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Author Topic: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?  (Read 2405 times)

Offline hollybees

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Hello All,
Like many all hives were lost, CCD is the only thing I can conclude they were all booming healthy hives as of last July.
They just stopped coming home, numbers dwindled slowly but constantly.
I pulled down 4 before winter combined the weakest ones and they just didn't have the numbers to make it thru winter.
The wife and I are planning a move to Colorado where all 3 of our children live, so I need to sell off the equipment I have and start over there once we get settled.
I just have no idea what to charge for them I have about 20 medium supers all w/frames some have good comb in them.

If I could just get an idea that would really help, forgive me if this is the wrong section for this post.

Thanks,
Paul

Offline AllenF

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2011, 02:29:02 pm »
Why can't you ship your equipment?   I think that would be cheaper than to replace.

Offline hardwood

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2011, 02:32:25 pm »
The going rate around here (commercial quantity) is around $10/box with frames but last year we lucked into 600 mediums w/frames and new plasticel for $3!

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline Kathyp

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2011, 03:32:33 pm »
i'd find a way to keep them.  replacing will cost much more.  1st, check very closely for disease.  this doesn't sound like CCD.  more likely something like mites.  could be other things so check well.  you don't want to sell or keep stuff that is compromised.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline hollybees

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2011, 05:21:06 pm »
Why can't you ship your equipment?   I think that would be cheaper than to replace.

Yes you are certainly right, I just didn't want to have to store them because I honestly have no idea when I'll set them backup.
Just going to rent when we get there..
Let me ask you though, if I did keep some I assume all the comb should be cleaned out and frames scraped clean...yes?
Thanks


Offline hollybees

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2011, 05:23:10 pm »
The going rate around here (commercial quantity) is around $10/box with frames but last year we lucked into 600 mediums w/frames and new plasticel for $3!

Scott

Thanks Scott...that's about what I was thinking, however I don't know what is meant by commercial quality??

Offline hollybees

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2011, 05:30:59 pm »
I'd find a way to keep them.  replacing will cost much more.  1st, check very closely for disease.  this doesn't sound like CCD.  more likely something like mites.  could be other things so check well.  you don't want to sell or keep stuff that is compromised.

Kathy, what in my description makes you thing it is not?
I saw no evidence of poor health and the mite load has always been low, I've never lost any hives till now after 4 years.
I inspect at least monthly they had brood good laying queens and a fair supply of honey.
The dead in and around the hive was no more that you would expect...frankly I'm baffled by the whole thing.
This kind of loss is new to me so I welcome your comments,
Thanks
Paul

Offline hardwood

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2011, 06:53:03 pm »
Paul, that's quantity (meaning several hundred at a time...lower price that way) not quality.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline Kathyp

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2011, 07:30:41 pm »
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/agriculture/colony_collapse_disorder.html

http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/index.cfm?cat=Story&recordID=629

the second is a pretty detailed description of what happens.  don't know if this fits, but take a look.

Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline skflyfish

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2011, 07:45:29 pm »
Paul,

I had a similar experience last fall and winter. Lost 3 strong second year hives in the fall and the remaining 8 over the winter. All second year hives superceeded in late September. I monitored for mites and really didn't feel I had an issue, but the only treatment I have done is powdered sugar. This early spring I sent samples from the 8 hives to the USDA for mite and nosema testing. I also sent an aggregate sample to BVS for virus testing. The only thing that came back positive was varroa. Some 50 bee samples had 7 mites. The USDA says 5 mites per 100 is a hive that is in need of treating. The only thing I can surmise, is the early spring we had last year gave them quite a few extra breeding cycles.

So I have repackaged 4 of the hives this spring and other than small queens, they are all doing well.

In the early spring, some feral bees were coming around and very reluctant to enter the hives. Now the packages are robbing the other 7 hives.

So, your situation sounds like mine and possibly your hives are still worth some money. Are they being robbed out? One sign of CCD is the reluctance of bees to rob out CCD infected hives.

HTH,

Jay

Offline wd

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Re: All 8 hives lost this winter, moving....what are the hives worth?
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2011, 10:15:11 pm »
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« Last Edit: May 22, 2011, 10:35:16 pm by wd »