> Starvation! Easy to see!...

Bob is right.   Starvation is a major cause of bee and colony death, but
what many, if not most, beekeepers do not seem to understand is that a
starvation episode does not have to take place at time of death to be a
major contributor to the eventual demise of a colony.

Colony starvation weeks or months previous to actual colony death is a major
cause of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed winter loss.  Often whole yards die
mysteriously with reasonable populations and decent stores in the hives,
and, although some other excuse may be found and pinpointed, the real
primary cause was robbing too close, feeding too late, shortage of pollen,
or lack of a balanced pollen diet at a critical time.

Lack of proper nutrition can start a chain of events that results in
population declines, poorly developed, stunted, young bees, and reduced
colony resistance to pests and disease, and greater sensitivity to dampness
and cold.

If a brief starvation is followed by good conditions, starved or
malnourished bees can usually recover over a generation or two.  Given good
weather and good honey and pollen flows, they will restore their nest and
raise strong bees.

However, starvation often ocurs in late summer or fall and, even if the bees
manage to get their stores built up, the bees themselves may simply lack the
body reserves necessary to make it through winter or build up in spring.

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

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