Opinions Please

[Heffy]

hey All

Found these dead on the floor outside my hives entrance.

What are they ? ( Removed drone brood ?)

What do I need to do if anything ?

Cheers
Matt

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

OPINION. Yes. Nothing. The second is usually the right answer.

 

[beeno]

Hi Matt,
You have a case of drone brood removal there due to varroa infestation. Check varroa mite drop over seven days. When did you treat and with what.

 

[Fatbee]

How do you know it's because of varroa infestation? I wasn't aware that bees remove drone brood with mites. That's what you can do as a beekeeper as part of varroa control.

Would suggest its because the bees have finally decided drones are no longer needed in this exceptionally long season

 

[Heffy]

Hey All

I used Apigard in September 2014, for two treatments, in line with the recommendations on their site.

The Varroa drop was almost nothing, 5 or so mites over the whole treatment.

Thanks
Matt

 

[MikeT]

As you have had such low drops after the Varroa treatment, I am sure its just the workers getting rid of the drones.

Just to be on the safe side treat with Oxalic acid in mid to late Dec or early Jan. (Brood Gap)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How do you know it's because of varroa infestation?

Exactly, I agree, could just be clearing out unneeded drones and shutting up for winter (which is nice)

 

[itma]

I used Apigard in September 2014, for two treatments, in line with the recommendations on their site.

The Varroa drop was almost nothing, 5 or so mites over the whole treatment.

Thanks
Matt

As you have had such low drops after the Varroa treatment …

Yes it IS important to monitor varroa AFTER treatment, but that doesn't seem to have happened here.
Low counts DURING treatment MAY be due to the treatment being ineffectual for whatever reason (low temperature being probably the most common).
So check a few weeks after finishing the treatment.

HOWEVER, I doubt that this is anything to do with varroa.
More likely is that the bees have realised that the season has turned and that brood rearing (and incubation) shouldn't be their priority.

I wouldn't be worried about it, but I would be rechecking that the hive feels really heavy with stores …

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

If you go looking for trouble in a bee colony you are going to find it.

 

[Heffy]

Hey All

Thanks for the input, greatly appreciated.

The varroa drop has continued to be the odd one or two per week, sometimes none.

The hive is really heavy, deep broad plus two supers and I'll continue hefting.

Again thanks.
Matt

 

[Hivemaker.]

The hive is really heavy, deep broad plus two supers and I'll continue hefting.

Matt, are the supers on top, with a queen excluder still in between them and the brood box.

 

[midnight sun]

Hey All

I used Apigard in September 2014, for two treatments, in line with the recommendations on their site.

The Varroa drop was almost nothing, 5 or so mites over the whole treatment.

Thanks
Matt

I used Apigard around the same time and had a small drop.
Used Oxalic (vaporised) a couple of weeks later (allegedly, dear bee inspector) as I wanted to be sure and it 'rained' Varroa! Apigard is not my favoured treatment.
Chances are you have a good few still in there. Bare in mind that it is still mild and Ivy is still available. Mine are still brooding!
Hope that sheds some light.

 

[Dishmop]

Mine are still brooding!

You looked inside?

 

[masterBK]

Have you considered you might have a drone laying queen in there from supersedure Q that didn't get mated? When the colony decides to shut down for winter they do sometimes rip the drone brood out of the comb and throw them out of the hive.

 

[midnight sun]

You looked inside?

Hi Dishmop
Had to move a colony into a nuc as too much room for colony to keep warm and it was a sunny day here so took the risk. (see through cover boards and I was quick about it) Think it was being robbed as well. Nothing to lose I thought. Thought I was doing the right thing under the circumstances, but if you think not, then I would like your opinion or even an alternative. Always willing to learn. Not sure what else to do as I didn't want to lose the colony and only find out in spring. Also looking at the debris under the other hives, it looks like capping's from brood rather than just the sticky capping's from opened honey stores. (Well that's my best guess)
Regards Dave
P.S. Some of girls have been flying and bringing in Ivy pollen in 3 degrees c temperatures, when it has got down that far. (sure of temp. double checked as I couldn't believe it myself) Tough little devils! Some days it's almost early spring foraging numbers. Could kick off like last spring with larger than expected colonies due to long brood period? What do you think?

 

[B Special]

They look like something out of X Files............the truth is out there.


I am sure your colony is mighty fine.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Hi Dishmop
Had to move a colony into a nuc as too much room for colony to keep warm and it was a sunny day here so took the risk. (see through cover boards and I was quick about it) Think it was being robbed as well. Nothing to lose I thought. Thought I was doing the right thing under the circumstances, but if you think not, then I would like your opinion or even an alternative. Always willing to learn. Not sure what else to do as I didn't want to lose the colony and only find out in spring. Also looking at the debris under the other hives, it looks like capping's from brood rather than just the sticky capping's from opened honey stores. (Well that's my best guess)
Regards Dave
P.S. Some of girls have been flying and bringing in Ivy pollen in 3 degrees c temperatures, when it has got down that far. (sure of temp. double checked as I couldn't believe it myself) Tough little devils! Some days it's almost early spring foraging numbers. Could kick off like last spring with larger than expected colonies due to long brood period? What do you think?

Don't be afraid to enter a colony if you have to. Do if you don't.

I took a lot of flak a year ago for going through a colony (on a flying day in December) confirming it was free of sealed brood before applying OA but since it's a complete waste of time otherwise, the alternative is guesswork and I reckon a lot of people guess wrong (too late). And it worked big-time for that colony.

 

[Heffy]

Matt, are the supers on top, with a queen excluder still in between them and the brood box.

The supers are on top and full of stores, with no QX.............

I'm unsure if I should nadir or not, what's putting me off is disturbing the colony.

Watched some live drones being evicted yesterday, very interesting and a first for me.

Cheers
Matt

 

[Heffy]

I used Apigard around the same time and had a small drop.
Used Oxalic (vaporised) a couple of weeks later (allegedly, dear bee inspector) as I wanted to be sure and it 'rained' Varroa! Apigard is not my favoured treatment.
Chances are you have a good few still in there. Bare in mind that it is still mild and Ivy is still available. Mine are still brooding!
Hope that sheds some light.

Noted, locally the ivy flow has now really slowed in the last week but still coming in.

Thanks
Matt

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

The supers are on top and full of stores, with no QX.............

I'm unsure if I should nadir or not, what's putting me off is disturbing the colony.

Watched some live drones being evicted yesterday, very interesting and a first for me.

Cheers
Matt

And there you have final proof of what you already know.

Forget you have bees for a couple of months, with a possible exception for OA treatment (your call: mine dropped 500 mites in very similar circumstances.)

<ADD>To be clear, that forgetfulness should most certainly extend to nadiring, IMHO.</ADD>