Something Strange with Bees

[Butterchurn]

I went out to inspect the bees yesterday and something was strange.

In all three of my hives the bees are normally calm. Yesterday, they seemed different, edgey or nervous. They were likely to run around on the frames. They weren't aggressive. It was 80 degrees, but when a breeze would come up the bees on the frame I was holding would give off a buzz and move aeay from it. I can't put my finger on it but something didn't feel "right." Do you know what I mean. Something just felt, off.

Anyhow, I normally see the queens, this time couldn't find any of them. Saw eggs and brood, though. In all three hives.

In one hive, my strongest, it almost seemed like there were fewer field bees. I know they didn't swarm. No queen cells. I checked them a week earlier and they were fine. However, there are fewer amounts of eggs and brood. They are filling hatched cells with honey. These bees are in mediums. After they filled the first box of RiteCell, I put on a second box with Duragilt, just to see what they would do. They drew it fast and it is drawn out. A week ago I put on another box of RiteCell and I was surprised that they have hardly touched it. Most of the bees are on the Duragilt. I pulled a frame of nectar they were working on from the lower box and put it in the upper box of foundation when I put it on. The bees are working that frame and just starting the one next to it after a week.

This hive was building fast. Now, it seems to be less populated. The hive just felt funny. There were eggs, though, so the queen must be in there.

I thought about pesticides, but the nearest farm is about 3/4 mile away and crop not blooming.

Can't be skunks because I have a mesh wire fence around the bees so the skunks can't get in.

The only thing I can think of is the fact that we have had a week of rain and severe thunderstorms with high winds, day after day. Could my field force have been depleted by the high winds and rain?

I could see no signs of brood disease, nor could I find any v. mites in the drop pan under my SBBs. I'm a bit perplexed. No signs of nosema, etc.

As I said, its not just the one hive that had a funny feel to it, all three did.

Perhaps you all think I'm going off my nut, but I was wondering if you ever experienced anything like this before. I know I'm talking about feelings, but the bees seem to have an effect on how I feel when I work them.

Ron

[Apis629]

You may see eggs but that only means that a queen was there 3 days ago.  The hive tat you said seemed to have fewer eggs may be queenless.

[Miss Chick-a-BEE]

I guess I've had that situation before - the hive seeming strangly small and quiet. It had me worried at the time. I thought maybe something was wrong. But a few days later all was back to normal. I can't say what it was, but I just guessed at the time that there were more field bees than nurse bees. So the field bees were out working.   :?:   I don't know if I was right. It was only a guess.

Beth

[Rich V]

I often thought of what happens to them field bees when their caught out in a storm. Some must make it back to the hive. I notice the same thing in one of my hives. I waited four days to give it plenty of time then rechecked for eggs.