piles of bees

[shorts]

Another newbie question. I went out this evening to check on the bees. I found piles of about 10 to 12 bees. I scooped several into a cup to watch them and they just died. I still have lots of bees going in and out of the hive with pollan. Did they try to make another queen or what? I am puzzeled... Shorts

[Brent Bean]

Honeybees only live six to eight weeks so they are just probably just part of the normal die off. Don’t worry about 10 to 12, that ain’t nothing. When you have to scoop them up with a shovel then worry. ;)

[shorts]

this is the first time this has happened. there are about 30 of them on the board in front of the hive. I opened it up and they seem to be doing ok. oh well first timer stuff. Thanks

[Brent Bean]

Honeybees will carry their dead off and drop them away from the hive, this is a hygienic behavior that keeps scavenger insects like ants away. Sometimes when the weather has been cold and damp they will carry their dead out and leave them on the landing board, because the weather has put the undertaker chore behind schedule. Sometimes they leave them there until they dry up, this makes them lighter to carry. If you leave them and check back later they will usually be gone. This time of year the queen is laying upwards to a fifteen hundred eggs a day. So the normal attrition will be somewhat less per day, so a lot of bees are just dying of old age every day. If you have a strong hive with good brood pattern and they are putting up honey, don’t worry be happy. smile.gif

[Michael Bush]

If you see piles of dying bees I would suspect pesticides.