Lots of dead bees on floor of hive

[Smudge07]

Hi All,
Haven't opened my hives yet - too cold in Scotland maybe in July!
I had a look in the entrance with a torch tonight and lots of dead bees on the floor. Had a search on the forum and found one reply that suggested that was normal and when the weather is better sweep them out to give the bees a hand. My question is why don't the bees move them on days when they are flying. I have seen lots of bees coming in with pollen - are the just prioritising their jobs and house cleaning not high on the list.
Smudge07

 

[Midland Beek]

Sometimes there are that many dead bees that it needs the beekeeper to clean them out. Lift off the brood box and place on upturned roof. Invert floor and scrape dead bees off.

 

[oliver90owner]

Change the floor.

Clean floor properly and flame to sterilise. Then use it on the next hive, if appropriate. Avoid leaving dead bees, wax cappings, etc near the hives. Practise good apiary hygiene.

Regards, RAB

 

[Smudge07]

Thanks a lot for the quick replys - I have read a lot of books and did a lot of searches and this bit was hardly mentioned.
Think I had a bit of bee fever!! wish it would warm so I can get started and stop worrying!!
Thanks again Smudge.

 

[BKF Admin]

I think its time someone wrote a new book to rival Ted Hoopers,many of the books available dont even touch on open mesh floors,top bar hives ect.

 

[Polyanwood]

I managed to put one of my floors upside down... and the bees couldn't clear out the dead bees, because they had to lift them up - feel like a fool.

I have started changing/scorching floors. One of the OMF floors I scorched the flame gun kept setting fire to the paint on the wire.

 

[oliver90owner]

Two things; holes may now be too big and wire may now rust? Only last another ten years instead of twenty, unless repainted?

Regards, RAB

 

[Polyanwood]

I bought the OMF already made up... it is annoying that it was not really fit for purpose and couldn't be properly cleaned. Now the ugly ones I made myself with my non existent woodworking skills that weigh as much as a super, don't look so rubbish.

 

[Tom Bick]

One of the OMF floors I scorched the flame gun kept setting fire to the paint on the wire.

Stainless Steel mesh and you have no problems

 

[Polyanwood]

Yes, the ones that I made are stainless steel... but I reckon a lot of people have bought their floors, so will have the same problem as me (unless they aren't going to change/clean their floor in the Spring)

 

[Hombre]

I imagine that your OMFs were sold as having epoxy coated mesh and not actually described as flame proof. I believe that the PURPOSE was as an OMF not actually designed for fire fighting. You'll find that they were acetic acid tolerant up until your recent adventure with the blow torch.

This is a cheeky leading question which you might choose not to answer, but how many epoxy coated mesh floors did you flame with your thermic lance?

I'm hoping that your weather is improving after the last week of rain.

The expectation hat a bag of peanuts should carry a warning that the product may contain nuts comes to mind, but let's not let the detail get in the way of a good story eh?

 

[Polyanwood]

Just torched one.....it was from the colony that died and I wanted to make sure it was squeaky clean. It was a bit of a rubbish floor anyway as it did not have an inspection tray, but it was cheap.

 

[Hombre]

Inspection tray? Oh you mean that bit of ply with a sheet of paper that I bodge underneath from time to time . . .

 

[MuswellMetro]

Inspection tray? Oh you mean that bit of ply with a sheet of paper that I bodge underneath from time to time . . .

Ply, wow ! that's posh, the seconds from thornes now have a bit of yellow plastic correx as the tray