Walking bees - what's the cause?

[JWF]

For the last month or so I've had a small number of bees walking around in the garden, and they make it as far as my patio which is about 90ft from the hives. Every day there seems to be the same amount, it's not getting worse or better as far as I can tell.

They try to fly but don't appear to be able to, and walk fairly frantically down the garden. The video here shows a good example :

https://streamable.com/yjfye

The wings seem to be in good order, no sign of DWV. And the bees look normal, apart from the frantic behaviour.

I've currently got 8 colonies, two of which are in the process of requeening. All colonies seem to be in good health and there's no obvious sign of walking bees in front of any hive, or any corpses in front of the hive or being removed that I've observed.

I've looked at the symptoms of k-wing, CBPV and other problems but can't see anything that matches the symptoms.

Any ideas?

 

[enrico]

Before looking at the video I would have said they were looking for water but now, having watched it, I have no idea. Your are quite right, they are a bit hypa! Will be interested to see other comments. Sorry I couldn't help.
E

 

[collinsbros]

could a farmer could be spraying near you?

 

[JWF]

could a farmer could be spraying near you?

It's been going on for weeks and there's no significant losses visible at the hives, so I ruled that out. It's not impossible that I've got a neighbour who's very enthusiastic with pest spray but it doesn't appear to be acute poisoning of the whole colony.

 

[user 6228]

could just be just bees out of air frame time... their wings wear out. even just fanning and when they go to forage, they just can't do it.

 

[JWF]

could just be just bees out of air frame time... their wings wear out. even just fanning and when they go to forage, they just can't do it.

Possibly, though they appear to be in good condition and they're definitely walking away from the hive (though it is slightly downhill so that could be the reason. They do stop to forage on the clover as they erratically make their way across the lawn.

 

[For want of a better word]

Yellow bees seem to do this... perhaps they need feeding?

Yeghes da

 

[Anduril]

Yellow bees seem to do this... perhaps they need feeding?

Yeghes da

Evidence and scientific paper please!

 

[Beefriendly]

Yellow bees seem to do this... perhaps they need feeding?

Yeghes da

You just lurvv feeding your imported Italian bees... come on admit it! They need so much feeding that Tesco have donated all their split bags of sugar from supermarkets in Cornwall to keeping the yellow devils alive. Allegedly for the support of the Cornish Amm's which you continually tell us don't need feeding....yes I Know ....."mums the word"....well I won't tell if you don't..

 

[Millet]

That little Devil looks like she wants to kill something have you stood on a bee near bye or been zapped near the spot, from experience the attack pheromone lingers for a good while.

 

[JWF]

Yellow bees seem to do this... perhaps they need feeding?

Yeghes da

All hives have plenty of stores and there's a decent flow on.

That little Devil looks like she wants to kill something have you stood on a bee near bye or been zapped near the spot, from experience the attack pheromone lingers for a good while.

They make their way all over the garden, and they can't fly. If you poke them with a leaf they don't get defensive, they just carry on running!

 

[For want of a better word]

You just lurvv feeding your imported Italian bees... come on admit it! They need so much feeding that Tesco have donated all their split bags of sugar from supermarkets in Cornwall to keeping the yellow devils alive. Allegedly for the support of the Cornish Amm's which you continually tell us don't need feeding....yes I Know ....."mums the word"....well I won't tell if you don't..

TOTAL NONSENCE!

Tesco are donating their sugar specifically for the BIBBA CBBIG and BIPCo queen rearing program... the queen rearing nucs need a lot of sugar.

The image of that poor yellow bee crawling through the grass was distressing, I have not seen any of our native bees here in Cornwall exhibiting this behavior.... I have however seen this in yellow hybrids.... spraying had been ruled out and I wondered if the poor bees were being starved as the do need feeding to get them through the June dearth of nectar.... I now would suspect a virus, probably from an infected bee imported with the many thousands of queens imported unnecessarily into the UK each year to replace the ones that have perished overwinter?

Nos da

 

[Roola]

I seem to get this in some of my hives each year... Normally those with a higher varroa load so I think it is viral. They normally come through it ok as long as they have a strong queen!

 

[hexadecimal]

I have exactly the same thing from one of my hives.

I've wondered if its anything to do with tracheal mites.

 

[Lancs Lad]

For the last month or so I've had a small number of bees walking around in the garden, and they make it as far as my patio which is about 90ft from the hives. Every day there seems to be the same amount, it's not getting worse or better as far as I can tell.



Any ideas?

I suspect you have a touch of Acarine also linked with chronic bee paralysis appears now and again in all types of bees.

 

[beeno]

I seem to get this in some of my hives each year... Normally those with a higher varroa load so I think it is viral. They normally come through it ok as long as they have a strong queen!

Probably CBPV Syndrome 1.

 

[Finman]

.
Once I had few hives during couple of years. Young bees came out first time and plenty of them could not fly. They were hundreds.

I supposed that it was genetic and result from inbreeding. One hive has so much walking bees that it disturbed yield making.


What to do: Change the genepool of the yard. Buy new blood.

.

 

[Heather]

Chronic paralysis?

 

[JWF]

Probably CBPV Syndrome 1.

Looking at the symptoms, I believe you could be right.