:( poor little fellas.
Bees are so fragile for such adaptive critters. I hope the new swarm is strong and healthy!

Oh crap, that's a shame. From what I've read CCD can have a lot of different causes. Do you have any idea as to what may have happened.

At least you got some honey out of the hives.

I didn't treat the hives for varroa mites, which is probably what did it. I did the year before and they made it through that winter. (their first) Then last winter I didn't and they seemed to be doing OK as of Christmas, then it got Cold. But in the spring the hives were empty, if they had been frozen there would have been dead bees.

The last thing I heard about collony collapse disorder is that they are blaiming mites and neonicitineoid pestacides.

oh wow, I never knew you kept bees! Neat! (and you're a lot braver than I am :-P)

That's a pretty neat hobby, hope your new batch of bees does well and all.

Coincidentally, PBS just released this video about Colony Collapse Disorder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKQNx0av7eY

I have six hives right now... (there was an inventory control failure... four is enough for one person.) two of them are Really Happy, two are Happy, one is OK, and the last one is sad but not dead yet.

I don't want to steal any honey until they are established, so nothing this year. But then maybe swipe some next year.

And this time, treat for the varroa mites.

Thanks for the ref on the PBS video. Its going to be interesting now with society at large actually being aware of the problem.