Removing dead winter bees

[pete darbyshire]

I made some nucs last year with raised entrances and an omf. On inspection this year, although the colonies are strong they have not removed dead bees from the floor of the hive. The omf has a carpet of dead bees. 3x of these nucs all the same compared to 20 nucs with bottom entrances and no dead bees.
Not wanting an answer.....just an observation.

 

[Boston Bees]

I made some nucs last year with raised entrances and an omf. On inspection this year, although the colonies are strong they have not removed dead bees from the floor of the hive. The omf has a carpet of dead bees. 3x of these nucs all the same compared to 20 nucs with bottom entrances and no dead bees.
Not wanting an answer.....just an observation.View attachment 31414

Thanks for the warning. Small raised entrances definitely one to avoid then.

 

[pete darbyshire]

I will be changing them.
The idea was better protection against wasps in the autumn, there is block inside so the bees have to go down once inside the hole.... not an improvement!!

 

[JamezF]

Do the nucs with the low entrances also have an OMF?

James

 

[pargyle]

I will be changing them.
The idea was better protection against wasps in the autumn, there is block inside so the bees have to go down once inside the hole.... not an improvement!!

Interesting... you must have just made it too much hard work for them to bother removing the dead. It's amazing what they can do when they want to ...

 

[pete darbyshire]

Do the nucs with the low entrances also have an OMF?

James

Yes

 

[oliver90owner]

One question might be ‘Why all the dead bees?’ Bees should survive the winter, not die off in large numbers - unless there is a reason….

 

[Boston Bees]

One question might be ‘Why all the dead bees?’ Bees should survive the winter, not die off in large numbers - unless there is a reason….

Plenty of winter bees will have died by 15th April.

 

[pete darbyshire]

One question might be ‘Why all the dead bees?’ Bees should survive the winter, not die off in large numbers - unless there is a reason….

Large numbers?
I am saying a few hundred bees in a rammed 6 frame nuc.
There is no issue with the bees, just an observation for anyone trying high entrances. I've never looked into a wild colony....but assume this happens. I know dead bees drop into the fireplace overwinter from a chimney colony.
I will make the omg removable so I can clean it. At present I have to remove the frames into another nuc and tip out the dead bees.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I will make the omg removable

OMG? WTF? FFS man!

 

[pete darbyshire]

Sorry. Should have been omf, but I was thinking omg when I read post 7

OMG? WTF? FFS man!

 

[JamezF]

Sorry. Should have been omf, but I was thinking omg when I read post 7

I think it's got to be an OMG from now on

James