Woke up this morning....saw some dead beeshat happens if the rain is coming from that direction.

[E1M]

Weather has turned nasty, again, here in Norfolk, and this morning I saw about 20 dead bees beneath their hive.
Is it just a case that they have been having a clear out or the weather turning colder (12 degrees) has taken its toll on them?
The front of the hive is wet from the rain, but that happens if the rain is coming from that direction.
Your thoughts please.

Iain

 

[AnotherNewBee]

Most of them probably die while out foraging. If they can't get out the ones that are going to die have to do it at home.

 

[tonybloke]

have 'they' moved Wisbech into Norfolk?
it was in Cambridgeshire when I went to college there

 

[E1M]

Thanks for your help with my concern over my dead bees Tony.
Oh, sorry, you were more concerned with where Wisbech is, or is not.
Well, to put your mind at rest it IS still in Cambridgeshire, however, where we live, which is in Norfolk, has a post code for Cambridgeshire. That's the vagaries of our postal system for you.
Any ideas about my dead bees though?

 

[Polyanwood]

20 dead bees beneath the hive is not enough to worry about. You should expect almost as many bees to die every day as emerge every day.....which is a lot. If they aren't out foraging, more will die at home. All normal.

 

[E1M]

Polyanwood,
You make a lot of sense, thank you. Of course, as the weather was so poor yesterday, they probably were not out foraging. Maybe they were watching the Thames Pagent!
This morning there are about 40 dead ones outside, so nothing to worry about. Thanks again.
Still have some bees grouped on the underside of the OMF. Any ideas why?

 

[mbc]

Quote: Any ideas why?

beeshat could be nosema in a archaic Cambs/Norfcks dialect ?

 

[BBG]

Thanks for your help with my concern over my dead bees Tony.
Oh, sorry, you were more concerned with where Wisbech is, or is not.
Well, to put your mind at rest it IS still in Cambridgeshire, however, where we live, which is in Norfolk, has a post code for Cambridgeshire. That's the vagaries of our postal system for you.
Any ideas about my dead bees though?

Well done on dealing with a forum smart ass!

Especially as he's certificated and superior took the time to photograph it and create a new thread to show it.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7818&highlight=exam

He's a bit of a bully too - the forum has a couple, they make you

Your bees, sounds just natural clearing out by the colony.

Don't be put off, there are good people and good info to be found here.

 

[E1M]

Nosema is a unicellular parasite of the class of microsporidian that develops and multiplies in the cells of the epithelium in the mid-gut of adult bees. Nosema is spread by transfer of spores during trophallaxis or when young bees clean up faecal material on contaminated combs. (Williams et al. 2008). Young queens that ingest Nosema spores normally are superseded within a month (Mussen, 2002).There are two described species for honeybees, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae and spores of both species can persist in the hive.

 

[E1M]

BBG Thank you for your comments. As a new beekeeper I am sure you remember that it is daunting, worrying and that you just want to do the best for your bees.

I shall not be put off, I shall continue to ask questions, however silly. My mentor tells me it is the question that you don't ask that may be the most important, so I shall ask lots of silly questions I am sure.