What is going on here????

[tkwinston4]

View attachment 1275

A friend took this photo this afternoon and she is a bit worried about what is going on, any ideas from the experts?
Merry Christmas to everyone on the Beekeeping Forum x

 

[Poly Hive]

Hard to tell from the pic but I am seeing dead bees, and what looks like stores cappings or paper too, it's hard to make it out.

If your friend is worried enough to take a pic they should be worried enough to lift the lid and look. The balance here is do damage by doing nothing or do damage by looking, personally I would look. Oh and they should heft the hive too.

PH

 

[Heather]

I wonder if there is a mouse or other invader- bees dont look cold damaged, they are dry and not blackened - but some pieces of bee too. Looks like fresh kill.

 

[oliver90owner]

Guessing that is the entrance platform? If so, Heather is likely on the button.

Also as Poly Hive says - difficult to make out. A little extra detail would be good or is this a guessing game?

Regards, RAB

 

[RoofTops]

I agree, no mouse guard and the bee on the extreme left looks like it has a blob of something on its thorax. Possibly body fluids, which would suggest some sort of mechanical damage, i.e. teeth. Essential to ensure the mouse has gone and then do something about ensuring it doesn't return. A metal queen excluder (frameless) nailed across the entrance would work if they don't have a mouse guard to hand.

 

[victor meldrew]

Has the mouse guard been removed or never fitted?

John Wilkinson

 

[Poly Hive]

Ah, yes no mouse guard, I didn't twig that one as they are not something I use, poly hives dinna need them.

Could well be a mouse situation from the debris.

Look in side please.

PH

 

[tkwinston4]

I think it was removed today to get a look at what was going on. we did not open them up because of the cold. they were a very small swarm that moved in of their own accord back in June. she has been feeding them syrup ever since. she does have some fondant but not sure if she has put that on yet, need to ask her. they did not expand that much over summer and they only filled a few frames with stores but we are hoping they are going to survive the winter.
she did put the mouse guard on late and i also did wonder if it was mouse damage. she has emailed the picture to the beeks that did the course for us in the summer but what with xmas we are not expecting a reply for a few days so that is why i thought it best to ask you lot. you have always been very helpful in the past.
is there anything you need to know to get a better idea of what is going on?

 

[Hombre]

I check my landing boards daily, for curiosity, normally around mid-day. I was late today and one colony had many casualties on the landing board, several bees on the snow behind the hive and one or two still intent on making kamikasi flights. Snow still around.
I hope in your case that it's nothing serious either. Casualties and a bit of housekeeping perhaps? The temperature was up a degree or two today.

 

[Finman]

.

Bees die all the time in side the hive. When it is cold, bees are in tight cluster.

If you open now the hive, you see in peripheria here and there dead bees.

When its warm outside, the cluster widdend and bees start to clean dead bees and rubbish and move them out of entrance. That happens much in my hives.

 

[BKF Admin]

When its warm outside Finman?
Whats warm to you -22c

 

[Finman]

When its warm outside Finman?
Whats warm to you -22c

It depends how you have clothes on and what you do.

It seems that wife have cleaned him out = cleansing flight.