No sound coming from Hive #1

[DaneDad]

I running two deep brood boxes 10 frames each with a full medium super filled with honey. My problem is I hear no activity when I place my ear next to the lower boxes. Took off the inner cover and the bees are nowhere near clustering at the top.

I cleaned the bottom board out and found only a handful of dead bees. Do you think this hive is a kaput?

[Rader Sidetrack]

I think you don't have enough information to make an informed decision as to whether the hive is dead.

You could just wait and see. Or you could try rapping on the box while listening closely. A cheap stethoscope may help. If you have access to a cheap laser style thermometer you may find that the hive is warmer than ambient temperature.

[AstroBee]

52 degrees on Sunday should solve this mystery.

[wadehump]

Place ear on box knock on box like knocking on a door if they are alive you will hear them then give them 2 weeks and check again

[squarepeg]

all good suggestions. i like the stethoscope myself, usually don't have to rap to hear them.

a few dead ones in the bottom should be normal. i have actually seen a few more dead ones being cleaned out lately, i think it's because the long lived winter bees are dying off now.

[grozzie2]

We have one beside the house, I was convinced it died already in November. Listen, no sound. No sign of life at the entrance. Give it a rap, no buzzing. I can hear the other two, without tapping the hive, and, there is often one peeking at the entrance when I look.

Today was the first nice day since November. The other two hives beside the house, were both flying, so I decided to give them a little sugar on top, just in case. After done with the two flying, I popped the telescoping cover of the dead one. Didn't see any bees, no sign of life when I banged on the side, so I popped off the inner cover, wanted to check and see if they starved. Suddenly, lots of buzzing, and they came out of the bottom box up into the top box (double deep). It's not a huge cluster, but, it's there. This hive has a queen we bought last summer, from a different source than all the others, and we were told they winter well in this climate, so I was surprised when they looked dead by November.

They aren't dead, they dont make much/any noise I can hear with my ear to the box, but, they are there. They have some sugar on top now, but I doubt they will need it, still have a deep of honey above the cluster. Guess we will see come April how it goes, but, it was a pleasant surprise to realize they are still alive and kicking.

[Maryland Beekeeper]

31 degrees, I can just barely hear them w/ stethoscope @ entrance, or is that wishful thinking

[ralittlefield]

I can just barely hear them w/ stethoscope

I have the same problem. In fact, I can't hear them. Too many years spent with firearms and chainsaws, now my hearing isn't what it should be.

[Michael Bush]

Some hives are pretty quiet even when they are alive. The snow melting on top is a better indicator than sound. Dead bees in the snow is a good indicator that they are hauling out the dead. I don't consider a hive dead until it's warm and dead...

[beedeetee]

If you have a screened bottom board, slide the tray out and (if you cleaned it a few to a couple of weeks ahead) you can see how many frames of bees you have and where they are in the box.