empty hive

beepig · Mar 7, 2015

I recently posted with regards a perished colony. Since that i have been rather busy with work, as a result, unable to have removed the hive from apiary.
As a result the weather has now mildened and all bees are active; the empty hive is being robbed of its stores by my other two colonies.
1. Should i allow this to happen? or should i get in there and remove from the apairy
2. By the bees robbing stores from a persished colony, will, if diseased, spread to the other colonies.
Advice please.
3. should i save these frames of stores or destroy. many are granulated ivy honey

Russel · Mar 7, 2015

beepig said:
I recently posted with regards a perished colony. Since that i have been rather busy with work, as a result, unable to have removed the hive from apiary.
As a result the weather has now mildened and all bees are active; the empty hive is being robbed of its stores by my other two colonies.
1. Should i allow this to happen? or should i get in there and remove from the apairy
2. By the bees robbing stores from a persished colony, will, if diseased, spread to the other colonies.
Advice please.
3. should i save these frames of stores or destroy. many are granulated ivy honey

Block entarnce to stop robbing, as it may spread to other colonies and if it was diseased that too will be spread.

REDWOOD · Mar 7, 2015

Or you could just simply remove the box and deal with what you have left

Cazza · Mar 7, 2015

Hi Beepig
1 and 2: It's not good practise to allow robbing from a deceased hive. You could spread disease. Block entrance or remove.
3. That depends on the reason for the colonies demise.
Cazza

Gilberdyke John · Mar 7, 2015

beepig said:
I recently posted with regards a perished colony. Since that i have been rather busy with work, as a result, unable to have removed the hive from apiary.
As a result the weather has now mildened and all bees are active; the empty hive is being robbed of its stores by my other two colonies.
1. Should i allow this to happen? or should i get in there and remove from the apairy
2. By the bees robbing stores from a persished colony, will, if diseased, spread to the other colonies.
Advice please.
3. should i save these frames of stores or destroy. many are granulated ivy honey

You are likely already too late to stop any pathogens being swapped between colonies. Hopefully the demise was not due to disease. Consider it as a lesson learned for the future.
If you had determined the colony was dead the entrance needed blocking at that time. Sorry but s*it happens.