Possible cause?

[Dolo]

Any ideas?

 

[Boston Bees]

No-one can say much with only one photo and no detail on the history of the colony.

Varroa probably played a role based on this image, but who knows

Give us some background on how and when you treated over the last 12 months?

Give us some narrative on what you have seen in this colony in your inspections over the last 12 months. When did you last see a queen, eggs, etc, and did they have any food in the combs? Did they starve?

 

[Dolo]

Queen seen yesterday, same day as photo. Treated overwinter for varroa and no evidence of mites. Plenty of stores over winter and supplemented a little in January. Apart from this odd situation nothing apparently wrong.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is this just the one frame? Are the rest ok?

 

[Dolo]

Yes, just this one frame. They must have been on the point of coming out of the cell. Seems odd.

 

[Boston Bees]

Treated overwinter for varroa and no evidence of mites.

What do you mean by no evidence of mites? How are you testing for this?

Yes, just this one frame. They must have been on the point of coming out of the cell. Seems odd.

If, in the last 12 months, you only treated for varroa overwinter, then this is probably what it looks like - bees dead in their cells from varroa-borne disease. The drones have their tongues out - possibly indicating a final desperate attempt to get some food.

You need to treat around September. By winter it's too late. You can treat in autumn AND overwinter, but not just overwinter.

 

[The Poot]

There’s a heck of a lot of varroa poo in those cells!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, just this one frame. They must have been on the point of coming out of the cell. Seems odd.

That frame is typical of varroa collapse. Bees too weak to emerge from their cells then dying and varroa guanine ( white “faeces”) in the cells where brood has emerged.

 

[Finman]

Bees are dieing for varroa and they cannot keep all brood warm.

 

[Dolo]

OK, thank you for all your replies, will re-investigate. Checked my records, they were treated for varroa Nov, Dec to early Jan.

 

[drex]

What with.? Whatever, it did not work very well. A lesson for us all to be vigilant.

 

[Dolo]

Apivar strips, brand new 2 of.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Apivar strips, brand new 2 of.

November is far too late to be doing your main treatment
Winter bees start being made from end of august in most places and it’s these bees that take the colony through winter and start it off again in the spring. They need to be healthy.
Treating your colony thus late simply means that the winter bees are all severely compromised.

 

[madasafish]

Winter bees are produced Sept/October so they will have been weakened by varroa.(Which is why norm is to treat end Aug/early Sept.

 

[Boston Bees]

Apivar strips, brand new 2 of.

When to treat? - The Apiarist

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Apivar strips, brand new 2 of.

On a sample of one beekeeper I've had some lack of efficacy so my treatment now is restricted to Thymol based or Oxalic Acid by sublimation.

 

[Dodge]

Didn't know what Varoa poop looked like this. Learn something new.

 

[Boston Bees]

Didn't know what Varoa poop looked like this. Learn something new.

I found this image, which I think makes what varroa poo looks like clearer. A lot of the white flecks in Dolo's image are too large to be varroa poo and will be just general hive detritus (though there's certainly varroa poo there too). Apparently it is usually found on the roof or floor of the cell?

 

[Dodge]

I found this image, which I think makes what varroa poo looks like clearer. A lot of the white flecks in Dolo's image are too large to be varroa poo and will be just general hive detritus (though there's certainly varroa poo there too). Apparently it is usually found on the roof or floor of the cell?

View attachment 31596

Thank you for the picture.

 

[Nige.Coll]

it's varroa.
The white pile of varroa poop is also where the varroa mate with their brother.