ENVIRONMENT

Thank you for the update Claire. Your updates always make me think, and that's a good thing :)

I share stuff with you in hopes that you can learn something from my experiences. Sad experiences....

I went into one of my very strong hives yesterday only to find the bottom deep 2/3 full with capped honey but absolutely no bees. There were no dead bees in the bottom of the box and no dead ones in front. And, yes, I tested and treated with a few different things in late July and early September. 

Second, I was observing the entrances to the hives and one of the eight colonies that were left had yellow jackets walking in and out along with the bees.  So that hive has to be weak and has only a questionable chance of surviving.  The entrance had been about 3 inches but is now 1/2 inch.

Lastly, I put out fresh landscape cloth in front of my hives yesterday.  All the hives had ten or less dead bees out front today.  One had a hundred!  Red flag! Red flag!

I love to experiment.  If I had a website I would call it "unscientific beekeeping".  So I'm going to put pollen patties in the two hives described above.  I want to encourage them to raise a little brood. At the Washington bee conference Randy Oliver said after you treat and get rid of all the mites in the fall, feed a little. I have pollen patties with 4% real pollen and apis biologix in my freezer that I would be happy to share for $2.50 a pound.

Thanks to the Munlys, I have a heavily insulated super above each colony.

Inside, sitting on the frames in the top box, I have a thermometer in each of my hives. It records the current, the high and the low temperatures and the same for humidity. So even when the temp went down to 38 the other night, the low ranged from 56 to 70 above the cluster. 

My only suggestion is to continue to observe what's going on in your hives. They may be giving you signs that will help you to save a colony.  Maybe.

Best wishes.

Claire