Varroa situation

[timix]

Hello, Im a new user here and also at my second year of beekeping. Wanted to ask for your help.
A few days ago I noticed one of my beehives had little activity on the entrance. I checked the hive and found a lot of dead bee. Everything is pointing to varroa infestation: mites crawling on bees, many with cut wings, and a lot of dead bees at the entrance. I tried treating for varroa but it was too late. At the next day I was stunned that only "tens" of bees were with the queen, not more. I took the hive away scared of robbing/spreading infection. Now I have the queen and a few bees. I got a frame of brood, and some with honey. Can I do something to save my queen, or maybe the queen is infected with the virus that comes with the mites? Or just let them die/kill them? Please help, I know what I did wrong and so sad that Im considering quitting beekeeping

 

[BugsInABox]

Do you have another Hive?

 

[flemage]

Hi

And take a breath......

We have all had moments like this, where we should have...could have.....but didn't.

Bee keeping is all about learning and that's ok.

Remember why you started this.

Every now and then, standing in a field with the sun shinning with the bees in a happy mood ...................is the best thing.

if I have learnt any thing at all, its that bees want to survive and will do in extreme circumstances.

Stick them in a NUC hive, feed them and you may be surprised at what happens.

 

[flemage]

Oh and don't move them during the day as all the forgers will be left behind.

 

[timix]

I have five hives.
@flemage Thank you. Can you please explain what is the best way to start with a Nuc at this time of year..so there is any chance to get them ready for winter?

 

[flemage]

Hi

if you can give them frames of brood from other hives and feed that would be great. a nuc will keep the warmth... then its fingers crossed, I am in the south so perhaps time?

If you have five successful hives, don't let it all go just because of this one issue. As said, I have had many lessons from the bees where I have thought they wont work, and they have pulled through. We all have set backs don't let that stop you!

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

What’s the state of your other four hives? Can you support them?

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you have five hives check which ones you can steal a frame of brood from. You need three frames from different colonies. preferably emerging brood add a frame of stores ( honey and pollen) and you can take an empty drawn frame from the original hive. Close the entrance down to one bee space and feed. Put the feeder on in the day but don’t fill it till the bees have stopped flying.
Introduce the queen in a cage.
Make sure your other hives are treated.

 

[timix]

If you have five hives check which ones you can steal a frame of brood from. You need three frames from different colonies. preferably emerging brood add a frame of stores ( honey and pollen) and you can take an empty drawn frame from the original hive. Close the entrance down to one bee space and feed. Put the feeder on in the day but don’t fill it till the bees have stopped flying.
Introduce the queen in a cage.
Make sure your other hives are treated.

Thank you all for the input.
Yes I can take a frame from other strong colonies. This is a stupid question, but when I take the frame with brood do I leave the bees behind (shake them) or not? Is there a risk of robbing since there are no defenders?

 

[Erichalfbee]

You take the bees
Shake some extra in.
yes robbing might be a hazard but they should be ok with the entrance shut right down. Is there anywhere you can move them to away from the others for a few weeks?

 

[timix]

I dont think I have a place to send them. Can I lock them/shut the entrance up completely (ofc if I provide a cool place) till they accept the queen?

 

[drex]

Bees from 3 or more hives will not fight nor give problems with the queen. If you do not move the topped up hive, any flying bees will fly home and deplete the weak colony. However I do this regularly just shaking in a lot more extra bees than I think are actually needed. If bees are taken from supers rather than brood box they are more likely to stay put.

 

[timix]

Thank you all. I'll do this tomorrow hoping for the best

 

[Swn58]

Hello, Im a new user here and also at my second year of beekeping. Wanted to ask for your help.
A few days ago I noticed one of my beehives had little activity on the entrance. I checked the hive and found a lot of dead bee. Everything is pointing to varroa infestation: mites crawling on bees, many with cut wings, and a lot of dead bees at the entrance. I tried treating for varroa but it was too late. At the next day I was stunned that only "tens" of bees were with the queen, not more. I took the hive away scared of robbing/spreading infection. Now I have the queen and a few bees. I got a frame of brood, and some with honey. Can I do something to save my queen, or maybe the queen is infected with the virus that comes with the mites? Or just let them die/kill them? Please help, I know what I did wrong and so sad that Im considering quitting beekeeping

As Flemage says.....DON'T Quit! We all experience this sort of stuff. My first year was beset with varroa; wingless bees etc.. . I hardly have that problem now. Though I may be being too confident! Who can tell what may happen? You just have to keep strong and battle through!

 

[pargyle]

I think they are a lost cause .. with only 10's of bees left it's too late to try and save them ..was the queen laying ? were there any eggs and open brood ? I would not weaken other hives at this time of the year when you want them building up stores and bees to nurse the brood that will become winter bees. WIth four other colonies cut your losses and let them go .. things happen and I'm the biggest softie around when it comes to lost causes but it sounds to me that they are too far gone to bother with - more so if they are infected with varroa because the foragers that return to your other hives are likely to take some with them.

Put the frame of brood (shake the bees off) into one of your other hives that will use the extra bees when they emerge.

Leave them to dwindle away ... I can never bring myself to kill them. Once they are gone, seal the hive up - treat for wax moth and yoou have some useful drawn frames to start next year and you can easily do a split from one or more of your other colonies.

 

[timix]

After much consideration and after @pargyle comment, I've decided to give up on them. Even if they somehow get back on their feet, I dont want to risk my other hive at this time of the year by stealing their resources. I gotta take this as a lesson learned, I guess.
Thank you all for your thoughts. Good luck!

 

[Swarm]

Do you know anyone who needs a queen?

 

[Arfermo]

You suggest yours is a varroa problem. Are you sure - have you a mentor? I had something similar about 5 years ago with a pile of dead bees on the ground below the entrance 12" above. The actual problem was wasps. Over the previous day or two they had had a feast! First I sprayed those that were still live with a weak solution of sugar and water. Next I put a frame or two of BIAS in as well as at least one frame of stores from other hives after brushing off any bees from the donor hive. Then I sat nearby swatting any wasps that turned up for a meal for the next day or so. Within minutes of my attention they started walking about and lived to see the next season. The weather at present is quite kind so your queen could be willing to produce a few more eggs - mine are all still laying well atm. Being retired I have plenty of time to spare so what I did was no problem but you may not have that luxury (?) or inclination to do anything similar. If the situation you have really is irretrievable letting them go may have to be your choice. Best of luck.

 

[Speybee]

I dont think I have a place to send them. Can I lock them/shut the entrance up completely (ofc if I provide a cool place) till they accept the queen?

Could you stuff the entrance with grass, if your Nuc like mine has ventilation holes at each side covered in mesh.
I take my Nucs more than 3 miles away to a pals garden after I make up a Nuc with 3 frames deep brood, nurse bees 2 stores, caged mated queen ( if using) plus feeder.

 

[pargyle]

After much consideration and after @pargyle comment, I've decided to give up on them. Even if they somehow get back on their feet, I dont want to risk my other hive at this time of the year by stealing their resources. I gotta take this as a lesson learned, I guess.
Thank you all for your thoughts. Good luck!

It's always sad when you lose a colony ... it can happen so quickly that sometimes you just don't get the chance to get in quick enough to do anything about it. But .... nature has a way of weeding out those creatures that are not destined to survive in the long term and even our best efforts to keep colonies alive and thriving will fail.

If there were more survivors in the colony I would be agreeing with some of the other posters who have suggested ways of keeping a colony going .. indeed, if you only had two hives I might have considered some other options but you have good strong colonies outside of this one and they need to be what you should concentrate on now as winter approaches.

It's so easy to make increase in the spring - from colonies that you know are strong - that's what you should be looking ahead to and planning your numbers (and your kit !) for next year.

Nothing to beat yourself up about - show me a beekeeper who hasn't had a colony failure at some point and you're looking at someone who has never kept bees or is a fantasist ! Onwards and upwards ...