Dying Bees

[AUSSIE POM]

G'day,
A friend rang me to ask " Why were there allot of bees dying and walking around his garden unable to fly?" He said that nobody had sprayed around the area.  The bees walk around and later died.
Any suggestions please.
Cheers Perry

[PhilK]

Can he guarantee nobody has sprayed in the 5km around his home? Sounds like it could be a pesticide issue to me if it was a very large number of bees.

How many bees is 'a lot' of bees? 10s? 100s? 1000s?

[Andersonhoney]

Fermenting nectar can have that affect on bees seen around the garden, as too could nosema in bad conditions,  starvation or cold, or old bees etc. Your question said bees in the garden not at your hive or his hives. How are your hives?

[AUSSIE POM]

G'day,
I rang my friend.  There were about 10 bees.  That was a week ago and there are none now.  He has a vine in flower on his drive way and there are always hundreds of bees flying around.  He was just interested it what was making them walk around on the pathway.
I explained to him what might have happened.
My bees are doing well.  I think if we could get some rain that would help.
Thank you guys for your help I will class this as closed now.
Cheers Perry

[max2]

G'day Perry,
I agree about the rain - bone dry here  - hardly any water in the Mary.

[Michael Bush]

If only you had Varroa there everyone would blame it on them...

[Dallasbeek]

Everyonebcould use some rain.  Good luck to all you bee guys in oz.  You're coming up on the flow, right?

[PhilK]

Everyonebcould use some rain.  Good luck to all you bee guys in oz.  You're coming up on the flow, right?

Pretty much a year round flow where I am. The last 6-8 weeks we haven't been able to keep up with them!