Can you post some pictures? That would really help.
poor looking bees
I have agreed to monitor the hives of someone who is out of country. He has 3 struggling hives. When I did an inspection of the hives, 2 of the colonies, while small in numbers, appeared ok. The other hive however had bees which were of an alarming appearance. They had a grey cast to them, and the thorax and abdomen on some of them appeared to be wasting away. If they were my bees, I would screen that hive after dark, and transport them 5-10 miles and shake them out, but they are not mine, and I want to e-mail the owner with an accurate report.
Can anyone give me their take on what this is? Thanks in advance.
Phil
Can anyone give me their take on what this is? Thanks in advance.
Phil
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
I did not get photos. I am not real near his hives, and only check them once a week. I will just e-mail him with a description of what I saw and let him decide what to do.
Thank you for your response.
Phil
Thank you for your response.
Phil
Could you have been looking at newly hatched pupae? They have a whitish, grey appearance when they first emerge. You should be able to tell if there is a starving issue if there are no stores in the hive.
I don't think so, but I will look again, probably on Monday. One thing I should have mentioned, but didn't think about, there were not many capped brood about, but ALL were drone. I didn't see a queen, and would not be surprised if this is a weak, laying worker hive. I guess what was striking is that the appearance of the bees in the other 2 hives was normal, and these were not. This was the second of the 3 hives I inspected. This group is in one 8-frame box, but only occupy 5 frames.Could you have been looking at newly hatched pupae? They have a whitish, grey appearance when they first emerge. You should be able to tell if there is a starving issue if there are no stores in the hive.
Thanks for the input.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Beesource Beekeeping Forums
A forum community dedicated to beekeeping, bee owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, honey production, health, behavior, hives, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
