Hive mystery...

Nelly · August 23, 2008, 10:48:57 PM

Hi folks,

I posted this under "Pests" forum, but maybe it belongs here. I'd appreciate your comments-

Hi All,
I'm new here, looking for answers to a weird situation in one of my hives. Long story short:

I went out two days ago to check our hives and see if they needed feeding. It's really hot and dry here in NC and these are all new hives from package bees. Anyway, I decided that honey stores looked like they were improving but still low, so went home and boiled up some sugar syrup.

Yesterday, I returned to put the feeders on and noticed that under one hive, there was a pile of dying and dead bees. Probably a couple hundred. Tongues out and dying a slow death. I was heartsick to see it and began further investigation.

I noticed more bees clustered under the hive, hanging onto the screened bottom board and looking like they were trying to get into the hive. But why aren't they flying in the front door? Meanwhile, more bees were dropping off. I stirred them up with my smoker and tools, hoping they might re-enter the hive, but they just clustered together on a cinderblock and then moved slowly back under the hive again.

What in the world??

I didn't observe a queen bee in the mix, but I guess I could have missed her, but this was just a small group of bees, maybe two cups worth if you're cooking.

Could they be robber bees who smell the honey and are trying to gain entrance through the screened bottom board, then starving?

Also, I took the hive apart. No evidence of disease that I can find. The only problem I see is that I think the hive went hungry for a couple of weeks as there is capped brood, but only very little uncapped brood. I did see the queen and so I'll be checking for more brood in the coming days. There was a small amount of honey, and the bees are currently foraging, but lots of beekeepers locally were having to feed in July and early August. Could this all be related to our drought and honey shortage this summer? Like I said, otherwise, the hive looks healthy and strong, except for the obvious shortage of early stage brood.

I'd appreciate any input!

Thanks,
Nelly

Bill W. · August 23, 2008, 11:05:52 PM

Tongues out would make me wonder if they've been poisoned.

thomast55 · August 23, 2008, 11:08:32 PM

It sounds like a poisoning to me .

hankdog1 · August 24, 2008, 02:49:16 AM

sounds like posioning to me too. the good news is they should bounce back with feeding.

Irwin · August 24, 2008, 10:16:00 AM

My neighbor had his house sprayed for spider's and ant's and I had a small problem like that. The company that did the spraying dose it every three month's and my neighbor didn't remember they were coming so now the people will call me before they come so I can lock my bee's up for a day.

ArmucheeBee · August 24, 2008, 11:12:46 AM

Irwin

How were your bees getting the poison? Was it from air/wind or did they contact it somehow?

Nelly · August 24, 2008, 11:47:05 AM

Irwin,

That's exactly what I wondered, but the closest house is probably at least 200 yards away, if not more. I'll ask the neighbors (they are all related to each other) if anyone sprayed. They told me no one did any pesticide spraying on their farms, but they may have done it without thinking of me.

Any other thoughts?
Thanks so much,
Nelly

JP · August 24, 2008, 12:42:12 PM

Quote from: Nelly on August 24, 2008, 11:47:05 AM
Irwin,

That's exactly what I wondered, but the closest house is probably at least 200 yards away, if not more. I'll ask the neighbors (they are all related to each other) if anyone sprayed. They told me no one did any pesticide spraying on their farms, but they may have done it without thinking of me.

Any other thoughts?
Thanks so much,
Nelly

Bees normal foraging range could be a mile or more so 200 yards isn't anything for 'em.

...JP

eri · August 24, 2008, 01:09:13 PM

Around here some of the farmers use some sort of herbicide to kill off a crop before planting a new one. No-till farming often isn't green :(

randydrivesabus · August 24, 2008, 02:27:06 PM

it would more likely be from an insecticide not a herbicide.

Nelly · August 25, 2008, 12:06:29 AM

Okay, so the thought is they were poisoned while they were out foraging. :-x Would that then make them behave strangely, like not entering the hive when they return home, and clustering together under the hive? I have never experienced this before, just trying to understand what happened. I guess when they are "under the influence" their behavior could be unusual. They certainly looked like a bug does after it gets sprayed.

Ooh that makes me mad... poor girls--

Thanks so much for the insight,
Nelly

Irwin · August 25, 2008, 10:34:43 AM

I think that they got some from drift and some from going out to forage.