lots of dead bees around nucleus box

[balein]

Hi I got the nucleus three days ago, trying to transfer them to there new hive , noticed this moning lots of dead bees around the box and inside the water bowel close the the box and the bees inside the box are very quite ? any advice appreciated ! ist norm ? any specific thing I should do today?

 

[Xander]

You should have transferred them after just an hour from placing the nuc on the spot where your hive is going.
The weather is too hot for them to be cooped up in a correx box.
Transfer them today, just put the hive where the nuc is now then transfer each frame across in the same order.
Add a couple of frames of foundation either side to fill out the box and feed them some 1:1.3 syrup to allow them time to find forage.
Use a proper feeder inside or on top of the hive not a bowl outside as this will encourage wasps.
You will always find a few dead bees about as they naturally die after about a month during the summer, constantly being replaced and increased in numbers during the summer by the laying queen (1000 eggs a day!)

 

[Xander]

Ps a bowl of just water nearby is ok, just make sure to put stones or bits of wood in there for the bees to land on and not drown.
Also I should mention to keep an eye open for the queen, be careful when transferring so as not to let her drop into the floor (put the nuc touching / adjacent the new hive and shake any remaining bees from the nuc box into the hive.
If you don't see the queen check back here for advice on what to do to heck she's ok.

 

[ericbeaumont]

dead bees around the box and inside the water

got the nucleus three days ago

Have you observed the bees flying? It may be that the nuc is being robbed by a stronger colony nearby, and triggered as the spring flow fades. Robbing = fighting.

If robbing is underway do not feed the nuc, but close and move it in the evening to a site three miles away you can borrow for a couple of weeks - a friend, a farmer or old Frank's field. When the blackberry opens robbing will stop and you can bring your nuc home.

The box & three days is not a factor: we've parked nucs in the green Correx transit boxes for weeks without trouble, provided all vent holes were punched out and the boxes had shade for part of the day. Some beekeepers keep bees in them all summer.

any specific thing I should do today?

Watch the behaviour of the bees. If you transfer the nuc to a hive reduce the entrance to one bee space until you know whether robbing is the cause of mortality, and for the same reason do not feed.

Check the stores frames, take a photo of the sealed stores and post it here. Bees will have foraged from the moment you opened the box entrance three days ago, so check to see fresh nectar in cells.

Bees will find their own source of water and there is no need to provide it (you're in Basingstoke, not Southern Portugal).

There is an outside chance that the colony is diseased or has foraged on local plants sprayed with insecticide, so take photos of the brood combs and the dead bees and post here.

 

[Wilco]

Agree with @ericbeaumont, assuming you had the entrance to the nuc open. Would be very unfortunate but CBPV is possible. Will await photos/video.

 

[Xander]

Follow the more experienced members, I'm only going off what I were by the company who I bought a nuc from last month so perhaps they're giving bad advice.

 

[Ian123]

Follow the more experienced members, I'm only going off what I were by the company who I bought a nuc from last month so perhaps they're giving bad advice.

What was the advice…. Not sure I’ve seen any suggest leaving in the box for 3 days. Water sources in your own garden are good but 99% of the time bees are more than capable of finding their own and the smellier the better. In urban areas I would suggest it’s good practice as it can take the pressure of neighbours ponds water features and swimming pools!

 

[user 6228]

When there are clear skies, any thin walled nest, be it cardboard or plastic or wood, needs shade both day and night to reduce heat gain and heat loss.