Winter prep observation

[WellAllbee]

Fed all 4 hives with 2:1 sugar syrup and vitamin supplement in late Sept - all taken down. Varroa treatment completed by early Nov.

Since then, noticed considerable numbers of dead bees around entrance landing boards n 3 hives - so reduced entrance sizes and cleaned dead bees away. Two weeks later - more dead bees but not nearly as many. Could this be as a result of robbing?

Last weekend, bees still flying and bringing pollen in!

 

[Fenman]

50 to 300 bees old summer workers and kicked out drones 2000 to 3000 bees not much you can do now till spring, if flying bees look ok should be ok

 

[enrico]

Hit the nail right on the head, don't worry!

 

[itma]

Fed all 4 hives with 2:1 sugar syrup and vitamin supplement in late Sept - all taken down. Varroa treatment completed by early Nov.

Since then, noticed considerable numbers of dead bees around entrance landing boards n 3 hives - so reduced entrance sizes and cleaned dead bees away. Two weeks later - more dead bees but not nearly as many. Could this be as a result of robbing?

Last weekend, bees still flying and bringing pollen in!

November is kinda late for completing Varroa treatment in Cambridgeshire.
What treatment, why so late, etc?

 

[Hebeegeebee]

November is kinda late for completing Varroa treatment in Cambridgeshire.
What treatment, why so late, etc?

In my view, varroa treatment was 2 months late.

 

[susbees]

In my view, varroa treatment was 2 months late.

...because varroa treatment - if required - is aimed at drastically reducing the mite load on the developing winter bees: as the adult bee numbers start to fall towards autumn there are more mites per cell leading to weaker bees and the chance for viruses to wreak havoc.

 

[MuswellMetro]

...because varroa treatment - if required - is aimed at drastically reducing the mite load on the developing winter bees: as the adult bee numbers start to fall towards autumn there are more mites per cell leading to weaker bees and the chance for viruses to wreak havoc.

Follow NBU advice and the manufacturers advice rather than make your own assumptions on when and how it will works