View Full Version : bees left hive...why??
oregonsparkie
09-17-2004, 10:28 PM
I have extracted several hives from walls/trees/etc... 2 of these hive never really took off... the bee population started to dwindle and the queen only layed a small amount of egg. I checked my hives last sunday and noticed that the 2 weak hive had no bees inside.I could not see dead bees and the queeen and all bees were gone. Is it common for all the bees including the queen to leave??
Axtmann
09-18-2004, 12:12 AM
Varroa Mites
Axtmann
09-18-2004, 12:20 AM
What was or is your treatment against the Varroa? Have you checked the sticky board? What is the mite drop in 24 hours?
If there is a high mite drop treat your other hives as soon as possible.
I would give the colonies oxalic acid vapor 3 times 5-7 days apart and they are ok for the winter.
Hallo Axtmann,
Good to hear from you again I had the same problem. I bought my bees from Thomas Kober in Muenchen. His claim was he has not treated for anything in two years. I had three hives in the same yard 2 of them absconded and one is doing pretty good right now. I have not treated either. I was on vacation and my father-in-law was tending them. He phoned me and said all the bees are gone and then they come back at night. I assume this was the feild force returning I also think he was worried and opened the hives everyday. When I inspected my hives before I left there was no dead brood and no bees with deformed wings all looked well. The Queen was laying good full patterns. I use topbar hives. I saw mites on one or two bees. I also had a problem with wasps this season. I asked Thomas what he thinks but he is not much of a mentor. Got any ideas if not vorroa what else could it be?
Servus
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Procrastination is the assination of inspiration.
Gary
Beemaninsa
09-18-2004, 07:39 AM
Was there plenty of food stores?
dickm
09-18-2004, 07:51 AM
Perhaps in the removal you got more field force bees and ended up with no bees of the right age to tend brood.
oregonsparkie
09-18-2004, 06:32 PM
Ive been feeding the bees unless they were being robbed by the other hives.
Had the bees for about 2 months, bee population slowly dwindle even though I had a queen... after the move she really didnt lay too much...
I would have though that I would see some dead bees or a few straglers or something... nothing but empty frames.