Missing Wings

[birdog]

I was out looking at my two hives in the backyard and found several (5 or 6) bees walking around on the ground in front of the hive missing their wings or they had little stubs for wings. Some looked chewed off, some looked like they'd been twisted up and deformed. All the wings were just stubs though. There were enough of them that I am concerned.

Any Ideas why this might be happening to them and How do you resolve it?

[Nick Noyes]

Probably varroa.

[George Fergusson]

Deformed Wing Virus. This is typically associated with heavy varroa mite infestation. It's a bad sign, it means that the bee's immune system has been weakened through mite parasitization to the point where they are contracting diseases that they would normally be able to fight off. Along with DWV you're likely to see evidence of other virii and brood diseases as well as dead and dying brood, dead bees in the process of emerging with their tongues sticking out, perforated cappings, uncapped brood, etc.

Have you done any varroa mite monitoring? Drop counts? Sugar shakes? Any mite treatments last season? Are your bees raising brood now?

Once you have an idea of the varroa levels in your hive, you can take action. I'd suggest a 24 hour drop count right off to see what's going on. What's your weather like?

George-

[Michael Bush]

Deformed is probably Varroa. Frayed and worn off is just old bees.