A lot of dead bees?

[Konrad]

One out of 7 hives have allot of dead bees,....not sure what this means?
Is there something wrong with this hive?

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9..._1_1_1_1_1.jpg

Konrad

[Oldbee]

It might be a major problem with,..tracheal mites. Overheating?

The bee at about 7:00 O'clock on the wood block [center/right], looks like a queen! What is she doing outside the hive when there is snow on the ground?

[gloodinofdoodin]

Good eye, Oldbee. That does seem like severely unfavorable conditions in the hive. I had a hive that overheated that looked like that.

[Hobie]

Ignorant question, perhaps, but how does a hive overheat with ambient temps well below freezing?

[riverrat]

I noticed you got the hive wrapped with plastic wrap. Do you have it wrapped where it is so air tight they cant get oxygen also I would think this would cause condensation problems.

[beemandan]

Starvation.

[Oldbee]

Ignorant question, perhaps, but how does a hive overheat with ambient temps well below freezing?

I only mentioned it in the form of a question, not a statement. The hive appears to be wrapped in clear plastic, which I have never used. It may have caused the hive to warm up more than if something dark was used; I don't know. There may have been some warm days,. 35-45 F., even in Canada. With no other ventilation except the bottom entrance; [which looks 'different'] could it get too warm, lack of oxygen, or moisture build up?? This happened to me with my very first hive which I wrapped tightly with black plastic. It had an upper ventilation hole. Many bees were outside the hive on a late winter warm day and died in the snow. It may not have been 'overheating' at all but something else; the hive was not alive in the spring. In this case, [Konrad] being the one hive out of seven looking like this, it's probably not 'overheating'.

Does anybody else think that's a queen? It helps to use a 'magnifier' or zoom if you can.

[gloodinofdoodin]

Does anybody else think that's a queen?[/QUOTE]

Unless it's a strange stacking of a couple of bees, it does appear to be a queen. Somebody should start a Where's Waldo style where's Olga (the queen) page.

[Texas Bee]

Sure looks like a queen to me..

[Konrad]

Thank you all!
You have a keen eye!...I thought the same first but then I zoomed in, look's like two bees on top of each other [blur] ..below.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9...neybee/cut.jpg

I have wrapped all hive the same, insulation in black garbage bag holding
on with saran wrap, [doing this for about 5 years now] and yes, I have top ventilation.
All other hives have virtually no or hardly any dead bees outside.
I looked into the top cover hole and all is looking normal like the other hives.
My guess is....a extremely large populated hive going into winter and now with the couple of day's warm weather they are eager to clean house?

Some more pictures...
Cleansing Flight
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9...G_2927_1_1.jpg

Poop in Snow
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9...G_2895_1_1.jpg

Konrad

[Oldbee]

Aww! darn, . Yes your new photo shows that it's not a queen; well that's good! [weird though]. But why so many dead bees? If they look normal inside then maybe they are just eager to clean house. Tracheal mites are hard to see without dissecting a bee under a low/medium power scope. Do the bees that are still alive in the hive have K-wings? -- when the front and back wing are seperated from one another; looks like the letter K. Here is something from CANADA about tracheal mites.
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/apiculture/...s/219_hbtm.htm

The part I thought interesting was: "Colonies show variability in their sensitivity to tracheal mites. Some colonies are resistant and unaffected by tracheal mites, while other colonies may be severely affected and collapse". Maybe it's a sign?!! "The mysterious Queen". This hive needs to be 'requeened' this spring?


Your entrance: Is that a piece of 2x4 with a groove for the entrance? The photo of cleansing flights is nice with the sun, blue sky and bees.

[Hambone]

Poop in Snow
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c9...G_2895_1_1.jpg Konrad

I always wondered what ya'll Northerners did for fun with all that snow.

[Hobie]

Oldbee... thanks for the insight. That info is good to know. Being relatively new, I know I have a lot to learn, and if there was something even possible there, I want to be at least aware of it, and (hopefully) avoid making mistakes that others have already learned from.

[Oldbee]

Hobie: This is why wrapping is often/sometimes questioned as having any value, or even detrimental to overwintering. I still wrap, but loosely so there is some space between the wrap and the boxes/hive; acts more like a windbreak I guess. It's been cold here this winter though and Canada is usually cold in winter. That's all I know [not much].

[France]

I always wondered what ya'll Northerners did for fun with all that snow.

We shovel it every day, scrape windshields of ice, boost cars, charge and recharge car-batteries and try to keep warm...

[France]

Konrad,

I have waited for others to touch on the subject, but now I will Ask: What gives with your entrance?
There is a piece of wood, painted white?
A piece of 2x4 - what is the purpose of it? (I hope it is not pressure treated? if it is - it will be out-gassing dangerous stuff into the hive! )

Now, you have been using plastic/saran wrap for 5 years? I am surprised that your bees survive. (You are probably in a very dry climate - or windy spot?)

Plastic is not a good idea for winter wrap. You wouldn't want to wrap your house in plastic? (On the inside yes. On the outside - NO.)
I would recommend that you take that off and wrap them with tar paper. Hive has to breathe!
Your bees could have water dripping on them from the top and that either drew them out, or killed some, and they were pushed out...

Good rule of thumb, for wrapping, is to have bottom entrance open on a winter/small size.
Tar-paper wrap.
Top entrance and a piece of homasote over the inner cover and about 1.5" piece of Styrofoam on top of that. (To prevent the warmth of the hive to come in contact with cold top - which causes the warmth to condense and drip on bees!)

There is a lot of truth in the saying: "Cold don't kill bees, humidity/water does." (Although cold also kills them - cause they can't move after the food, etc...!)

Now, this is only a suggestion, judging on what I see. To evaluate with more certainty, one would have to be there and see what gives and also see how the hive was prepared in the Fall?

[Michael Palmer]

My guess is....a extremely large populated hive going into winter and now with the couple of day's warm weather they are eager to clean house?

I think Oldbee is on the right track. Sure does look like Tracheal mite damage. Usual symptoms are piles of bees out front, and lots of poop.

This was a confirmed case, diagnosed by microscope...95% infestation.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...scan0006-1.jpg

[Hobie]

I always wondered what ya'll Northerners did for fun with all that snow.

Last year my sisters and I built a 6-foot tall snow cat. It was awesome. When we were kids, one year we built a stegosaurus. Snowmen were boring to us!

[Konrad]

Thank you all!
Many wrap with insulation and plastic,...temperature can go down to - 46C -50F
The slotted 2 x 4 is to have a exit extension, top and bottom, for winter only when insulation is put in place.
[Only see it on my hives]
The white wood is a carpet tack strip against skunks.

Michael, is that spam ?...I don't see anything?

I treat in fall with Oxalic acid.....will kill Tracheal & Varroa .

So you don't think it's house cleaning.... guess will have to wait till spring
because at these temp. one can only wait and see.


Here you can see and read more about my set up.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/l...140925387.html

Konrad

[Michael Palmer]

Michael, is that spam ?...I don't see anything?

Sorry. I copied the link off a previous post. Didn't work for me, either.

Try this.. http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...scan0006-1.jpg