Friends lost colony pictures

[Cuckmere couple]

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

it was most definitely a bed of dead bees - an inch deep

 

[beeker]

Thank you for the insight Dani. Sad as it is, I'm fascinated too see the interpretations of post mortem photos. Learning such a massive amount here. Thank you all

 

[Amari]

Back to the OP: isolation starvation? Two empty frames each side of the brood. Two or more of the pics show numerous bees head down into the cells. I'm not disputing the varroa damage (thanks, I have learnt something) but I think it could be isolation starvation as well.

 

[Swarm]

The main thing to note from most of these post mortem pics is the importance of Autumn treatment.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Back to the OP: isolation starvation? Two empty frames each side of the brood. Two or more of the pics show numerous bees head down into the cells. I'm not disputing the varroa damage (thanks, I have learnt something) but I think it could be isolation starvation as well.

And isolation starvation happens because the colony is too small to move over to stores

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Back to the OP: isolation starvation? Two empty frames each side of the brood. Two or more of the pics show numerous bees head down into the cells. I'm not disputing the varroa damage (thanks, I have learnt something) but I think it could be isolation starvation as well.

look at the frames - there is still some stores near the bees - dwindled then died due to low numbers I think, you would still see the bees in cells

 

[Amari]

look at the frames - there is still some stores near the bees - dwindled then died due to low numbers I think, you would still see the bees in cells

Pollen.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

and capped honey in one

 

[drex]

I can see possibly half a dozen capped honey cells, plenty of pollen and vast swathes of empty cells. Weakened by varroa and starved IMHO

 

[The Poot]

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?

Given the supers were on quite late - does that mean all honey was taken quite late? What feeding regime was employed?
If stores were removed so late no Autumn treatment could be done - as you imply - and if no serious feeding was done (that’s a big IF) it seems to me the colony was set up to fail.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Super was nadired as not capped fully and they were fed syrup for a couple of weeks

 

[Show me the honey]

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 for that explanation not seen it myself but will look out for this during an inspection

 

[beeno]

The colony was already in deep **** when it was treated, so OA trickle was probably the last nail in the coffin.

 

[KJB]

Hi all.
Just a beginner here but looking at the number of bees with their heads in cells and the lack of stores on the frames i am leaning toward starvation myself. Wings of bees don't seem to show much sign of DWV? Now I am no expert just hoping to learn.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi all.
Just a beginner here but looking at the number of bees with their heads in cells and the lack of stores on the frames i am leaning toward starvation myself. Wings of bees don't seem to show much sign of DWV? Now I am no expert just hoping to learn.

Yes starved because they dwindled to such a small size that they couldn’t move over to stores. Because the colony had been annihilated by varroa.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

it's an interesting case study....3-4 seams of bees circa 6 weeks ago and all dead on the floor

 

[drex]

Once they are down to the critical mass their doom is quite rapid.

 

[Monbees]

Once they are down to the critical mass their doom is quite rapid.

Same, l fear, for our church attendance. Sorry, off topic really.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Same, l fear, for our church attendance. Sorry, off topic really.

It’s the way of the world. Look where different religions have got us?

 

[MerryBee]

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

Dani, I hesitate to ask this but what does varroa guanine taste like? Other than "not like sugar".