dead bees

[Cuckmere couple]

i have a few hives in garden (4 and 3 nucs) and 2 of the hives and 2 of the nucs have quite a significant mound of dead bees outside the front

never seen this before.....they dont seem to be corpses of bees that dies a while back, they seem relatively recent

My friend down the road has the same on 1 of 3 hives.

My apiary 3 miles away doesnt seem to have the same

not sure if these are just summer bees (they're not drones in the main) dying off all at once or if i should suspect disease....would they die at similar time if so i wonder?

will try and get a picture if helpful...

have just treated 4 weeks worth of apiguard

the double nuc with the largest mound seemed busy inside when i had a quick look yesterday but i didnt check the brood frames.....

 

[Jules59]

The only time I had a "significant mound" of dead bees outside the hive was when they had CBPV. Are any of the live bees showing any sign of disease?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

The only time I had a "significant mound" of dead bees outside the hive was when they had CBPV. Are any of the live bees showing any sign of disease?

Thanks Julie

not that I can tell

will have another look

 

[holmbee]

Thanks Julie

not that I can tell

will have another look

It does sound as if it MIGHT be CBPV. There was an article in December 2016 BBKA News written by Giles Budge who did a research paper on this for Newcastle University. What is happening to the remaining bees in the hive? Are they appearing normal or falling (still alive) to the floor of the hive?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have had some prolific healthy colonies that seem to have a single catastrophic looking 'dump' of bees at the end of the season, inspected and all looked fine, and they were off to a flying start at the beginning of the next season and once again performed fantastically.

 

[Anthony Appleyard]

See link: Chronic bee paralysis virus - Wikipedia

 

[oxnatbees]

I have heard that after the drone exclusion, as winter draws in there is another, lesser known exclusion of worn-out workers.

"Thank you for your service, but you're not going to survive winter."

Do these bees have little hair and slightly frayed ends to their wings?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks all...i think it may be CBPV....wings splayed on bees at teh front entrance....will open to see bees inside soon

 

[masterBK]

Some colonies simply dump their dead on the floor near the hive while others fly away with them and dump them elsewhere and you are unaware of it.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Here are two pictures from the nuc and hive

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry but I think you’re right.
I might risk taking the floor away for a week if the wasps are busy on the Ivy. They are here.
Swap the floor for an empty brood box and sit that on the stand.
Otherwise leave them alone. They might pull through

 

[Cuckmere couple]

there are quite a few wasps around sadly.....will monitor
presume moving the floor is to take away infected debris, hairs etc...risk is healthy bees robbing i guess....

 

[The Poot]

Here are two pictures from the nuc and hive

That’s really sad

 

[Erichalfbee]

there are quite a few wasps around sadly.....will monitor
presume moving the floor is to take away infected debris, hairs etc...risk is healthy bees robbing i guess....

No it’s to enable the dead bees to fall out rather than infecting corpse bearers
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/a-way-to-combat-cbpv.51048/

 

[Cuckmere couple]

ah....thanks for that Dani

i just replaced the bottom nuc box and exchanged the floor of the hive thinking it was infected debris......

colonies seemed ok inside....

 

[Swarm]

colonies seemed ok inside....

They often do and show no outward signs such as trembling and hairless bees, just lots of dead.
It's a very sad sight, I hope they get through it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

ah....thanks for that Dani

i just replaced the bottom nuc box and exchanged the floor of the hive thinking it was infected debris......

colonies seemed ok inside....

I’ve had three colonies suffer from it and I’ve helped quite a few other beekeepers manage it. I keep an eagle eye on the bees on the top bars at each inspection. I have a good look before I open up. If you don’t know what to look for then a mound of dead and dying bees in the floor is often the first indication. You’ll see bees with their wings dislocated but bear in mind that normal bees can do this. Infected bees are unsteady. They shake while they walk. Some are quite bald and appear shiny or dark as a result. If you look at the entrance you can spot bees fall out and wander about on the ground in front. They are slow to disappear down into the seams when you smoke from above. Not all colonies tip over into death.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

No it’s to enable the dead bees to fall out rather than infecting corpse bearers
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/a-way-to-combat-cbpv.51048/

so....im going to have a go at this...

will use a super as an eke

the only question is how long to leave it....just monitor and see for a few days? presume should take the feed off too as that will encourage wasps/robbing?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

so....im going to have a go at this...

will use a super as an eke

the only question is how long to leave it....just monitor and see for a few days?

You need a couple of weeks at least to be honest.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks JBM....the nuc i think i will just leave....or as its a double story nuc may mean i could put it into a single bb