Dead Bees

**Brooklyn** · 05-29-2012, 11:49 AM

Could some one help? Two weeks ago I went to look at my bees; I keep on a friend’s property. I keep 7 hives on site and last weekend they were doing great making honey and had a lot of pollen stored I had five medium suppers on and they are all packed with bees. This weekend I went to see how much more honey they made and found two of the seven hives totally empty all the bees were in a big pile out side the hives. I looked in side and there was pollen and a lot of non caped honey but no bees. I asked the owner if he has sprayed any thing over the last two weeks and he said he does not spray. I did not see any Mites or hive beetles no wax moths, I did see some fire ants any ideas as to what happen. The other 5 hives are full of bees and honey 6 medium high packed with bees.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what might of happen please let me know?

Brooklyn

**FlowerPlanter** · 05-29-2012, 01:45 PM

Do you have a state inspector you can call, I would think it's free to have them come out and take a look. Also gather some of the bees and send them for testing it is free (search this site for bee testing).

I am no expert but since you have dead bees outside the hive it would think it is some kind of poison, I would seal the hives with no bees so the other don't rob it out.

**FlowerPlanter** · 05-29-2012, 01:59 PM

You said no bees in the hive, not even a few alive?

Did you smell anthing unusal, like raid? I think raid kills them inside the hive.

I would thnk as soon as it happened the other hive would have scouts looking around, it should only take an hour before robbing would happen.

**Vance G** · 05-29-2012, 05:15 PM

Bees don't rob if there is a good flow on mostly. It is a mystery to me. If they had food and if it was only two out of seven dying. Someone using raid would have done them all. If your state will test them for free, I sure would get it done.