Dead bees.

[gardening-girl]

Did a visual check on my hive this afternoon,and noticed lots of dead bees on the ground below it.
The hive sounded noisy as usual,and a very quick lift of the roof, showed lots of busy bees.
This is my first season,bees have been well fed,whats gone wrong?

 

[Norfolk]

Did a visual check on my hive this afternoon,and noticed lots of dead bees on the ground below it.
The hive sounded noisy as usual,and a very quick lift of the roof, showed lots of busy bees.
This is my first season,bees have been well fed,whats gone wrong?

Quite likely nothing more than housecleaning.
When you say lots, how many is lots ?

 

[Heather]

A good hive will have a quick clean out when temps rise a little and they come out of cluster. You may get 10 bees cleared in an hour. Another reason to check those mouse guards to ensure not getting blocked by the deads.
Can look a lot to a newbee but worry when in 100's

 

[Smorning]

Good, point noted in regards to the mouse guards restricting the ability of good housekeeping it not mentioned in any book I have read but makes perfect sense to check them every now and then. During the winter there are always bees coming to their natural end so I agree a few is normal a lot is not.

 

[thebhoy]

can also be if the bees go out for a flight and get caught in the cold weather upon their return......

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have a look at the bees....lying higgledy piggledy most likely cleared out.
Returning bees caught short of getting inside are usually still clinging on to something...grass,landing board,hive....

 

[REDWOOD]

drones

 

[Heather]

I know the Welsh lads are slow to take a hint from the girls.... but think nearly all drones will be history by now

 

[Tim.S]

There is nothing wrong with a few dead bees out front at this time of year - it's perfectly normal. I remember when I first started on this bee keeping malarkey it scared the living daylights out of me because nobody told me this happens. I don't recall reading about it in any of my books either and I suppose when you have kept bees for a few years you just don't pay much attention to these things.
It sounds like you are doing just fine to me. Don't be tempted to keep looking under the lid, they know far better than us what to do in the winter. Just heft the hive once in a while to check that they have got plenty of stores and let them get on with it until the weather starts to warm up. Good luck!

 

[REDWOOD]

I thought drones would have all been booted out by now but I did see a dead one last week and Somerset does have it's own micro climate

 

[HM Honey]

As per everyone else...natural waste...nothing to worry about. I remember my first winter....months of worry... Nothing anyone will say will stop you from worrying, you just will. Welcome to beekeeping...lol

 

[beeno]

Hi gardening-girl,
One of the things I have learnt this year is that every season is going to be different. Only one of my hives so far has lost a lot of summer foragers rough estimate about 500. Last year they had all lost more at this time. Prepare yourself for seeing that amount of bees on the hive floor come OA treatment time, if you are doing it. All mine were like that last Christmas and spring build-up was still good. Lots and lots of luck too!

 

[Heather]

After your first 12 months, you will sleep better... but that first year is lots of worry.
Relief at the next opening that you hadn't killed the queen on previous check. High winds... were hives still upright??..were there eggs this time as none visible to the inexperienced eye last time??...Why were bees behaving so oddly??? What the hell was that odd patch of cells!!
We have all had that first year, I am sure, I certainly did. It does get better and experience helps you to chill. But the forum is also here to reassure so don't worry to ask.
Spend winter browsing a book, and look forward to next Spring.

 

[gardening-girl]

Thanks for help people.The dead bees are all in a jumble,so looks like housekeeping.Not something I read in any books.
Will now remember to take of the mouse guard and clearout behind it to prevent blockage.

 

[victor meldrew]

Hi gardening-girl,
One of the things I have learnt this year is that every season is going to be different. Only one of my hives so far has lost a lot of summer foragers rough estimate about 500. Last year they had all lost more at this time. Prepare yourself for seeing that amount of bees on the hive floor come OA treatment time, if you are doing it. All mine were like that last Christmas and spring build-up was still good. Lots and lots of luck too!

Seeing that most foragers die in the field , how do you estimate the numbers of forages lost?
The reduction in colony size ? Which of course is also related to reduction in egg laying !
Do you rely on intuition?
Winter bees bred for a long life rather than any immediate requirement as field bees, how to they fit into the equation ?
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[madasafish]

AT our Association Apiary, we were doing ground works one winter for a new section.Decided to check the hives visually . Just as well we did,, the mouseguards had been blocked on one hive by dead bees. Nothing could get in or out. We cleared them out - I was stung for my pains.. ungrateful little....s

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Seeing that most foragers die in the field , how do you estimate the numbers of forages lost?

Goodness me VM - I know you've spent a lot of your time toiling in the bowels of the earth but to us sons of the soil it's simple stock management - You count the remaining living ones and compare it to the last figure in the herd book - and voila (which is french for isn't it?) you have your mean losses.

 

[victor meldrew]

Suitably ear tagged of course
Bowels ! Funny how you always revert to type
How do Welsh men practice safe sex?
They daub an X on the backs of the sheep that kick!
VM

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My great uncle Gwilym went to the STD clinic once as he had a very nasty rash on the ohbejoyfuls - the doctor said 'I have some good news and some bad news' fearing the worse Gwilym said'Give me the good news first boyo' The doctor smiled and said 'It isn't the clap sir!' surprised but overjoyed 'well what can the bad news be then!?' Gwilym asked.

'You're allergic to wool'​

 

[victor meldrew]

VM