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Author Topic: What to do?  (Read 1768 times)

Offline Nock

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What to do?
« on: January 21, 2020, 09:18:40 pm »
So as I said in another thread both my hives are dead as well. Hive 2 has been showing signs of be weak for couple weeks now. I was expecting them to go. Hive 1 has been looking well. They had taken almost all the dry sugar I placed up top. I replenished it back around Xmas when it was 60?s. So last weekend I went down to check on pollen feeder. Lots of bees on pollen. But there was no bees coming or go to hive 1. Hive 2 had a lot of bees on the front. They were really bunches up trying to find a way in. None of them had pollen. That?s when I figured what they were doing. They were robbing that hive. So those bees and the ones on pollen feeder were from a feral hive. So I decided to go ahead and open hive 1. Bees were scattered out in it dead on the frames. None were down in cells dead. There was plenty of stores. Lots of pollen. She had started back laying in the center of top deep. There were bees just starting to emerge from capped cells. Also found what I guess was wax moth damage. I?m assuming the population got low enough they tried but couldn?t cover the brood. I went back before dark when it cooler and closed off entrance on both hives so no more robbing. What do I need to do with all the frames. Lots of honey still left. Do I freeze everything? If so how long?  And then if I take out of freezer how can I store till spring?  I have another package coming at end of March. Should I harvest some or all or keep and give to next bees. Thanks.
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Offline Nock

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2020, 09:19:43 pm »
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Offline Nock

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2020, 09:21:37 pm »

Sorry not sure why this one keeps being so small.
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2020, 10:45:39 pm »
The pic in reply one, the darker brood frame has mite frass all over it.  Looks like a Varroa hit job to me.  Ask me how I know?  So sorry, Nock.

Freeze the honey frames overnight and provide some to the new bees arriving in March.
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2020, 10:58:08 pm »
Nock, the frames with the dead capped bees presents a problem.  The dead bees will become sepsis under the cap.  Do not put this septic frame in another hive for the nurse bees to clean up.  Scrap off all the wax, add a new insert and save the frame.  You can rework the wax if you wish, it?s a lot of work.

In summer you could invite ants to clean up, they do a good job.
Blessings
Van
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline Nock

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2020, 12:12:38 pm »
Thanks Van. That dark brood comb came out of the 5 frame nuc I got back in the spring. So not sure how old it is. What about using it in a swarm trap?  I?ve read of people using old comb for that. Or would the wax moths just destroy it? 
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Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2020, 03:58:18 pm »
Not knowing the age, I would toss/burn the frame.  Not worth reintroducing risks to the hive.  (I see AFB in that picture)
As mentioned, it could be left out for ants or wasps or chickens to pick at the clean out the dead carcasses. Do not put it back into a hive or nuc or swarm box for the bees to do so.  Remember everything a bee does is with her mouthparts. A simple thumb rule on hive hygiene -- If it is not something you personally are willing to lick or suck and chew on, then do not give it to the bees to do so. Keep that in mind when handling hive parts and can guarantee your bees will be healthier for it.
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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2020, 04:10:58 pm »
THP,
Which picture and area do you see AFB in. I see lots of mite fras all over it?
I see a couple of larvae that were probably chilled but no AFB.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2020, 04:29:04 pm »
Jim,s question repeated, ditto.  I do see trail of wax moths I will add to Jim?s text, but AFB????
Blessings

American Foul Brood?

American Friendly Bee?


« Last Edit: January 22, 2020, 05:54:28 pm by van from Arkansas »
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2020, 07:48:56 pm »
Dark sunken caps.  Perforated caps.  Black scale.  Makes it suspect.  Confirmation would be to send sample to the lab.
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When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline Nock

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2020, 07:52:31 pm »
I should?ve mentioned this in first post. That pic of the new comb. If you look close the stuff you are seeing in the cells is sugar. When I tried to remove the sugar on top of the frames some of it was falling down between frames. In that pic below the top bar is what I think is damage from wax moth. You can see where something chewed through cells.
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Offline Nock

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2020, 07:54:29 pm »
Quote from: TheHoneyPump on January 22, 2020, 07:48:56 pm
Dark sunken caps.  Perforated caps.  Black scale.  Makes it suspect.  Confirmation would be to send sample to the lab.
Is this something I should do since I have no bees currently?  Would freezing all frames kill it/stop it. I have no problem getting rid of the dark comb that came from the original nuc.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2020, 09:10:25 pm »
In larger picture of reply number one, I think I see all four. Mite frass, sugar crystals, dark sunken caps, and perforated caps?
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2020, 09:25:28 pm »
Quote from: Nock on January 22, 2020, 07:54:29 pm
Quote from: TheHoneyPump on January 22, 2020, 07:48:56 pm
Dark sunken caps.  Perforated caps.  Black scale.  Makes it suspect.  Confirmation would be to send sample to the lab.
Is this something I should do since I have no bees currently?  Would freezing all frames kill it/stop it. I have no problem getting rid of the dark comb that came from the original nuc.

Freezing frames would not put a dent in the spores, the spores of American foul brood.  The spores or bacterial seeds would survive just fine from freezing.  I don?t see AFB, but I respect HoneyPump judgement.
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline Spur9

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Re: What to do?
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2020, 10:25:57 am »
Looks like varoosis to me.  Symptoms of varoosis include -

Spotty brood and Varroa present on adult
Mites may be present on brood
Mites seen on open brood cells
Small population size
No odor present, just sunken brood

I don't think you have AFB.  You would smell it.
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