Bees Dying?

bee_charmer · February 17, 2012, 10:39:16 PM

Hello, Can anyone give me advice on my bees. about 200 of my bees were on mesh at bottom dead or dying. it has been cold and rainy here. I don't see signs of mites. Bees that are alive seem to be healthy. Lowest over night temp was 26 degrees here.

Michael Bush · February 17, 2012, 11:46:10 PM

I can't say what is normal in Starke, FL, but in Nebraska this time of year that would be normal...

bee_charmer · February 18, 2012, 12:11:36 AM

Thank you for replying.

CapnChkn · February 18, 2012, 01:59:25 PM

You've been having those cold temperatures lately in February? Here in the last cold snap? I was talking with my friend in Jax and he said he, "Was huggin' the heater." So I can guess you all had some reasonably cool weather.

On the first day of that snap I had the landing board covered with very light colored bees, indicative they were very young, and with their hair all scrunched up like they were just out of the cells. I can't say why that may have happened, but usually what occurs is the cold causes everyone to snuggle next to each other to share body warmth, and the cells left outside the cluster get too cold and they freeze.

Also the bees will get old and die from the cluster and fall to the bottom board. They usually clean them out, but they build up if they're reluctant to break from the cluster.

bee_charmer · February 18, 2012, 08:55:12 PM

Thanks for responding. Yes we had a cold snap and it was only two nights. We actually got to look inside today here and there are plenty and the hive looks good queen is fine seems like the advice so far is right. thanks again. Sheila

kingbee · February 20, 2012, 02:04:05 AM

Quote from: bee_charmer on February 18, 2012, 08:55:12 PM... Yes we had a cold snap and it was only two nights...

Same thing happened here, looking at it you would have swore it was a pesticide kill, but there were no crops. Too few nurse bees coming out of winter, coupled with too much brood stretched the cluster too thin. A sudden return to "normal" winter temperatures resulted in a fully developed brood kill, this will set a hive back, but from what you report your hive will recover.

CapnChkn · February 20, 2012, 03:27:23 AM

Yeah! I don't know what the winter has been like around the Big Bend, but Murfreesboro's in a basin. I've been reminded of Florida winters all this winter.