Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.

Started by van from Arkansas, May 22, 2019, 07:46:06 PM

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van from Arkansas

I need a bit of help.  As the subject matter stated the problem is a pile of dead bees in front of one hive.


Establish gentle hive with a three year old marked queen.  Langstrof 10 frame, with 3 deeps and a screened bottom board.  Full of honey and brood chamber is beginning to be backfilled.  One of 15 hives and the ONLY hive with dead bees.   Unique to this hive is an insane amount of honey for this time of year, more than double other hives.


Five percent of the bees on the entrance are quivering, shaking and acting like they are rubbing something off their body, disorientated.  A bee I picked up was shaking her head side to side, just quivering uncontrollably. Dead bees had their tongue extended.  Kinda of weird as most of the bees appear normal, calm and going about business as usual.

Thank you for your reading and comments.

Upon inspection: 70 percent bees, 7 out of 10 frames full of bees.  The brood is pearl white, capped larva has no pin holes and appears very healthy.  Screen bottom board is normal, absolutely no dysentery.  Bees are very acting normal, very calm so I did not use smoke, no need.  A good healthy looking hive on the inside.  I treated for varroa with Oxalic acid vapor three days ago.  Very little mite drop.  No odor, seen one hive beetle.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

van from Arkansas

[attachment=0][/attachment]

Pic of the entrance and dead bees.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

iddee

Find the neighbor with the whits garden. It's covered in sevin dust.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Nock

Sorry to hear. Hope you find the answer. When did you look at this hive last?

van from Arkansas

I look at the hive just prior to posting, like an 2 hours ago.

What ID said makes a lot of sense as the bees act as if they are rubbing off something.  I assume sevin dust burns or causes an uncomfortable sensation.

I need to split this hive or give more room as the brood is being backfilled but I am unsure what to do with all the honey.  All stages of brood does appear healthy.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

BeeMaster2

Van,
Most of the time when bees pile up in front of the hives it is due to poisoning.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Ben Framed

Sorry for you misfortune Mr Van.  I do not know, but I trust iddee and Jims judgement.
Phillip

van from Arkansas

Quote from: Ben Framed on May 22, 2019, 10:28:32 PM
Sorry for you misfortune Mr Van.  I do not know, but I trust iddee and Jims judgement.
Phillip

Agreed.

Mr. Ben, not going to lose this hive, still has lots of bees.  To lose 5,000 bees out of 25,000 hurts, but the hive survives.
Blessings
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

The15thMember

Poor girls.  :cry:  That sevin dust is the worst.
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
https://maranathahomestead.weebly.com/

Ben Framed

Glad to hear they are going to make it ok Mr Van. Sounds like a really good queen in that hive.

Ben Framed

Quote from: The15thMember on May 23, 2019, 12:33:17 AM
Poor girls.  :cry:  That sevin dust is the worst.

We always used it in our garden when I was at home. I do not want my bees to find any of it that is for sure.

BeeMaster2

As I have mentioned before, I removed a hive from a truck tool box that was full of seven dust. Somehow the bees developed a queen with the genetics to be able to break down the poison and live in that box with the poison.
amazing little creatures.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

The15thMember

Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 23, 2019, 06:22:28 AM
As I have mentioned before, I removed a hive from a truck tool box that was full of seven dust. Somehow the bees developed a queen with the genetics to be able to break down the poison and live in that box with the poison.
amazing little creatures.
Jim Altmiller
Wow, that?s incredible!
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
https://maranathahomestead.weebly.com/

Ben Framed

Mr Van, I am curious, what is the status of this hive a week later? Thanks,
Phillip

van from Arkansas

Mr. Ben, I just inspected this hive.  All appears normal.  The bees on the entrance are wash boarding and fanning.  No sign at all of sevin or any kind of poison.

I believe ID nailed this one and answered in a single sentence.

A good ending.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Ben Framed

Quote from: van from Arkansas on May 29, 2019, 01:22:58 PM
Mr. Ben, I just inspected this hive.  All appears normal.  The bees on the entrance are wash boarding and fanning.  No sign at all of sevin or any kind of poison.

I believe ID nailed this one and answered in a single sentence.

A good ending.

Yes he did !

Ben Framed

#16
My concern was that more bees might return to that same location. Getting into more seven?