Lots of honey in a colony that has not survived the winter - what to do with it?

[Jim Newmark]

My second year. I only intended to have one colony but two swarms meant three colonies, one now kept by a friend. So two colonies started the winter and one is doing really well. However, the other succumbed due, I am sure, to a massive varroa infestation (oxalic acid in December gave a drop of 3- 400 mites over two days and a mass exodus and death inside and out over the next week - the other hive just took it in its stride, minimal drop.) So last month I removed all the dead bees and had a look and taste of the honey. it looks and tastes fine - well, a bit bland really as I suspect that it is actually formed almost exclusively by my sugar feeding ....and very little else.

Would it be a good idea just to wait for the next swarm this year and use the hive for that. Or too much risk of disease? Surely not likely?

 

[Chris Luck]

and a mass exodus and death inside and out over the next week

I wouldn't let any of my bees, or any bees for that matter, near it if that is what happened in December, not that I would be doing anything like that in the first place. I would destroy the lot.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

Seems as though your colony may have been nosemic, as well as loused-out with varroa.

I would at least be looking for signs of disease, and fumigating those combs before using again. The hive would be scorched as well.

Otherwise - as Chris above.

 

[John_W]

Play safe

Ditch it or use it for home consumption. I would avoid feeding it back to your bees. As you only have one hive. Why risk it. The monetry saving is not that big. Don't risk spreading anything the other bees may have surccumbed too.

 

[BeeJayBee]

... However, the other [colony] succumbed due, I am sure, to a massive varroa infestation (oxalic acid in December gave a drop of 3- 400 mites over two days and a mass exodus and death inside and out over the next week[....].)

[...] So last month I removed all the dead bees and had a look and taste of the honey. it looks and tastes fine - well, a bit bland really as I suspect that it is actually formed almost exclusively by my sugar feeding ....and very little else.

Would it be a good idea just to wait for the next swarm this year and use the hive for that. Or too much risk of disease? Surely not likely?

Where is the honey, is it in the brood box or in a super? Could the oxalic acid have been in contact with it?

If I wasn't entirely sure why my bees died then I would, at least, scorch the brood box, clean and re-wax the frames before putting them near any other bees. But I could be being overcautious.

 

[Jim Newmark]

Thanks for this, no doubt as to the best course then! I will remove all the frames and scorch the hive. Looking around the Net there is no easy way to diagnosed Nosema now is there? There are still a few dead bees around inside but I don't think they had the chance to show faecal staining outside.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Looking around the Net there is no easy way to diagnosed Nosema now is there? There are still a few dead bees around inside but I don't think they had the chance to show faecal staining outside.

Nosema is easy to diagnose. You need a cheap usb microscope from Aldi/Lidl and practice. I feel it's a test we should all be doing regularly.Are you a member of your local BKA? Somebody there should help you.Otherwise there are one or two members here who might check for you. Just ask.

 

[mbc]

I disagree with the above advice in that nosema would be an apiary wide infection and varroa would die with the bees so I would probably just plonk the box of stores on top of the surviving hive as the first super / double brood as soon as they're strong enough to need more space. Once occupied the box is then ready for a split later on.

 

[Chris Luck]

So it was nosema was it?

Chris

 

[mbc]

So it was nosema was it?

Chris

Not necessarily, from afar with only a brief description my money would be on the demise of the colony being due to a less than optimal queen or a virus issue ( 400 varroa could certainly exacerbate any varroa issue ), either way, it would be extremely unlucky to pass on any lurgy to the neighbouring surviving hive from anything remaining in the dead hives box.

 

[Jim Newmark]

Perhaps my lack of experience could be balanced by actually being on the spot? Do I really need to scorch and destroy? I really think it was an overwhelming varroa load that killed them off. Before the oxalic acid they were dropping a mite about every hour, so I would have up to ten to twenty to clean off the varroa board every day.
It is SO tempting just to take mbc's advice and put the stores on top as the first super, or just leave the empty hive to use for a likely swarm later in the year......
Is it very risky?!

 

[Winker]

Ask yourself whats worth more to you. Your bees or some stores?

 

[Chris B]

Only trouble with using it as bait hive is that it'll likely get robbed out well before a swarm comes.
It does sound like varroa was the culprit, in which case I would just use the frames for the first captured swarm - the reason being there's no more risk of disease residing in those frames as there is of it arriving with an unknown swarm.

 

[Chris Luck]

It sounds to me as though you had already made up your mind and was hoping that everyone would agree with it AND you may be right, but it was all the dead bees over a couple of weeks both inside and out that would worry me, therefore I would get rid of the wax and honey...

......and I'm supposed to be reckless according to some.

Chris