Another dead bees question

[icodebot]

I'm finding about 200 dead bees a week on the ground in front of the hive, for the last 2-3 weeks.

Many of them, but not all, look like young worker bees. They are lighter in color, and fuzzier. The ones that are still alive on the ground are just pathetically hopping around trying to fly. They have their wings, and don't look shriveled or deformed. Maybe they are just not fully developed.

I know the drones go out at the fall, but these don't look like drones.

Overall the hive seems active and thriving though.

[BuzzyBee]

Hi,

I had the same thing happen to me last year and finally came to the conclusion it was my other hive trying to rob it. What I saw on the ground were the casualties of the skirmish. Don't know if that's what's happening with you, but it's one possibility if it's not related to the health of your hive. It could also be that the queen is slowing down for winter and these are summer foragers at the end of their lives.

BB

[Jeffzhear]

Presuming it's robbing, my suggestion would be to use entrance reducers and close down the entrance to let the weaker hive protect its stores.

[SwedeBee1970]

Bore a hole in one of the upper supers for a new exit. Close the lower hive entrance completely. When robbing stops, cork the hole and reopen the entrance.