Where did they go?

babyphatt455 · March 31, 2008, 01:14:45 PM

We went out to our hive the other day and there were only a couple dead bees in it nothing else.
Do you think they swarmed or died?

This was our first hive so we are clueless.
We did look at the frames and there was still honey on a couple. (we only had one brood box; no supers)

bassman1977 · March 31, 2008, 01:31:11 PM

Any bees in front of the hive?

babyphatt455 · March 31, 2008, 01:47:37 PM

No, nothing unusual outside the hive.

There was some dead ones on the bottom of the hive but alot more decayed that I think built up over the winter...it wasnt alot though.

Michael Bush · March 31, 2008, 09:16:19 PM

Sounds more like CCD.

bassman1977 · March 31, 2008, 11:31:34 PM

QuoteSounds more like CCD.

That's what I was thinking too...

If it were me, I'd get some samples to a lab or at least call someone at Oregon State Ag.

Scott Derrick · April 01, 2008, 12:34:50 AM

Babyphatt,

Was there any honey in the hive?

babyphatt455 · April 01, 2008, 05:17:30 PM

yes there was still some honey, not a whole lot but there was some in there.

bassman1977 · April 01, 2008, 06:23:11 PM

Could be starvation but I would think there would be a lot more dead bees in the hive. That's been my experience.

Understudy · April 02, 2008, 10:37:33 AM

Sounds more like they absconded. They didn't like where they were living for whatever reason and bolted.

It happens. Was this a new package?

Sincerely,
Brendhan

CBEE · April 02, 2008, 11:12:51 AM

Went to our associations meeting last night and one of the older beeks there said he had around 12 hives out of 60 that did the very same thing. He said there were like 10 live bees in each hive with plenty of honey and the rest of the hive was clean as a whistle. No dead bees no nothing. Beats me and no one else seems to have any answers. :roll:

Understudy · April 02, 2008, 11:24:22 AM

With CCD the queen is still in the hive and all of the honey is in the hive. if there is no queen and only some honey it is much more likely they absconded.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Michael Bush · April 02, 2008, 08:40:59 PM

>it is much more likely they absconded.

In the winter?

Kathyp · April 02, 2008, 10:19:22 PM

where she is, there have probably been enough warmer days that they had a chance to take off. not all of us live in the snow :-). we have had an awful lot of rain this year. they would have had a small window in which to flee.