Afb?

[doc25]

Need some advice here. I have a few hives that have started/died off. I found that there were larvae (capped) in cells that did not hatch and even some bees that were fully formed and did not make it out of their cells (you see their faces pointing out from the cells). No stores left and no more brood. Can't find queens either. This happened from my strongest hive (I am a hobbyist). I had made splits earlier this year. One split (earliest this year) seems to be doing fine. Original hive and 2 other splits are pretty much gone.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Cicada54701]

Wow. So sorry for your losses.

From what I've read on AFB, the brood pretty much turns into a gooey, stinky, mess before they're even capped. The pictures I've seen looked really ugly and not anything like what you've described.

That being said, I'm VERY new to beekeeping...in fact I don't even have bees yet so take me with a grain of salt.

Along with you I'll be interested to see what other, more experienced, folks have to say on this.

[wolfpenfarm]

Need some advice here. I have a few hives that have started/died off. I found that there were larvae (capped) in cells that did not hatch and even some bees that were fully formed and did not make it out of their cells (you see their faces pointing out from the cells). No stores left and no more brood. Can't find queens either. This happened from my strongest hive (I am a hobbyist). I had made splits earlier this year. One split (earliest this year) seems to be doing fine. Original hive and 2 other splits are pretty much gone.

Any help would be appreciated.

sounds like the queendied and there was no brood to make a new one from.

[bbbbeeman]

did the hive smell like bad eggs ,and the larvie stringy and ropey if so better burn them it is AFB long ago I tryed to save some but it spread .lost 8 hives ,wount do that again . and I would feed your other hives terramycin,get a book on bee problems to read. AFB is bad so dont play with it. good luck rock.

[deknow]

are you seeing dead bees that were emerging (ie, fully formed adults with their heads sticking out of the cells and their tounges sticking out)?

it's hard to tell (especially over the internet) without some kind of timeline....were the bees starving? did they get robbed out after they became weak?

if the remaining split is light on stores (and there is no flow), try feeding them. if they won't take the feed, suspect nosema c.

deknow

[beecrazy101]

if you think it is AFB take a toothpick in a dark capped cell, stick the tip to the bottom and pull it out slowly. If you have a dark stringy mass come out of the cell that is a good indication of AFB. Plus the smell is really bad, usually can smell it before you even get all the way to the hive. Spores in AFB can live up to 75 yrs. The only one to take care of that problem after you have it is to dig a hole long away from were your apairy is pour gas on all of it, and watch it burn. After burning it make sure to cover up the ash. But what you have said it probly isn't AFB. There is also EFB which is another. You can read up on these in Beekeeping for dummies, or the ABC's of Bee Keeping Vol. 41.

[doc25]

are you seeing dead bees that were emerging (ie, fully formed adults with their heads sticking out of the cells and their tounges sticking out)?

Yes some are fully formed and from the look of it trying to emerge (not sure about the tongue sticking out?) Heads are sticking out of cells so I don't know why they didn't emerge. Does this point to something? I haven't read about this in reference to a disease.

[deknow]

my understanding is that the larva isn't well fed before capping, and the bees don't have food and/or don't feed the larva as they emerge. usually their tongues are sticking out as well.

if there are stores, i'd suspect noseam c. if there are no stores, they could just be robbed out and weak or under some other stress.

if you at all suspect afb, find an experienced beekeeper to look, send in some brood to beltsvile to have it tested.

deknow

[Michael Palmer]

I found that there were larvae (capped) in cells that did not hatch and even some bees that were fully formed and did not make it out of their cells (you see their faces pointing out from the cells).

This happened from my strongest hive (I am a hobbyist). I had made splits earlier this year.

One split (earliest this year) seems to be doing fine. Original hive and 2 other splits are pretty much gone.

Out on a bit of a limb here, not being able to see your brood frames.

Sounds like Varroa related PMS. Your strongest colony died out with bees emerging. That figures as strong colonies are Varroa breeding factories. Not AFB. With AFB, the brood dies in the capped stage, never making it past early pupal stage. PMS brood is dying while emerging and often with tongues out. Pull some of these dead and dying bees out of their cells with your pocket knife. They have to be adults in the process of emerging when they died. Wings are the last thing to mature. Do they have fully formed wings? PMS bees won't. Do they have normal sized abdomens...not flat stunted abdomens? PMS bees won't.

[Steve10]

I thought PMS was a hormonal thing! Next you'll be telling me bees go through menopause! (Sorry Michael, couldn't resist)

[sqkcrk]

Parasitic Mite Syndrome for those not in the know. Name dropping Michael.

[doc25]

Well some of them definately have wings and look like they died after the cell was opened and could/did not get out. Others are capped. Will look more and report.
There is /was no strong smell. The cappings seem to stick out a bit (almost like drone cells). I'll see what I can do maybe see if I can post pics.

BTW thanks for the help so far guys. I appreciate the close knit community we have here! You guys are great.