Our counters have not indicated that fall loss of bees is the norm, although
on days when it sunny and warm, then suddenly chills, we see that some of
the bees don't make it home - I assume they chill off out in the fields, can't
get home.
We see the same in early spring. Montana conditions may reflect what you
see in Finland - sudden temp drops as sun sets, or as weather changes during
the day may catch bees too far away to make it home.
I used to have a beeyard next to the Univ. police cars - which were white.
In spring and fall, late in the day, we'd find dead, dying, resting bees on
the hoods of the cars. Apparently the bees were coming home, stopped short to
land on the cars.
As per bee counters - we provide them on a custom basis - have been waiting
for more than two years for our manufacturing firm to deliver the
manufacturing prototypes - Smart Hives and Counters that can be readily assembled in a
cost effective manner. Our custom units have too much hand wiring/soldering to
be economical - although probably don't cost any more than the electronic
scale - if it has the sensitivity to notices changes in a few bees coming and
going.
I think that the Brussels firm has stopped producing counters, but I may be
wrong - last I checked, their web site wasn't functional.
Was one firm in Canada, working on one.
When we finally have an affordable counter that can be mass produced, we
will be ecstatic. We've have had custom, research grade units for our own use,
that we have built since 1995. But, they cost about $2,000. The Brussels
units were $3500 years ago.
We are shooting for something more in the $500 range or less - keep your
fingers crossed. Our design/manufacturing firm produced a REALLY nice counter
unit last year, with modular replacement parts - but it failed the bee test -
the bees gunked up critical components within a week. No matter how much we
stress this, engineers seem slow to learn that what looks good on paper,
works on the benchtop, has to pass the bee test.
As of January, we have a NEW design that spent 3 months on a hive with no
appreciable coating/debris from the bees. Subtle differences in design of the
assembly make all the difference, just as bee space has narrow tolerances.
Our new design looks like it will work, AND it will also distinguish worker
bees from drones from queens. Looking forward to testing that in a few weeks
- still spitting snow in Montana.
Jerry
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