BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Winter colony survival

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #10480  by AdamD
 08 Apr 2021, 09:31
I couldn't get on over Easter - after some of you had been able to - today I completed the survey quickly.

However what is very disapointing is that it was a cut down version of the previous year's survey. Prior to that survey I wrote a letter to the BBKA magazine suggesting that the winter survey could be an excellent way to determine the best way of keeping bees over winter - insulate or not, polyhive or not; use matchsticks or not etc. A mass country-wide survey would surely answer the questions on overwintering. As a result, the survey was done last year with this in mind (although it seemed a bit muddled, from memory although perhaps it was me). But no results were forthcoming as the the best overwintering technique as far as I am aware, just the usual losses per county were published. This year the survey is back to the bog standard. Very disappointing.
(Happy to stand corrected if results were published).
 #10489  by MickBBKA
 08 Apr 2021, 19:30
TBH I really don't see what the point is in this survey. The years weather and seasons vary so much there is nothing to be gained from reading the yearly report. Been keeping for 9 years and never had 2 spring, summers, autumn or winters the same yet. Doing it now is still a month too early here.