Dead and dying bees

[Charliej]

On checking the bees this morning I noticed 300- 400 bees dead or dying on the ground beneath the hive all in a cluster , there was also a smaller cluster of bees on the ground on the adjacent hive . I’ve attached a photo . Anyone have any ideas .

 

[For want of a better word]

Are they starving? Were there bees flying?
Heft hive... and even pull a frame out and take a quick look?

Chons da

 

[Frizzaldo]

Are they drones?

 

[masterBK]

Did Frizzaldo not look at the photo? Obviously all workers. Might be bees caught out by a cold snap under a mesh floor?

 

[enrico]

This may be the cause
Your bees are underflying the entrance. They then try and get into the hive through the mesh floor but cannot. They stay there in a cluster until the cold night gets them. Look under the mesh floor in the evening and see if you have a cluster of bees hanging there. If so remove them and put them in the entrance. The way to stop this happening is to block the area between the landing board and the floor. You can lose many bees this way so it needs sorting.
E

 

[Charliej]

Thanks enrico , I’ll try doing that . Apart from this the hive seems to be doing ok , plenty of flying bees bringing in loads of pollen and a good weight to the hive .

 

[enrico]

You are not the first one, it happens it someone every year!
Hope that is all the problem is.
E