Dead BeesDead on bottom screened floor

[garysbee]

During my hive inspections there has been a layer of dead bees I was told that they would clear them but there not getting cleared

 

[garysbee]

Is this serious or not hygienic bees

 

[Softley]

It's a sign something isnt right. Is it a strong colony? Have you been seeing the colony build up this last month or so or are their numbers decreasing?

 

[garysbee]

There a biggish colony definitely numbers increasing this last month

 

[Softley]

Could be poisioning - did they just suddenly appear? Have they been there since your first inspection after winter? Has there been a slow increase in dead bees?

 

[garysbee]

They have been there since first inspection it's hard to tell if there increasing not a huge increase

 

[Softley]

Then it's likely they died over winter and are now stuck to the floor. They could just be old bees that didn't get cleared out or they could have been low on stores over winter. Did they have stores in a super over winter, or did they have fondant on?

I would put a clean floor on and keep an eye out for any more losses over the next few inspections.

 

[garysbee]

I did clean them all out today to see what happens but if it's not that what else could it be

 

[Softley]

Hard to say. I'd start with starvation over winter. Depends on what stores they had access to. Could be down to disease - paralysis, maybe. They may be over any illness now if they're building up numbers. Could be poisoning. Could be death from treatments you've given them - oxalic in winter? Could be last year's bees that died off and never got cleared out due to cold weather.

It's hard to say without seeing the bees. Just see how they get on now the floor is clear - but if you have a sterile floor, swap it over next inspection. Also, keep an eye on the ground outside the front of the hive for dead bees as well as the floor.

 

[garysbee]

Thanks for the help

 

[Softley]

That's ok. I hope they do well for you.

 

[Anduril]

If your bee numbers are increasing I doubt it is poisoning. Could quite easily be CBPV, do you have any photos? Do you have trembling or black and shiny?

 

[Briarfield]

I have just culled a colony after CBPV. Not that many shiny bees, but small and trembling.


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[garysbee]

Checked today again have about 20 - 30 dead bees on floor

 

[garysbee]

Just worried there is something badly wrong

 

[Softley]

If your bee numbers are increasing I doubt it is poisoning. Could quite easily be CBPV, do you have any photos? Do you have trembling or black and shiny?

This would be my next guess. If you smoke them do they all move down, or do you see some sluggish bees that don't respond to the smoke? Any hairless, black, shiny bees? Dead bees around the frame lugs? Bees that tremble?

 

[Anduril]

Just worried there is something badly wrong

If it is CBPV you will need to isolate the queen and move the hive 50 yards away shake the bees onto the ground and place empty frames in a new hive body and take it back to the original site release the queen and the flying bees will return the ones that are ill will crawl on the floor and die. Hivemaker came up with another cause and that was May sickness, if the bees were unfortunate to forage on buttercups, there will be a number of deaths but it will soon pass. I hope this helps.

 

[garysbee]

This would be my next guess. If you smoke them do they all move down, or do you see some sluggish bees that don't respond to the smoke? Any hairless, black, shiny bees? Dead bees around the frame lugs? Bees that tremble?

When I smoke them they react very quickly either by going down or bouncing up their not the friendlestate bees . I have examined dead bees none are hairless . I have not noticed any that tremble

 

[Teemore]

G'day Gary.
If in doubt, send a sample to Archie Murchie or Ivan Forsythe in the AFBI laboratory or request an inspection via Tom Williamson, the Senior Bee Inspector.
A few questions for you:
You refer to a layer of dead bees on the floor of the hive. Define "layer". Was the entire floor completely covered?
On your repeat inspection, you note 20 to 30 dead bees. What is the timing between your inspections? Seven days after your last inspection, I would suggest that 20 dead bees is not a great amount.
Did you crush any bees when removing frames? This could easily account for the 20-30 dead bees you found.
A piece of advice. You comment that your bees do not like smoke. Try using a water mister/plant sprayer and spray the bees with the water mist rather than smoke. No additives needed!
I use a water spray when working with bees and I have lit my smoker the grand total of three times this year. Once it wasn't used, just "on hand", the second time was when I was checking an apiary when the oil seed rape was going over on a coolish evening. The third time was Saturday past when I lit my smoker for beginner beekeepers to use when I was assessing them for an apiary practical exam. When closing up the hives used, I employed a mist of water and the examinees who stayed back to help clear up the apiary were amazed at the way the bees cleared the top bars of the hives and stayed down in comparison to the situation when smoke was used.
What fuel are you using in your smoker and how much smoke are you using? Keep in mind that some colonies just do not like smoke.