normal number of "dead" bees

[Buzzo]

Hi,
total newbie -just filled my new hive but wondering what is a "normal" number
of deads bees to find near the entrance -found 15 today.

thanks

Al.

 

[fatshark]

Welcome Buzzo ...

Don't worry about them and don't bother counting them. If there's a pile 2 inches deep get concerned ...

I'm not sure what you filled your hive with (a nuc or package?) but if you think about a hive in midsummer it contains ~40,000 bees. If births = deaths and the workers live about 42 days then you'd expect ~1000 workers to die per day. Not all of them do so where it's convenient to count them.

Enjoy your bees.

 

[pargyle]

Hi,
total newbie -just filled my new hive but wondering what is a "normal" number
of deads bees to find near the entrance -found 15 today.

thanks

Al.

That's not enough to worry about ... after being transferred into a new box there are always a few deaths, stress, moving frames about, normal mortality .. all contrive to create a few hive deaths.

It's a good sign that the undertaker bees are doing their job. If you find a pile of hundreds and the entrance is blocked with dead bees .. you have a problem. Until then ... nothing to worry about, relax - bees die.

 

[enrico]

But......just incase, in the evening when they are all in bed, just check to make sure they are not clustering under the hive floor by mistake!
E

 

[Adam Bee]

But......just incase, in the evening when they are all in bed, just check to make sure they are not clustering under the hive floor by mistake!
E

Yeah. That seems good advice. I’ve noticed that with the open mesh floor, a number of bees fly under the hive and then get confused about how to get in. I’m sure they don't understand why their sisters are right there above them and they can’t get in! So far, mine have figured it out, but some struggle for a while.