Large flakes of wax?

[alldigging]

Under neighbour's hive are large pieces of wax - not normal size pieces like you'd normally see.

It's spread about across the whole of the underneath of the hive. The colony is very very small and is unlikely to be uncapping anything like this amount of wax.

pic here
https://twitter.com/CarbonTiptoes/status/336585344868814850/photo/1

Is it a sign of robbing?

 

[Moggs]

Have you checked inside?

Mouse damage being cleaned out?

 

[alldigging]

I've not had a look in recently. The hive owner looked in the other day. The queen isn't laying still - no sign of eggs. She didn't mention any sign of mouse infestation. There have been a few ants too but only normal size ones

 

[For want of a better word]

Looks like they are stripping down old foundation.... take a look inside?

 

[richardbees]

Alldigging

presumably there is a floor on the hive/ so cappings etc stay inside or go out the entrance.

I agree with moggs, a predator is at work !

 

[alldigging]

Alldigging

presumably there is a floor on the hive/ so cappings etc stay inside or go out the entrance.

I agree with moggs, a predator is at work !

It's got a mesh floor - standard thornes one

 

[VEG]

I would have a look in that to see what is going on.

 

[richardbees]

all d

OK - hard to tell from the photo what the scale is .... but if the bits of wax are small enough to have fallen thru the omf then it's normal

 

[Moggs]

all d

OK - hard to tell from the photo what the scale is .... but if the bits of wax are small enough to have fallen thru the omf then it's normal

No disrespect RB, but methinks if that's a standard thorny hive stand leg, then those bits are chunky! I would expect normal wax fallout to be along frame lines too.

 

[alldigging]

That's a homemade stand - should have thought to put a coin down as a scale.
They're noticeable big - I can pick them up easily - they don't look like normal uncappings to me.

 

[susbees]

Bits of chewed up hardish plastic? Fondant wrap of some sort?

 

[Erichalfbee]

It's going to be warm with you today. Have a look inside then come back and tell us

 

[alldigging]

It's going to be warm with you today. Have a look inside then come back and tell us

Very grey and drizzly at the moment though.

 

[madasafish]

If Oldham has the sort of weather we are having - which means days with little or no foraging due to cold/wet - followed by a few days of warm - then the bees are capping honey and then uncapping it again to feed..

 

[flemage]

the only time i have seen large flakes coming out it was mice.

 

[alldigging]

I think they look huge
https://twitter.com/CarbonTiptoes/status/336807788846149634/photo/1

and another https://twitter.com/CarbonTiptoes/status/336807521069195264/photo/1


I've not seen her to speak to but her OH says they have put a sugar feed on. There's really not very many bees left - if there was just one patch of it I'd understand but it looks like its across the full hive... Like more than her bees are getting in.

 

[alldigging]

If Oldham has the sort of weather we are having - which means days with little or no foraging due to cold/wet - followed by a few days of warm - then the bees are capping honey and then uncapping it again to feed..

The last few days have been ok - today is a bit miserable - but my bees were out until gone 9pm last night.

 

[richardbees]

If they're too big to have fallen thru the OMF it is probably mice.

I suggest you open asap and do a full inspection - any day over 12C will do