[SwampCat]

I have a hive where the bees keep dying - a pile of dead bees on ground at front of hive. Still a lot of bees in hive, fair brood, and a lot of honey. But, everyday I go out to look, there are more dead and a lot of dying bees on the ground in front of the hive. I have screened bottom boards with oil trays. How do I figure out what is killing them?

 

[xbeeman412]

Is it possible that a robbing is taking place? Dead bees in front of the hive could be the result of robbing.

 

[Michael Bush]

Several possibilities here:
1) they are cleaning out the dead bees from winter.
2) they are being robbed.
3) they are being attacked by something else (skunks, possums, hornets, yellow jackets...)

It's too early for yellow jackets here, but I don't know about there.

 

[beesohappy]

Could they be getting into some tainted flowers?

 

[BernhardHeuvel]

Tongues sticking out? Shivering bees?

 

[Saltybee]

Are they robbing a sprayed hive? Is the top layer of nectar mixed with old honey or clear?

 

[SwampCat]

I don't think they are getting into anything that is poisonous. There is a hive on each side of them that is doing fine. I am thinking it might be robbing a I see the fighting quite a bit out front, but there were also a lot of dead bees on the screened bottom board. They appear to be normal looking.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Maybe paralysis. Can effect one hive and not the others. As Bernhardt asked...any twitching bees and dead with tongue out?

 

[SCBee]

would anything else cause dead with tongues out?

 

[Michael Palmer]

Pesticide

 

[Brad Bee]

Pesticide

Is that an answer to the question posted above your response?

 

[Michael Palmer]

would anything else cause dead with tongues out?

Pesticide

 

[Brad Bee]

Thanks for the clarification. That's interesting.