what happened..????

[jeannie]

Today was the first warm day after several very cold days and nights. As I was working in the beeyard I heard what sounded like a swarm coming out. I kept looking but didn't see anything, but the sound contiuned. I did have one swarm come out, but the sounded contiuned. I walked the yard and in front of one hive I found about 150-200 bees on the ground. And more were on the apron walking around, but all were unable to fly. On top of the hive was a fair amount of poop. The bees didn't look sick, no bloated abdomens, no shiney bodies, just unable to fly. Does anyone have a thought as to what it might be and what to do? I have no real idea. Help!!!!

[dickm]

Pesticide kill. Anything unusual in the environment. Auto coolant discarded or something like that?

dickm

[jeannie]

nothing unsuall that I know of. I will look around, we live way out in the woods but the next farm over has 400 acres and I'm not sure if he has done anything on the field or not. Thanks

[George Fergusson]

Tracheal mites came to mind, but obviously I'm guessing wildly and pesticide sounds plausible. Did the bees have disconnected wings? Any of the bees have pollen on their legs? How's the general hive population?

[jeannie]

The hive is only about 1 month old. It was a swarm I caught from my hives. The wrings are connected and the bees did not look sick. The general population of the hive looked good. Good brood patterened and very calm of the comb. Lots of pupae nice and white. There very bees coming in with pollen on there leg, but none on the ground had pollen on them. They looked like they just came out and fell straight to the ground and would group up on the grass. They did run when I tried to smoke them to see if they would fly. I read in a book of a virus that would cause them not to fly and that I need to take all the frames out 10 ft away and shake all the bees off. The sick ones could not get back but the health ones could. My only concern was the brood and would there be enough to cover in case of another cold night.

[George Fergusson]

Don't panic, and don't try anything until you have a better handle on what's going on. I wouldn't shake out the hive, I've never heard of that as a solution for a virus problem.

Oh yeah, I assume the other hives are OK? That would tend to rule out pesticide. The few times I've seen pesticide kills at my hives, all the hives to some extent or another were affected.

[Michael Bush]

Are you sure they were unable to fly? Sounds like a cleansing flight after a confinement to me.

[jeannie]

they appear not to be able to fly. they would come out of the hive and fall straight to the ground. I tried to get them to fly by smoking them, but they just ran on the grass. I never did see any fly from the ground. The other hives seem to be ok. I treated for tracheal mites last fall and this spring but this hive didn't get the spring treatment yet since it was a new swarm.

I'll try not to panic!!!

[Michael Bush]

>they would come out of the hive and fall straight to the ground

That doesn't sound good.

[beedeetee]

I would say pesticides. Last year one of my hives had probably 4lbs of bees flying back and dying in front of or inside of the hive. Some would try to fly but would spiral up and then fall back to the ground. The rest just walked a bit until they died.

It was the only hive affected. It appeared to only be foragers. The next day a few died and then the hive came back slowly, but it had no foragers for a few days. I suspect they got into something. The other hives were fine. The bees that died did so in two days. They were just fine before and after that. A very large hive.

One hive can find a source that is different than the others.

[jeannie]

I'll keep watching them to see what happens today. I feel like I have done something wrong. but I guess live and learn. But does it sound like tracheal mites? When I get home in the morning, I work night shift, that will be the first place I go ...to the bee yard. I have 11 hives in all and now I'm worried about all the others. Thanks for all the thoughts and help.

[jeannie]

okay today even though it's overcast and slightly rainly the bees are flying. The ones that are coming out of the hive take off and FLY!!!!!! They look like they are doing alot of house cleaning, but that might be bc they had an entrance reducer in place and I removed it yesterday when I saw all the non-flying bees on the ground. So maybe what ever it was is over, but I won't be able to tell until there is a good and warm day. That will probably bbe Saturday. But if anyone comes up with any ideas please let me know. Thanks

[Ross]

I think you just had some that were exposed to more cold than the others.

[jeannie]

hope that's all it is. Can't wait till a warm day to check.

[Ian]

Sounds like t mites to me, that is a tell tail symtom of it.

But I dont see it in my yards as you discribed. I will see every once and a while a lot of bees crawling in the grass. but not often.

I didnt catch if all your hives were flying out and dropping, or just one. Just one, test that hive for t mites. If its all of them, I would also suspect a pesticide posioning. But then they would be ALOT on the ground.

Perhaps it looks worse than it really is.
If it is t mites, better treat the yard.

[jeannie]

The yard is treated and today the ones that were coming out were flying and looked like they were cleaning house alot. I don't know how to check for tracheal mites. Could you tell me? I'll try anything to try and find the cause. The other hives are fine no problems.

[Ian]

Take a small sample of adults in an alchohol wash to your local bee inspector. They charge 20$ per sample here.

what did you treat with?

are you still seeing symtoms?

[hummingberd]

definitely get the bees tested. Especially since you have other hives. You don't want what ever it is to spread. Bee inspectores and state agricultural extension can put you in the right direction. Hope it wasn't pesticides. I would definitely talk to your neighbor. Find out if he does spray. Maybe you can prevent a problem before it starts. Either way at least you'll know...

Good luck and keep us posted. How about pictures???

[jeannie]

I'll talk to the county ext. agent on Friday and see what I should do. Here there is no local inspector only for commercial breeders. No other hives have been effected and the one that was is flying and has had no other problems. the only problem has been robbing this spring. All have plenty of stores. That has been something that i just don't understand. i treated the hives with grease patties for t mites. I'll keep yall posted.

I'll try my hand at pictures...don't know how that will go!!

[jeannie]

Hey,
here's and update on the non-flying hive. they are doing great!!! no more "non-flying " bees. they are working hard and have brood. Hoping this weather will clear soon and we can get back to the honey flow.