Help with post mortem on dead hive

[Snowmonkey]

We started beekeeping last year so this was our first attempt to overwinter our bees and sadly we failed them.

We have a national hive with a deep brood box and one super fitted. Early in September we were concerned about overcrowding in the hive and following the useful advice from this forum we removed 3 frames of stores. The bees were still foraging and we offered syrup to help them prepare for winter. By the time we effectively shut the hive for winter (mouseguard in place, no QE, varroa treatment completed etc) there were 8 frames of stores in the super and more in the brood box. We had moved the super under the brood box.

We placed fondant directly above the cluster in mid February even though the hive didn't feel particularly light. From our quick peak there seemed to be lots of bees and we assumed they were starting to build up. We didnt attempt an inspection as it was too cold. On checking 2 weeks later very little of the fondant had been taken. In our naivete we took that as a good sign, assuming the bees didn't need it. We left it in place anyhow.

We planned our first full inspection yesterday and were so upset to find our hive had died. There were bees coming and going at Easter, just last week.

I have attached a couple of photos (apologies for the quality, I will try to upload better if needed.). I can only assume that our bees starved to death though there are stores on a number of the frames, no bees head first in the cells etc. What is foxing us is that there are only a few hundred dead bees in the bottom of the hive and a tiny dead cluster. I would have expected considerably more.

Can anyone help us to understand what went wrong please?

Thanks
Snowmonkey

 

[colinc]

the lack of bees when previously active and no brood suspect you lost the queen rather than starved the hive. She may have died a while back and the hive would just dwindle. No chance for emergency queen at this time of year.

 

[Bakerbee]

Sorry for your lost hive. In the first pic is that a queen cell on the bottom left of the frame? If so i would think it confirms lost queen.

 

[Snowmonkey]

Thank you for the replies.


We did wonder whether that was a queen cell. Ours is an out apiary and we couldn't transport the hive yesterday. We'll retrieve it in the next day or so and have a closer look.

 

[Hivemaker.]

varroa treatment completed

What varroa treatment did you use and, what were the mite levels after treating?
There is still some sporadic capped brood in that frame with perforated capping.

 

[Snowmonkey]

We used apiguard, 2 applications for 2 weeks each. I can't look up the post-treatment mite drop as the records are with the hive, but it was negligible.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I can't look up the post-treatment mite drop as the records are with the hive, but it was negligible.

It might help you for this year but don't rely on natural drop. You have to do an accurate measurement after treatment, A sugar roll or alcohol wash or accelerated drop

 

[Snowmonkey]

Thanks for the advice re monitoring varroa. I will make sure we do better this year