Crawling bees

[daisy murdoch]

Ten days ago I bought a nuc which arrived with a double handful of dead young bees. Once opened (and every day since) young bees have been leaving the hive and climbing up / falling down blades of grass and dying. I have treated for varroa, given menthol and an oil sugar patty. Any advice please?

 

[Erichalfbee]

What are stores like? Have they enough to eat? If they are starving then you need to feed them with syrup...not a patty.
BUT
If there is food
Take the nuc back, get a refund and purchase a new one elsewhere. I wouldn't even bother to find out what's wrong

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but why menthol? did they have a cold?

 

[Erichalfbee]

but why menthol? did they have a cold?

Mental and oil sugar patty. Same source I guess and likely not OP’s fault.
I’ve put this in beginners so be nice.

 

[daisy murdoch]

but why menthol? did they have a cold?

Supposed to help with tracheal mites…

 

[daisy murdoch]

What are stores like? Have they enough to eat? If they are starving then you need to feed them with syrup...not a patty.
BUT
If there is food
Take the nuc back, get a refund and purchase a new one elsewhere. I wouldn't even bother to find out what's wrong

Patty is supposed to help with tracheal mites? They have syrup and stores.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Supposed to help with tracheal mites…

Not really a problem in the U.K. Where are you?
You e been sold a bad nuc.
Take it back.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mental and oil sugar patty. Same source I guess and likely not OP’s fault.
I’ve put this in beginners so be nice.

was just asking, I feared the OP had been fed some duff 'advice'

 

[robinharman]

Are any of them shiny/hairless?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are any of them shiny/hairless?

Would a nuc have CBPV ( chronic bee paralysis virus)? Unless it was thrown together from an affected parent hive I guess

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Would a nuc have CBPV ( chronic bee paralysis virus)? Unless it was thrown together from an affected parent hive I guess

i guess it would if comprised of colonies with CBPV

i often wonder if swarms are likely to take CBPV with them as one would think, infected bees may not leave with swarm

any experience of swarms with CBPV or CBPV colonies which swarm 'taking it with them'?

my experience a few years back of CBPV is i take no chances now as i found it persistent despite measures taken

 

[Erichalfbee]

Infected bees die in a couple of days. They can’t fly.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Infected bees die in a couple of days. They can’t fly.

ok, thats helpful, thanks Dani

is in line with instinct that a swarm is unlikely to export it....

 

[Sutty]

Infected bees die in a couple of days. They can’t fly.

There might be an asymptomatic but infected period, so I wouldn't count on it.
Thankfully I've never had it

 

[Erichalfbee]

There might be an asymptomatic but infected period, so I wouldn't count on it.
Thankfully I've never had it

But the bees in a swarm are much reduced in density. Maybe that’s why you don’t see disease in swarms? One of the things to do with an infected colony is to give them lots of space.