What does typical end-of-life behavior look like?

[akwusmc]

I've been out to just watch my bees most days, and the last few times I've noticed bees that 'look' like they're dying. I know that a package can have bees of all ages and that some might be about at the end, so I was wondering ... what does typical bee behavior look like when they're at the end of their lives?

The bees I've scooped off the grass look shakey ... sometimes one or more legs might not be moving ... and they seem not to be able to stay upright.

Just trying to get a handle on what is normal.

aw

[BeeMaster2]

Sounds like they got into some poison. How many bees were in the grass?
Jim

[akwusmc]

How many bees were in the grass?
Jim

Only two or three per day when I've noticed ... I've placed a white board under the front of the hive to get a better idea of how many.

[Psparr]

That's normal. A lot and I'd worry.

[Acebird]

akwusmc, it really helps if the forum knows where you are located.  Beekeeping is local and beekeeping is seasonal.

[BeeMaster2]

2 or 3 a day means nothing. The average hive probably looses 1000 or more a day. The bees drop over 50 in my pool a day. That is with 11 hives close to it. They use it as their dump site.
Jim

[akwusmc]

Acebird, I just updated my profile to include my location (Lookout Mtn, GA side)!

aw

[GSF]

I stop at Rising Fawn on the way to the smokies. I agree with the others, that's a small number. That's also a good practice to look at the bees on the ground. I keep white carpet in front of mine.

[akwusmc]

I appreciate all of the responses and assurances that I don't have anything to worry about, but I still don't know what bees DO when they're at the end of their life.

Do they fly off to the Bee Happy Hunting Grounds, or pull out their little bee wakizashi to commit seppuku, or do they simply ... stop?! If I know what the normal life cycle looks like, I can compare that to what I'm seeing.

aw

[Hops Brewster]

I've seen bees come in for a landing then fall to the ground.  Once there, they sometimes can't get airborne again.  they'll try to fly, then fall back to the ground.  Again and again until they run out of steam and simply crawl around for awhile.  I guess these are the older ones with worn out wings.  They will die of exhaustion.  Or my dog will eat them (sweet!).  That's one way.

Sometimes they'll just wander around, or even just sit around outside the hive until they expire.  Sometimes they twitch, around, sometimes not.  Or try to climb up to the hive to get in.  I once saw an old bee simply fall off a flower and not get back up.

There are usually several bees on the ground in front of and around my apiary.  I will sometimes pick up a few and examine them for defective wings or mites.  I have found only a couple with mites still on the body, and none yet with deformed wings, but I have found several with torn-up, worn out wings.

[Psparr]

They will usually fly off to die. Some die in the hive and workers will carry them off.

[GSF]

I've seen one or two dead on the landing board with sacks full of pollen. Talk about a work ethic..,

[cao]

The ones that I see in the grass in front of my hives that can't fly anymore usually are walking away from the hive.  I assume that they realize that they are dying and don't want to dirty up the place wth dead bodies.

[PhilK]

The greenants that live in the grass out the front of my hives are an amazing clean up crew. Pretty rare to see more than a few dead bees, and normally already being carried off! They're also great for cleaning out comb of larvae - had some burr comb with drone brood in it, left it out the front and no larvae by the next day... they sure do sting though