an annual loss rate of around 15-40% which is
actually comparable to commercial outfits! Incidentally, the hive he did lose was his strongest going into the 1st winter, and coming out,
the weakest hive (written off as an expected
loss) became a phenomenal producer. So never assume your hive is too weak to survive, or
too strong to fail—it’s about natural selection
and adaptability. The weak survivor was a late,
summer-swarm capture ‘rehomed’ to his apiary for the presumed expiration. He attributes
the strong expansion in his remaining hives to
nature, “These are the bees best adapted to
survive on the forage available and best suited
for the area where they work.”
“…the hive he did lose was his
strongest going into the winter,
and coming out, the weakest hive
(written off as an expected loss)
became a phenomenal producer.
So never assume your hive is too
weak to survive, or too strong to
fail—it’s about natural selection
and adaptability.