# Lost my hive?!?!?



## rdhdstpchild (Jul 13, 2009)

This year I finally took the plunge and bought my first hive. :clap: Everything had been going great, or so I thought. Last month, we learned they bees hadn't drawn out the comb but the weather was so nice we decided to keep the honey super on "just in case". The girls were always flying to and fro, pollen baskets full...

Today we went out to take of the honey super. First thing I notice is there is no activity. Not one girl flying around. There were are couple on the brick on top but they weren't moving. When I took the brick off, I noticed they moved a little. Figured may it was just a bit too cold for them and moved on. As I took off the hive cover, we realize there is NO BUZZING! Every bee I saw was barely moving. Upon more investigation, none of the comb has been drawn out on the frames in the honey super. 

After I took off that super, with fear at this point, I can see there is barely any movement in the hive boxes below that one! We tore down to the bottom super. 

The bottom super had more bees, they were moving a little more. When looking at the frames all the cells are DRY.  No honey. No brood. What little I did see scared me. There are some cells that have what appear to be half emerging bees that died while coming out. :shrug:

What the heck did I do wrong? I've been pouring through my books and I think we've gone queen-less but does that also explain the dead bees in the cells? Do I need to burn the hive? I'm at a loss and desperately need your help! :Bawling:


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

They probably got robbed out. That or they just starved without getting robbed, but robbing is the most likely cause this time of year.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesrobbing.htm


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## rdhdstpchild (Jul 13, 2009)

With the hive so weak and empty of stores, is there any way to salvage or show I start over in the spring? I couldn't even find evidence of the queen. 

I feel absolutely terrible about this. They had seemed to be doing so well.


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

You're in Tennesee. You might get a short warm period left. But feeding tends to set off robbing. Maybe if you restrict the entrance down to only one bee wide (think the battle of Thermopylae) and feed warm 2:1 syrup like crazy and if there is enough bees and if there is still a queen, and if they don't get robbed again... they might survive... a lot of ifs.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

When you got them were they package bees or a nuc?
Is the foundation plastic of wax?
Were you feeding them?
Was this the first time you looked at them all year?

If they were a package of bees on plastic foundation and you were not feeding them I fully under stand why they haven't drawn the comb out.
Their probably is still a queen in there but if you haven't been looking in the hive all year I wouldn't expect you to see her. It takes pratiac to see the queen when you go looking for her.
Of course with no comb to lay in you won't see eggs either. As for the partly emerging bees they probably got cold and didn't make it since the cluster was to small to keep them warm.
With out seeing the frames I say feed them like your supposed to for the fall. If they live thru the winter you have lost nothing except a year. If they die just chalk it up as a learning experince and install a new package or nuc and feed them with out any honey supers till they have the bood frames all filled out and brood hatching. Once they have that you thencan install honey supers.

If you think it was robbing instead of one of the above reasons install a robbing screen on the entrancce with it reduced to a 1/2 inch.
I personally think it isn't robbing as I don't think there was anything to rob.

 Al


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## rdhdstpchild (Jul 13, 2009)

Thanks for the advice, guys. We did check the hive periodically after we got them but sounds like it wasn't often/thoroughly enough? STupid newbies not knowing what we're seeing. 

LESSON LEARNED!! :grit: :Bawling:

Though we're feeling like idiot ogres, I'm not willing to give up on the ladies without a fight. They've given me too much (peace, wonder, amazement) for me to not give the girls as much of a fighting chance as I can. I've set up the reducer and installed the top feeder with Winter syrup mix. 

I'll leave them alone for a couple days and check back in on them. Will keep you posted. 

I've learned a lot this year... next year's goal: be a better beekeeper! :bash:


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Maybe your a OK beekeeper now!! If you don't know what your looking at how are you to tell some thing is wrong. 
Next year add a second hive so you can see a difference if there is one.
Join a local club too.

 Al


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## rdhdstpchild (Jul 13, 2009)

I'm sad to report the hive is gone. Completely and totally gone. Another group of bees, not sure what kind they are but VERY different looking from ours, was moving in. We've dismantled the hive and will try again next year. With two this time.

It broke my heart, y'all. I've researched for years and...well, I'm just sick over it. 

Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate all the support and posts in this forum.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

It happens. We all lose the odd hive: it is hard when it is your first hive.


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