My Bees are "Dropping like flys"

[Helmuthd]

Is it normal to find a large amount of dead bees outside the hive around this time of year?
Yesterday I counted 40 dead, and so far today I have already found 12 dead.  :'(

The temperatures here have been below 60 degrees F during the day for the past week, and mostly around 45 degrees F at night.  For the past 2 days it has rained almost non stop. (The hive is dry inside and I am using the smallest opening on the entrance reducer.)

I just started Beekeeping this summer and I really Love it so far, I've read almost all the books I could find.  I understand their numbers are supposed to decline in winter, but it hasn't dipped below 45 degrees F yet. 

Is this something I should be concerned about, or am I just worrying about it too much?

[rdy-b]

  what do the wings look like-RDY-B

[hardwood]

Are the dead ones all drones? Mine are kicking out the drones in droves and it's been close to 80 here all week.

Scott

[AllenF]

Could be the result of robbing.

[Helmuthd]

I just double checked some of the dead and dying bees and compared it to some books.  It looks like the majority of the bees being ejected have 'deformed wing virus', caused by the varroa mite.   And a few of the bees just look old, almost like they have grey hair or something.

I've had a screened bottom board on with the sticky board in place for a few weeks now. (the bottom is closed off under the hive stand.) I did my first varroa check 11 days ago and the daily count was 10 per day (found 42/3  = 10 per day).
I just pulled the sticky board now and counted 45 dead mites  (45/11 days =  4.1 mites per day).  so it looks like the mite count is decreasing.

I'm gonna guess that new bees just emerged and the hive is cleaning it self out.  I have hope now  :)

In the last 5 hours today I only found 5 dead bees, so i think its getting better.  I took a peek in the top and they look "fat and happy".

Its been quiet at the entrance, so I don't think its robbing. (the first hive I had in July get killed off by robbers at another location, it doesn't look like that one did..thank goodness.)

Thank you for your thoughts and advice.

[Old Blue]

Hi Helmuthd,

Are you doing any treatments for the mites?
Your bees sound like my oldest conlony do, but I think mine are in a more advanced state.  I was hoping not to treat but it's looking like I may lose my original hive.

Please keep us posted.  This is probably old hat for the experienced folks but newbs like me are all ears.

Old Blue

[rdy-b]

  one thing to remember is the bees hatching now-are the bees that make the turn of the hive from sumer bees to winter--these are the long lived bees that will keep the colony going intill spring -these bees are very important to the longevity of the colony-what is your plan- :) RDY-B

[Pond Creek Farm]

If the losses are due to robbing, you will be able to observe this from hive activity.  I have many drones cast out in the fall, but I do not tend to find them dead in front of the hive.  I do find lots of dead after cold snaps.

[tecumseh]

Helmuthd writes:
And a few of the bees just look old, almost like they have grey hair or something.

tecumseh:
I am not certain what you are describing here.  Older bee are typically hairless and very shiny.. slick abdomen.

with dips in the temperature to 45 degrees (fairly common at night for the Bay area) I would  suspect the numbers you describe are the dead being removed from the prior night.  at this time of year given the daily variation in temperature you would expect some dead bees to accumulate.  the numbers of dead bees you describe doesn't sound unusual to me.