Friends lost colony pictures

[Cuckmere couple]

So a friend of mine has lost his colony

keen to hear what people think may have been the cause...we think there were 3-4 seams of bees 6 weeks ago when I helped him trickle apibioxal (same mixture I used on my hives all of which are fine so wasn’t that)

I am thinking isolation starvation (2 empty frames either side of dead cluster before stores). Are the dead bees supposed to be half in the cells

Or...nosema...is the defecation sufficient to suggest this?

suggestions please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what varroa treatment did they get before the midwinter shower? and when?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

they didnt have any autumn treatment

 

[mbc]

what varroa treatment did they get before the midwinter shower? and when?

Yeah, brood looks varroa sick, pms .
Midwinter trickle too little, too late, probably the final nail in the coffin too, gave them the shits by the looks of it.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Yeah, brood looks varroa sick, pms .
Midwinter trickle too little, too late, probably the final nail in the coffin too, gave them the shits by the looks of it.

what are the signs on the brood that suggest varroa sick? i was assuming the brood doesnt look right because of neglect as colony dying....and what does pms stand for?

thanks for this.....lots of bees dead on the floor too....about an inch thick of dead bees so a strong colony

 

[mbc]

what are the signs on the brood that suggest varroa sick? i was assuming the brood doesnt look right because of neglect as colony dying....and what does pms stand for?

thanks for this.....lots of bees dead on the floor too....about an inch thick of dead bees so a strong colony

Pms parasitic mite syndrome, always tricky from a photo but the capped brood has a sickly look, some perforated cappings( worth digging these out with a matchstick, if it's brown sticky goo call sbi- bee inspector- I don't think it is anything but worth an exploration) also I think I spotted a half eaten white stage bee and a few shiny, never to emerge black heads.

 

[user 20297]

...and what does pms stand for?

...I think it means that the writer of the comment is a bit incontinent and also a bit unsympathetic....maybe not...I learn something every day.

 

[Erichalfbee]

what are the signs on the brood that suggest varroa sick? i was assuming the brood doesnt look right because of neglect as colony dying....and what does pms stand for

Typical signs of varroa collapse

First picture shows perforated brood cappings with one emerging bee too weak to fight out of its cell, starved with its proboscis out.

Second picture shows lots of white specks at the tops of the cells. This is varroa poo. So every cell was infested.





pms typo for ipm integrated pest management.

 

[Ian123]

There are some specs in the brood area cells if you can call it that however second pic will be crystallised stores there’s plenty mixed in with the pollen particularly the OPs last pick.

 

[user 20297]

There are some specs in the brood area cells if you can call it that however second pic will be crystallised stores there’s plenty mixed in with the pollen particularly the OPs last pick.

Someone please help a novice to unravel this. Am I predominantly looking at varroa excrement or crystallised honey/wax flakes?

 

[pargyle]

Someone please help a novice to unravel this. Am I predominantly looking at varroa excrement or crystallised honey/wax flakes?

Varroa poo it looks like to me... those white flecks around the top edge of the cells ...

 

[Ian123]

Crystals or poo I’d still side with varroa being the cause as others have suggested. Autumn treat should be the lesson to learn. Ian

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks all...shame....he had supers on quite late hence no autumn treatment but then we used my bioxal trickle when i did mine (mine all had apiguard in Sept)

salutary lesson i guess

also makes me wonder....i never bother with mite drop count and just routinely use apiguard plus a winter trickle...is that sufficient or should i engage in measuring mite drop etc?

 

[Ian123]

thanks all...shame....he had supers on quite late hence no autumn treatment but then we used my bioxal trickle when i did mine (mine all had apiguard in Sept)

salutary lesson i guess

also makes me wonder....i never bother with mite drop count and just routinely use apiguard plus a winter trickle...is that sufficient or should i engage in measuring mite drop etc?

If your autumn treating and winter trickling as you’ve found there’s little reason to count them generally I don’t. It’s never told me there’s no mites there!

 

[Cuckmere couple]

If your autumn treating and winter trickling as you’ve found there’s little reason to count them generally I don’t. It’s never told me there’s no mites there!

yes, thats always been my view...am wondering if I get levels low enough this way tho and wonder if I ought to...I’d rather not bother and just treat routinely

 

[Ian123]

Well simple answer is are you suffering losses. I would say thymols a bit hit and miss so if you want the reassurance just slide a board in after treating. Even if it’s just on a couple.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

not suffering losses....maybe i will sample a couple, important to keep all as healthy as possible

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Typical signs of varroa collapse

First picture shows perforated brood cappings with one emerging bee too weak to fight out of its cell, starved with its proboscis out.

Second picture shows lots of white specks at the tops of the cells. This is varroa poo. So every cell was infested.
View attachment 24514


View attachment 24515

pms typo for ipm integrated pest management.

thanks Dani for this...very helpful

 

[Erichalfbee]

thanks Dani for this...very helpful

You're welcome
Ian has mentioned those white specks being crystallised sugar. I don't think so personally but you can tell if you taste it. If it's varroa guanine it isn't going to kill you

 

[Heather]

What was the floor of the hive like. a bed of dead bees or minimal..