Dead bees on mesh floor

[BernardBlack]

Ok, so I happened to look up into hive yesterday, about 30 dead bees on mesh floor. Is that normal in winter? I don't normally check this so could be common enough.

I have fondant on. Mouse guard, inspection tray in, treated with oxalic acid at new year.

Anything to worry about?

 

[linoleum bonypart]

No

 

[Erichalfbee]

 

[amigadave]

I scraped some out with a hook made out of a wire coat hangar a few weeks ago. Now that the bees are flying again, and dragging the dead bees out of the hive on their own, I don't need to interfere.

 

[madasafish]

I have seen hive entrances blocked with hundreds of dead bees at this time.. and the hive survived...

 

[Poly Hive]

The winter bees are starting to die off now and this is where the critical time is approaching. If there are more oldies dying than newbies hatching you are in the situation known as "Spring Dwindle" and it is very hard to over come that one.

On the other hand if it is the other way round the colony is on it's way to be a strong one.

PH

 

[BernardBlack]

I assumed it was just natural, bees dying off. And maybe the reason the other bees hadn't cleared them out was due to the cold weather, and them wanting to conserve their energy/body heat.

On non-flying days I look through entrance, usually you can see bees cluster at bottom of frames. Not as many lately though. Due to cold winds I thought.

 

[Barbarian]

A standard mouse guard can make it difficult for bodies to be pulled out through the holes.
I prefer to mount the guard higher so there is a bee space below the bottom edge. This also avoids the guard knocking pollen off returning bees.

 

[enrico]

No

Not hugely helpful to a beginner
It probably is not anything to worry about and is natural die off but it could be sign of a weak hive or hunger. As long as there is food there is little you can do at the moment so don't worry and keep an eye on them.
E

 

[MartinL]

Not hugely helpful to a beginner
It probably is not anything to worry about and is natural die off but it could be sign of a weak hive or hunger. As long as there is food there is little you can do at the moment so don't worry and keep an eye on them.
E

If you open the hive at this time of year you'll be doing nothing to help them + there will most likely be plenty more dead bees. However, once they become more active they'll have a spring clean and shift the bodies themselves.

Must admit I was tempted to say where would you expect dead bees to be? Floating at the entrance?

Then I realised we're in the beginners section & have to be nice. So;
Wouldn't be worrying at all, just ensure they have plenty to keep them going.

If snow is forecast, lean something over the entrance, (not to stop the snow going inside but to stop the brighter reflected sunshine from making the fliers think its nice & warm outside).

 

[Etton]

A standard mouse guard can make it difficult for bodies to be pulled out through the holes.
I prefer to mount the guard higher so there is a bee space below the bottom edge. This also avoids the guard knocking pollen off returning bees.

When should we start to remove the mouse guards?

 

[B+.]

When should we start to remove the mouse guards?

I would wait a while yet. Keep an eye on the weather forecast to see when it is consistently warm (look at night time temperatures too). I think we're forecast for some more cold weather

 

[masterBK]

Hygienic behaviour is a spectrum. Undertaker workers vary somewhat as to how they deal with the dead. Some carry them out and fly off with them to dump them well away from the hive, some just chuck them out of the hive where you find them on the ground not far away from the entrance and some lazy B,s just leave them on the floor board. Duirng several days of poor weather the dead can accumulate on the floor until you get a mild day when they are usually dragged out and dumped.