A dustpan of dead bees?

[angeJ]

I have two hives that have come through winter looking promising ( busy seams of active bees). I know this as I've been giving them some a tonic - vita gold as I was thinking that one of the hives was showing signs of possible nosema. On recent dry and milder days I have removed the mouse guard on my hives and put it back before nighttime. Last night I forgot to replace the mouse guard. When I went to look at them this morning the entrance block on one of the hives was almost completely removed, just hanging in the very corner by a couple of centimetres. I definitely had left the entrance blocks neatly in position. Additionally when I looked into the entrance there were clearly many dead bees. I later changed the floor with minimal disturbance of the colony and there was at least a dustpan full of dead bees. Quickly looking below the crown board there are some bees but no where near so busy as yesterday. This amount of dead bees is not normal is it? And what animal has the dexterity to almost remove an entrance block? These two events I presume are related but I don't have a clue what's happened. They had loads of stores. I think the other hive is fine.

 

[pargyle]

A rat ? Look fof teethmarks ...

Are you sure the dead bees were not a build up on the hive floor that you have not previously noticed ?

 

[angeJ]

I didn't notice teeth marks but I'll have a look. It is very possible I hadn't noticed the build up of dead bees previously. I've only been beekeeping for 2 years so I have no experience of the kind of number of bees you can expect to be dying off normally from the winter bee population. I'll have to wait I guess till a warm day before I properly go and check them. I couldnt see the queen I had marked in the dead bees - a possible glimmer of hope???

 

[enrico]

I would bet these are just the bees that have died over winter, sometimes they can't get them out of the hive easily but that was solved when the entrance block became dislodged, my entrance blocks blow out on a windy day, I put a drawing pin in to keep them in place.
It is still cold, don't go peeking in to your bees too often yet. If you injure the queen you are in real trouble!
Best of luck and don't worry, natural winter deaths would be my guess
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

my entrance blocks blow out on a windy day, I put a drawing pin in to keep them in place.
E

Same here

 

[madasafish]

Same here

I wrap insulation tape round near the ends so they stick slightly....and don't move.

 

[angeJ]

Thank you all for your advice and positivity
Staying hopeful

 

[snelgrove]

I have had entrance blocks blown inside with the wind when they ain't a tight fit. when you take mouseguards off they are off for good, don't worry about putting them back on for nights.