we started beekeeping in Spring 2014 we were beyond excited. We had mulled it over for a few years and been studying up on it. I made no secret that it seemed like a huge learning curve and there is an overwhelming amount of information available. What we found doing our research was for every theory there was a counter-theory or an opposing theory. Honestly, it was hard to filter through everything and come up with a plan. Through the local bee community we found wonderful resources and some really amazing folks who are passionate about beekeeping.
I have shared our "bee" successes in earlier posts. The high of installing our first bee colonies and the excitement when the bees emerged in the warm spring air and filled the neighbors flowering tree.
In the Fall, when we realized we would be able to harvest an ample amount of "virgin" honey we were over the moon! I'm not exaggerating when I say our honey was the tastiest golden gift we've ever had! I can back that up a bit by reminding you our honey won a 3rd place ribbon (and $4.00) in the State Fair!
We have been high on honey for many months. Each time I add a spoonful to my tea or spread some on bread for the Sprouts I give thanks to those hard working and giving bees...
We checked the bees just before the cold weather hit. We had a lovely long autumn and it wasn't until November that we checked on them for one last Fall visit. Hubs was pleased with the way the first hive looked. Happy and healthy and thriving. We left them a lot of honey for their winter stores. Satisfied he put the top back on and moved to the second hive. He was shocked when he opened it! It was literally and completely empty of life! NO BEES...no honey...nothing! No sign of anything. No disease, no robbing...NOTHING! How could this be??? It was such a blow and very depressing. Absconding and hive abandonment are terms we had read about. We just never expected it. We have learned it is becoming more and more common. Again, there are theories...and more theories...but we don't really know why they left or where they went. We hope they swarmed somewhere and ended up safe. We hope someone became aware of them and they weren't destroyed. We hope a beekeeper was called to safely remove them and give them a new home. We hope...
We became complacent as Winter approached. It was a mild beginning. We felt that "Hive 1" was in good shape. The do's and don't's of beekeeping can seem overwhelming. You shouldn't move them for the winter. You shouldn't cover the hive with anything for insulation. They need ventilation. They are bees and know how to handle the winter. If you've been feeding them at all through late Fall, make sure you remove it. They will hunker down and do what bees do in the winter months. You don't open the hive in the winter...we felt confident and the "sting" of losing Hive 2 was lessening.
In December we were completely caught off guard. The days were mild and we weren't getting any storms. We live in an area where every few years we get "canyon" winds. They can be brutal. They don't happen often and we tend to forget they exist. These winds blow with hurricane force at times and usually last 24-48 hours. They drop the temperature to below freezing and are relentless for those blowing hours. Of course we thought of the bees! Really, what could we do? We crossed our fingers and hoped they would survive the 70 mile an hour onslaught and frigid temps. The winds died down after a couple of days but the cold persisted for a few weeks and snow came off and on. We thought about the bees often and wondered if they survived that surprising wind storm. A month later the crazy weather stopped and was replaced with more crazy weather! Winter warmth! The temps rose into the 50's and the sun was bright. We decided to go check the hive. We weren't going to break the rules and open it up...but, it was warm enough we should hear or see a bit of activity...
We rounded up the pups and headed out to see what was up...We slowly approached the hive. There was no outside activity. Hubs got closer and closer and there was nothing. He bent down and put his ear right on the hive and there was no sound. We broke the winter rule and carefully removed the top. Nothing...no activity, no sound. A beautiful healthy hive filled with dead bees. We have no doubt they froze in the wind storm.
Everything looked good...except for the part about the dead bees. :(
I thought you might like to see this. It is a normal queen cell.
This is as well...pretty cool...or would be if the bees were alive...sigh
Sorry...but I think it's worth seeing the dearly departed. The poor dears are all huddled together and were trying to stay warm. They still had plenty of honey...We were heartbroken. I'm not going to lie. I cried most of the afternoon and Hubs retired to his cave to mourn.
It was a tough loss. It also caught us off guard. Things were going so well and we just didn't anticipate losing a hive...let alone two!
We were initiated into the world of beekeeping...on many levels.
We plan to replace the hives this spring and maybe even add another. We have done more research and commiserated with other beekeepers. It has been a rough year in the bee community. The erratic weather and disease has taken a toll.
My philosophy about most things is to stay upbeat. I like to call out the good and ignore the bad. I want to preach success and happiness and leave the gloom and doom behind...but...beekeeping has once again opened my eyes to what is NOT right with our food system.
We NEED bees and we are losing them. I feel a bit like I did several years ago when I realized how broken the food system is. GMO's were filling the grocery shelves. HFCS is in almost everything. Fruit and veggies are plagued with pesticides and poisons and meat is full of hormones and antibiotics and from the saddest, poorest, mis-treated animals possible.
Well...instead of getting discouraged I found a path. I found like-minded people and places to buy GMO free food. We easily and successfully found ways to grow our own organic fruits and veggies. I learned to can and preserve food. I gave in to Hubs and let him start a freaking herd of chickens...and, I'm the first to admit it was a good move...I'm grateful for his insight every time I crack one of those amazing home grown eggs! But...it gets easier to source quality, clean food all the time! People are catching on and getting on board. It is changing for the better and people are becoming educated and taking responsibility and it has been incredibly rewarding to be part of it.
But for a moment...back to my gloom and doom. Everyone knows we are losing the bees. Everyone has heard about Colony Collapse Disorder. What I didn't really know about before our beekeeping journey was American Foul Brood (AFB) and Varroa Mite and Nosema. Ugh...
If you are unfortunate to get AFB you can just plan to basically burn down your hive. AFB has been treated with antibiotics and of course the strains of the bacterium are rapidly becoming resistant. It's a pretty sure bet you will get Varroa Mite. At least by your second year of beekeeping. Oh yeah...there are all kinds of synthetic pyrethroids you can treat with several times a year. Wait...does any of this sound familiar? Isn't this the same thing happening in the rest of the broken food system? Outrageous amounts of antibiotics used to raise meat and the cause of scary resistant strains of strep and MRSA? Oh, yeah...I don't want to consume it in my food but it's okay in my honey??? I guess I don't really understand all the head scratching about what is happening with the bees! It is the same thing happening with all the rest of the food. Pesticides and herbicides and antibiotics. Two camps...those that insist it is necessary in beekeeping and those that want something better and to stop the cures that are causing the disease! (See, I'm not using capital letters even though I feel like I'd like to!)
I am feeling discouraged. This is something I did not understand before we decided to keep bees. It isn't some big mystery. WE are killing the bees. Commercial beekeeping is killing the bees and keeping the predators alive and well. Monsanto and all those other ugly big companies are killing the bees. Even the wax used in the frames is suspect. I want to cry when I think about it. Okay...I am winding down my rant.
As with the food system...there are also like-minded folks in beekeeping. Few and far between at this point, but I have faith that better beekeeping will grow and evolve as people become aware and educated. People are experimenting with natural products and essential oils for mite control. There is no handbook, just trial and error at this point. Innovative beekeepers are coming up with ideas in equipment. This guy is one of my favorites for many reasons...thinking out of the box so to speak.
ecobeebox.net
Check him out! He is toying with a prototype "bee porch" that works at not letting the Varroa enter. He also has the most beautiful hives I've ever seen...You feel his passion and respect in his designs. (No, I don't know him personally)
Isn't this the most beautiful hive ever! Right down to the hardware...
And so, this spring we will start again. We hope to find better ways to bee keep and keep it safe and organic...that being said...our bees weren't diseased...they froze...DAMN!
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