I know the hive is sick-long story.I have reduced it to a double Nuc and giving it a week to see if the queen is laying. But I have noticed flies coming and going and through my large air vents in the lid there are 3-4 bees and 5-6 flies in the top of the hive.
Is there a problem I should be looking for?
AFB maybe? You have brood rotting that is drawing in flies
seriously no one wants to comment on this
Have you had a look at them?
Sounds like the flies are laying eggs/maggots.
Turns out the hive was totally dead - not a single bee left. First thing I notice when I opened the lid was the smell of alcohol fermentation-nice lot of mead brewing in there.(NOT) 7 of the 9 frames had webs of Wax Moth - strangely no SHB but lots of other beasties -a long thin black insect about as long a SHB but only 1/4 the width and very flighty - also lice some flies but no maggots. The wax moth frames have been wrapped in paper and are in an old freezer for the time being but I think I'll burn them all. The two unaffected frames were two new ones with new drawn comb but not yet filled in anyway. I gave all the woodwork a scorch with a blow torch that got rid of the bugs.