First inspection and gutted :(

[wightbees]

Up until today i have not done anymore than look to make sure there was fondant on top of the frames.Bees going in and out BUT how wrong i was,they where not my bees.
Well how gutted i feel at the moment and thats putting it lightly

I new i had lost one hive and this i had been worried about before it went into winter .BUT i have lost 2 more of which i have no idea why.

Hive 1 was a 2yr old Queen of which the bees where SS
When i opened it up today there was a handfull of dead bees on the OMF honeystores and fondant above where the cluster was.I put a whole block of fondant on .Thats it nothing totally empty, i would of thought there would have been lots of dead bees but it doesn't look right.

Hive 2 last yr Queen very strong hive,my strongest infact
About 30lbs of honey runny stuff a few dead bees ,not much different to hive 1 ? ? ?

My 4th hive is still alive small but at least they have made it.

All got thymol treated last yr don't know what else to say just feel gutted

Ideas please, whats happened.

 

[Mike a]

Sorry to hear the bad news.
Always difficult to give possible answers other than the main ones, but if you can take and post a few pictures of the frames that would be helpful.

 

[Midland Beek]

Any colony that ain't bringing in pollen it is dead and being robbed out.

 

[wightbees]

I spent all afternoon cleaning frames out and then blocking off entrances.
To be honest if you picture a empty brood frame thats it nothing no brood just stored honey.

 

[Tom Bick]

Sorry about this whightbees if its any help I had a similar experience last year a strong colony going into the winter and by February only about a couple of hundred dead bees left in the hive and not a carpet as to be expected of dead bees on the floor.