dead bees behind hive

[cdanderson]

One of my 27 hives has a pile of bees and dying bees BEHIND the hive.  My first thought is pesticide poisoning but I dont see any dead bees in front of the hive.  Many of them do have their proboscis extended.  Some of them roll around and wiggle and fly off.   I have not sprayed anything near the hives.  None of other hives have the problem. I place my hives on cement blocks and the dead bees are under the hive and at the back...too weird !

[iddee]

Check out reply # 12 on this thread..........

http://www.beekeepingforums.com/threads/6933-Dead-bees-in-front-of-the-hive

[cdanderson]

Yes, I am considering the virus issue but dead bees BEHIND the hive is just too weird !  I was hoping some of you might have experienced this before.  I did consider that it could have been a small swarm that landed there but I just dont think so.  Right now I am thinking virus or pesticide effects.

[Vance G]

Do they have any stores of food in the hive?

[cdanderson]

Oh yes, plenty.  Good population, good brood pattern.  Hive config is 1 deep, and 2 supers.
Normal activity at the front,  I have not seen a repeat performance, just noticed this one day last week.