Weird thing happened. I caught a swarm that was on the lawn of a private house right next to a golf course - literally. Walked right into my box with a couple of honey frames from one of my colonies that died over the winter. Brought them to my back yard (no other hives, temporary placement). The next day numbers of them were lying on the ground, writhing on their backs. And the numbers of these increased over the hours.
I never experienced something like this. I'm thinking they go into some pesticide on that lawn or somewhere on the golf course - or maybe around here. I doubt it because it's mostly been raining - hard. Could it be something in my honey? Viruses do not kill that fast, do they? I just can't figure it. I looked inside and bees are starting to make comb and carrying on normally.
I took a video but it's too big a file to attach. Ideas?
Sounds like someone in the golf community sprayed them and it took that long to show. I've had that happen several times.
Scott
Quote from: hardwood on May 09, 2013, 10:51:29 AM
Sounds like someone in the golf community sprayed them and it took that long to show. I've had that happen several times.
Scott
+1
Bummer. First swarm of the season. And all my hives died over the winter.
They got sprayed.
Quote from: AllenF on May 09, 2013, 05:51:28 PM
They got sprayed.
I figured. But where? That's the question. They were just fine waltzing into my box. The next day, they were just dropping.
http://wh.gov/JROx
I had the same thing happen, only I was called for a swarm only to find on showing up that they had been sprayed and they wanted the beekeeper to kill the rest. Another swarm I was called on I found some kids had thrown rocks at the cluster killing a bunch of bees including the queen. :-(
Quote from: SerenityApiaries on May 09, 2013, 06:35:12 PM
I had the same thing happen, only I was called for a swarm only to find on showing up that they had been sprayed and they wanted the beekeeper to kill the rest.
I would personally feel a bit insulted by such a request; but I realize they would likely not have intended it.
I have a friend a couple of miles from here lost all his bees over the winter.
So I gave him 4 swarms to get him going again.
He told me 2 days ago that his neighbor sprayed his pasture and killed every bee he had.
This is a long shot, but I've got to ask it.
The frames of honey I fed these bees came from my equipment shed. I temporarily stored a sealed container of 2 quarts of old motor oil there. When I opened the shed one day I noticed the strong odor of the oil, removed it and opened the windows. In a day the odor was gone. Could this odor have tainted that honey in some way and affected these bees??
I rather doubt it.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 10, 2013, 01:51:53 PM
I rather doubt it.
Jim
My wife said the same thing. :)