Are these bees just hungry or is it something else?

Started by yes2matt, June 30, 2019, 03:52:59 PM

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yes2matt

This is a colony that I retrieved from a swarm trap this morning. It looks like they've been there a while :) (one good reason to use standard equipment in swarm traps).

Anyway, if you can, look at these pictures. They have stored honey, but the new  grubs are not well fed, it looks like some grubs have been cannibalized. I didn't get a pic, but at the bottom of the box there were a lot of white pupae, and you can see in the pics how they've opened the cells and hauled them out. There were some SHB present but not an overwhelming infestation.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9LPXQL6j7qHrnDRe8

How to interpret this? My guess is that we've come into dearth, and the bees are hungry (even though they have honey stored) and are cutting the fat.  What other possibilities?

iddee

I would suggest giving them some DRY pollen sub. Pollen patties are SHB heaven.
80% brewers yeast, 10% soy flour, 10% sugar.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Ben Framed

Quote from: iddee on June 30, 2019, 04:03:00 PM
I would suggest giving them some DRY pollen sub. Pollen patties are SHB heaven.
80% brewers yeast, 10% soy flour, 10% sugar.

iddee, Where do you find soy flour locally in your area? If you get it locally? I did not find this at the grocery store so I just ordered ultra-bee.

iddee

I haven't bought any for about 5 years, but it was in the local grocery stores then.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Ben Framed

Quote from: iddee on June 30, 2019, 05:02:16 PM
I haven't bought any for about 5 years, but it was in the local grocery stores then.
Thanks

yes2matt

Quote from: iddee on June 30, 2019, 04:03:00 PM
I would suggest giving them some DRY pollen sub. Pollen patties are SHB heaven.
80% brewers yeast, 10% soy flour, 10% sugar.

Because they would cannibalize the brood to get the protein? 

I'll try it, thanks.

Nock


iddee

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*