trigger warning: dead bees photo (asking for advice)

[ecudielle]

Some dead bees on landing board and a clump of them at the entrance. What could this be?
The photo was taken after a day and a half of rain in London.

Thank you for you advice.

 

[Ely]

Not necessarily an issue. Could be bees that have come to their natural end and taken out by house keeping.

 

[ecudielle]

Thank you. Hope so.
The clump of dead bees in just a coincidence?

 

[user 11159]

had the same with 2 of my hives today[splits] .but they are queen less and left with one queen cell ..most drones..

 

[Ely]

Thank you. Hope so.
The clump of dead bees in just a coincidence?

Yes. Sometimes they get chilled and group together like that. Bit of a shame being so close to home but probably towards the end of their life span

 

[ecudielle]

ah interesting, these are both "after swarms" but we have spotted a queen in each hive, although they were not yet laying at last inspection (5 days ago)

 

[Paulypaul]

Such a small number. Personally I wouldn't worry about it. Considering there are many thousands in the colony and natural attrition is possibly around 3% per day.
Think of the colony as a single animal, a superorganism.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Some dead bees on landing board and a clump of them at the entrance. What could this be?
The photo was taken after a day and a half of rain in London.

Thank you for you advice.

Impossible to know how bees have died.
They can try to rob another hive and have met their destiny. A wasp may visit in the hive and it kills over 10 bees.