Dead Hive, unknown cause images warning

[nettle]

Entrance appears to be open the full width of the brood box. If so, it's an open invitation to robbers.

This has prompted me to try and do something about the entrance on my swienty hive. It has a full width entrance and no block to make it smaller.

 

[Murox]

This has prompted me to try and do something about the entrance on my swienty hive. It has a full width entrance and no block to make it smaller.

It may be full width but its only 8/9mm high approx. A piece of suitably shaped wood or a bit of foam maybe? (I made up a suitable strip of wood - push fit - to use when moving the hive a few kilometres, worked well enough).

 

[Boston Bees]

This has prompted me to try and do something about the entrance on my swienty hive. It has a full width entrance and no block to make it smaller.

Bees never need a full width entrance, not even the strongest hives, IMHO. Might be OK for an underfloor entrance system, but not for a front-facing entrance.

 

[Boston Bees]

I had the same thing happen me last week and was wondering the same thing. i am assuming i can't just add a frame with dead brood to another hive/nuc?

If it's a few cells, and you are sure they are disease free, sure you can, they will clean the bodies out and the comb will be useful.

Or if the dead brood is just in one section, you could cut that section out and the bees will remake the comb no problem.

Would I give a frame full of dead capped brood to another hive? No. Just bin it. Too much work for the receiving hive and too much risk of spreading something (the varroa might not be dead yet, for one thing)

 

[blackcloud]

Leave it out for the wasps to clear up.
We all tend to neglect them at this time of year,don't we.

 

[JamezF]

I think I'd probably cut the comb out and bury it in the compost.

James

 

[HarryO]

Feed it to the chickens!

 

[HkSwifts]

Ideal opportunity to clean and sterilse the kit
You now have drawn comb if you want to double brood.
I'd build a nuc too- plenty of resource there.

Oh I didn't realise that was an option! I threw all the comb away

 

[HkSwifts]

Thank you for all the replies. I didn't even consider that starvation could be a problem. So I inspected the hive next to it today, and there is alot of honey in it. So I will hazard a guess that this hive raided the next door hive rather than go find some pollen!

I usually put a mouse guard on during the winter, but some of the replies here suggest that I should keep the mouseguard on all year round if I have other hives in close proximity.

 

[blackcloud]

Get the comb back out of the bin.
Scrape the curry sauce off it.
Save it up with all the other bits of wax you will accumulate and once you have a sufficient quantity render it down and trade it in.
Very little needs to go to waste with beekeeping.

 

[Ian123]

Thank you for all the replies. I didn't even consider that starvation could be a problem. So I inspected the hive next to it today, and there is alot of honey in it. So I will hazard a guess that this hive raided the next door hive rather than go find some pollen!

I usually put a mouse guard on during the winter, but some of the replies here suggest that I should keep the mouseguard on all year round if I have other hives in close proximity.

No do not leave the mouse guard on all year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I will hazard a guess that this hive raided the next door hive rather than go find some pollen!

Not necessarily, each colony consumes/collects nectar at a different rate, I have seen a hive eat all its stores and be on the point of starving whilst the hive next door is piling it in and filling supers.
I don't buy the story that they were robbed out sorry.

I usually put a mouse guard on during the winter, but some of the replies here suggest that I should keep the mouseguard on all year round if I have other hives in close proximity.

no - bees are smaller than mice so they will still get in.

 

[Boston Bees]

Thank you for all the replies. I didn't even consider that starvation could be a problem. So I inspected the hive next to it today, and there is alot of honey in it. So I will hazard a guess that this hive raided the next door hive rather than go find some pollen!

I usually put a mouse guard on during the winter, but some of the replies here suggest that I should keep the mouseguard on all year round if I have other hives in close proximity.

No, an entrance reducer

 

[blackcloud]

There are devices that do both - perhaps that is what the op means

 

[ericbeaumont]

no block to make it smaller.

a suitable strip of wood

Bottom bar fits.

 

[HkSwifts]

Thanks. I'll get an entrance reducer.

 

[nettle]

 

[Boston Bees]

View attachment 32632

Good, but perhaps a tad narrow. You can keep it at around 10cm wide for the whole year really (unless you have a weak hive in wasp robbing season which needs special help, in which case that width is good)

 

[JamezF]

View attachment 32632

I didn't know you could get flocked hives. For bees that like a bit of a 1970's vibe?

James

 

[nettle]

Can make it a bit wider at the weekend.

That's The Green Dragon - the first hive I got, second hand £20 ☺