> The temp was about -3 C...The bear...dug down thru 3
> colonies breaking frames to get to the honey...
> The colonies had to be moved that day.
> 2 colonies managed to survive the disturbance and one
> succumbed due to too much honey dripping on the
> cluster.

Interesting story, Joe.  Reminds me...

One winter, we wrapped a yard of about 30 hives in a field location which
had been a good summer location and decent for wintering over a number of
years.  During that winter, around Christmastime, the farmer sold the land,
and a new owner moved in some cattle.

From what we could surmise later, it looked as if truckers had unloaded
about three cattleliners of young feeders, at night, through a gate that was
about 50 feet from our bees.  Of course the animals were confused in the
dark, and milled about, knocking the hives askew, and tearing the wraps off
some.

Luckily, someone passing by noticed the problem and mentioned it to us.  We
rushed out, and found that several days had passed since the damage, we
figured, and the yard was a real mess.  We straightened all the hives out,
and moved them to a safer location.  In the process, one pallet got dumped
and the top broods tumbled onto the snow, bees and all.  We set them all
back up, scooped in the spilled bees, along with a little snow, and wrapped
them again.

We expected huge losses, but, from what I recall, our winter loss was no
worse there than in yards where there was no disturbance.  What that proves,
I don't know, since wintering losses can vary from 0 to 100% from yard to
yard and still average at our expected 12%.

Anyhow, disturbance doesn't always kill, but less is always better.

Don't try this at home, kids.

allen
A Beekeeper's Diary: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/

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