Small Bees with Small Abdomen, What wrong?

[FlowerPlanter]

I have a hive with quite a few small bees with a small abdomen. First thing that came to mind is mites. I treat with thyme sugar water, and check my SBB about once a month. I find very few mites I don’t even clean the bottom board. It's been 6 month since I cleaned it. Every thing is still there a few dead beetles and a few dead moths that I smashed over that last 6 months, cappings and about 100+ mites.

Two hives out of 18 have these small bees. All the hives have same mite treatment.

Is it mites?

Are my treatments not working?

[Michael Bush]

Newly emerged bees are smaller (and fuzzier) than fully mature bees. Bees from small cells are smaller as well. Bees raised with poor nutrition are also small. Some are genetically smaller. There are quite a few possible causes, and not all are bad.

[deknow]

I know the look you are talking about...it is poor nutrition. It could be PMS, it might also possibly be nosema, or it could be some brood that were on the periphery of the nest that didn't get adeauat care (I don't know that I've seen that documented, just a guess).

deknow

[FlowerPlanter]

Thank you MB
Thanks deknow

Small cell bees on PF 100. And there were still smaller bees some almost the size of house flies. A few of the smallest had an abdomen the size of the thorax. The wings went past the abdomen. Could not find any bees with DMV.

I think you helped me figure it out! There was no pollen stores in this hive. May be an indicator there's not enough pollen cause of last year's drought. I will get some pollen on the rest just incase.

I was hoping it was not mites. I really think my thyme EO and sugar is working.