Some Do..... Some Dont

[Dishmop]

Busy and not bothered...

 

[freethorpe bees]

What a contrast Dishmop. Are the quiet ones ok?

Mine were very busy today.

 

[Dishmop]

For quite some time I was concerned that all was not well, but last week I put an entrance feeder on with best part of a litre of syrup and it vanished in just over 3 hours so I'm hoping that there are more bees in there than I thought.

 

[Midland Beek]

Are you sure one of them is not dead? Is the strong colony robbing the weaker? Very bad idea giving syrup to the weaker colony, and especially feeding at the entrance. That is how you get robbing. Many a weaker colony robbed out by a stronger one in spring. Was the syrup not just taken by the stronger/living colony?

Remember: Robbers go home at night.

 

[Dishmop]

The entrance feeder actualy fits in a slot in the side of the box so its not as if other bees can just pop inside without anybody noticing.... I was watching them for a good 30 minutes and could see no evidence of robbing as there wasnt a lot of activity at all outside...
This was a strong colony at the start of October. I havent seen masses of dead bees being thrown out and have not had to clean many away from the entrance....... I wonder if some went and found a new home.... although I would have thought it would have been late in the year for that....
The busy colony are some that moved into a hive I was making ready for the ones I had bought.......

 

[Vergilius]

It is probably due to the strain of bee. Are the mongrels???


Ben P

 

[Dishmop]

It is probably due to the strain of bee. Are the mongrels???


Ben P

you mean the immigrants? Probably...... They didnt swarm in, just gradually took up residence during the day...

 

[Dishmop]

Much the same today but the slow ones were a bit more active.. What I have noticed is that there are a lot of wax capping which have appeared during the last 2 days.... Some are sitting on the step and sorting thro it to see if they've missed anything....

 

[Midland Beek]

What I have noticed is that there are a lot of wax capping which have appeared during the last 2 days.... ....

That be them uncapping and taking the honey from the dead/weak colony.

Even a weak colony might have brought in a little pollen in the good weather on Tuesday.

 

[Dishmop]

That be them uncapping and taking the honey from the dead/weak colony.

Even a weak colony might have brought in a little pollen in the good weather on Tuesday.

Well they must have a secret way into the hive then, because if theres any robbers they aint using the front door...

 

[drstitson]

how do you know the few bees going in and out aren't robbers and the hive itself isn't dead.

 

[Dishmop]

how do you know the few bees going in and out aren't robbers and the hive itself isn't dead.

As it looks like being a warm day I will have a look later and see.

 

[Dishmop]

As it looks like being a warm day I will have a look later and see.

Wasnt as warm as I thought it would be and a bit windy.

I had a quick look inside the weak hive and there's not a lot of activity. There were bees but I suppose the assumption now is that they, or at least some of them are from the other hive.

What suprises me is that there is no sign of masses of dead bees......

Tomorrow if is not cold I am going to block the entrance of the strong hive early in the morning and have another look in the weak one to see if there is any activity... that way I will know that the bees are not from the stronger hive...

 

[Midland Beek]

Give the hive a kick at night.

 

[Dishmop]

Give the hive a kick at night.

I did that earlier in the year and that's when I started to think that all was not well. Just a faint little zzzzz..

Very strong in October.

Last week there was pollen going into the hive.... nodda lot.... but some...

 

[freethorpe bees]

Dishmop, in my very limited experience you wouldn't see alot of dead bees outside as there may not be any bees to remove them. Just a thought. I hope they are ok.

 

[Dishmop]

Dishmop, in my very limited experience you wouldn't see alot of dead bees outside as there may not be any bees to remove them. Just a thought. I hope they are ok.

What I really meant was no dead bees inside..

However, had a look tonight after they had stopped flying and the hive was empty of anything moving.

I will block the entrance off for the moment and as soon as I have time I will shut the others up while I inspect the dead hive...

 

[Polyanwood]

What a shame. let us know what you think caused the problem.

 

[Dishmop]

What a shame. let us know what you think caused the problem.

Probably me.....

Perhaps I'll move them all indoors next year....


Havent seen a dead bee thrown out of the obs hive for weeks now.

 

[Polyanwood]

That is why I asked.

I probably wasn't you! Don't be a noodle and blame yourself. There is learning is working out why they died though. It may mean more bees survive next year