Abandoned Hives

[Ian Burroughs]

Good afternoon everyone,

Hoping for some advice. We recently lost 3 hives, a previously over wintered Nuc, an established colony in its second year and a retrieved wild swarm. All had plenty of stores, and none had piles of dead bees. Weirdly one had the dead queen on a frame in the hive.

We recently had a bereavement in the family so the bees had been neglected since early Jan but before then they all seemed very healthy.

I am assuming that our Varroa treatment was ineffective for whatever reason and it looks to me that there could be some foul brood. Leading to them absconding, however the queen being present stumped me.

I plan to burn the frames and either freeze or scorch the boxes to hopefully remove any infection.

If anyone has any thoughts or advice it would be greatly appreciated, we’ve only been keeping bees for about 5 years so far from experts. Some photos attached.

Many thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

why do you suspect foulbrood? I can just see a bog standard dwindle, maybe nosema Ceranae or a failed queen

 

[Erichalfbee]

it looks to me that there could be some foul brood. Leading to them absconding, however the queen being present stumped me.

I plan to burn the frames and either freeze or scorch the boxes to hopefully remove any infection

If you suspect foul brood then you must contact your local bee inspector not just burn the frames, by the way

 

[Ian Burroughs]

Thank you, I just thought that frame looked like a foul brood picture on line. Will contact the local bee inspector just to be sure though.

 

[pargyle]

what little brood there is has some perforated cappings.. classic varroa. JBM is on the money... looks like a pretty normal winter dwindle - ineffective varroa treatment last year - what did you use ?

 

[ericbeaumont]

neglected since early Jan

Timeline is out of sorts, Ian: recent disaster is the result of neglect late last summer, when varroa treatment was ineffective. With what and when did you treat?

I may be imagining things, but in the first photo of the bee to the right of the one with a pink blotch: are those two dead young varroa between abdomen & thorax? Look also at the empty cells: white specks are varroa poo.

No signs of EFB - which you would ID from advanced open brood - or AFB, which has sunken greasy cappings and black scale larvae. I would clean the kit and keep the best combs sealed in a box, ready for the new season.

Look at pages 9 & 11 for worse varroa examples than yours. The chewed cappings indicate efforts by the colony to remove damaged brood.
https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/ass...HA_Managing_Varroa_2020_ELECTRONIC_ONLY-1.pdf

PS: SBIs do not start work until April, so if you want reassurance, send the photos to your RBI.
https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/contact-us/

 

[Antipodes]

I may be imagining things, but in the first photo of the bee to the right of the one with a pink blotch: are those two dead young varroa between abdomen & thorax? Look also at the empty cells: white specks are varroa poo.

Never having seen a varroa except in a photo, is that one in the cell in the same photo, kinda underneath the highest bee (to the right)?

 

[Antipodes]

Good afternoon everyone,

Hoping for some advice. We recently lost 3 hives, a previously over wintered Nuc, an established colony in its second year and a retrieved wild swarm. All had plenty of stores, and none had piles of dead bees. Weirdly one had the dead queen on a frame in the hive.

We recently had a bereavement in the family so the bees had been neglected since early Jan but before then they all seemed very healthy.

I am assuming that our Varroa treatment was ineffective for whatever reason and it looks to me that there could be some foul brood. Leading to them absconding, however the queen being present stumped me.

I plan to burn the frames and either freeze or scorch the boxes to hopefully remove any infection.

If anyone has any thoughts or advice it would be greatly appreciated, we’ve only been keeping bees for about 5 years so far from experts. Some photos attached.

Many thanks

With AFB, look for a pupal tongue stuck to or near to the roof of the cell. Also, dried scale in the cells. I can't see anything that looks like AFB or EFB but see this link...
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/bios...ld-diagnosis-of-honey-bee-brood-diseases#h2-4

 

[ericbeaumont]

is that one in the cell in the same photo

Yes!

 

[polymath]

Thank you, I just thought that frame looked like a foul brood picture on line. Will contact the local bee inspector just to be sure though.

SBI will not be working you will need main Regional Bee Inspector this time of year.

 

[Ian Burroughs]

Thank you all for your responses, very helpful and very much appreciated!