Dead bees ~ Clean up question

[Flygirl]

Hi everyone ~
My second hive just died.  They were fine until a week ago & I had been feeding them.  Anyway, the hive is a mess with lots of dead bees & brown poo.  I've cleaned out the dead bodies & scrubbed down the hive.  Is that enough before putting the new bees?

Also, I know in Alaska & probably other cold areas people don't winter over their bees.  How do you ~ I hesitate to say "Kill them" but I guess that's my question.  :(  I've always tried to winter over but so far haven't had success & I'm tired of the mess.  So what is the fall procedure?  What about brood in the frames?

Thank you for any help.  Flygirl

[Highlandsfreedom]

That's a sad story about your girls sorry for your loss but.........  I have seen some youtube videos of people in Canada insulating rapping their hives and they make it through the winter.  There is a way to keep them going through the winter no need to KILL them.  Protect them and they will reward you in the fall. ;)  As for the brown poo my guess would be diarrhea maybe with the sugar water that was used or it might be AFB?  I bet if you could post some pics up someone could say forsure what it is.  If there is no disease than the new bees you put in there will clean it all up.  But if it is a disease than there are methods to work with those too.  My best to you and it sounds like you still have another hive left?

[hankdog1]

Sounds like they just didn't have enough warm days to do cleaning flights.  If that's the case just stick the new bees in there they should be fine.  You might try Styrofoam hives i'm pretty sure i've seen them sold somewhere to overwinter in they have good insulation properties.  Worst case sounds like your bees had nosema which you can buy meds to give them when caught in time.

[Finski]

Hi everyone ~
My second hive just died.  They were fine until a week ago & I had been feeding them.  Anyway, the hive is a mess with lots of dead bees & brown poo.  I've cleaned out the dead bodies & scrubbed down the hive.  Is that enough before putting the new bees?

I live at same altitude in Finland as you. We have no troubles in Finland more than normal.
It is just same weather here like you have. Rain and +3C and frost at night.

Impossible to know what have happend. You you feed bees before they have made a cleasing flight, that poo things will happen. I am with hankdog1 if I quess something .

Also, I know in Alaska & probably other cold areas people don't winter over their bees.  How do you ~ I hesitate to say "Kill them" but I guess that's my question.

If I would live in Alaska with my knowledge, I would adopt all bees which are condemd to death and then I sell them back in spring.

[Finski]

To overwinter hives at 60 latitude you need

1) a bee stock = a new queen which is adopted in that level
2) Insulated hives + proper winter ventilation
3) No disturbance between September and  cleansing flights in March.

First of all, hive must react on local climate so that it stops brooding at the end of August. Then final syrup feeding for winter, about 20 kg sugar per hive.

The package bees have been breeded so that they make brood all the time that colony seller has masses to sell. When stock has been breeded in south, it often makes brood during the winter and it is condemnded to death.

In early spring the hive makes a small patch of brood (February-Marsh) but it is natural in every hive

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[Finski]

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But stil stings happen. I have just now a hive which had too much brood and now it is dead and filled with poo. I must destroy the combs and clean the box.

Polystyrene boxes are bet to clean so that you have a large pool where you have hot water and 3% lye.
You brush the poo away and wash it. Another hive died too and it seemed to have lots of varroa. I have still 30 hives.

[Finski]

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Send me emails if you need help

[Flygirl]

Thank you everyone for taking time to respond.  I have tried to insulate in the past & then had too much condensation & wetness in the hives.  This year I had a top entrance with an empty shallow (insulated) with a hole for feeding either syrup or sugar.  I hadn't fed any liquids just dry sugar.

Yes Finski...I wished you lived here so I could get help or I'd be happy to give you my bees for the winter.  I hate it that they die! I may email you for additional help.  Thank you for offering to give more assistance.  I will clean everything up with the water & lye as you suggested ~  I do think it's just poo from cleansing flights as I saw them out flying on warmer days & then I tried to feed too.  I think I have a ventilation problem & may have to switch to the poly boxes....or location in my yard?

Thanks again everyone.  FG

[Finski]

I will clean everything up with the water & lye as you suggested ~

If you have wooden hives, don't use lye. It is only ment to plastic hives and to clean old frames.