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Author Topic: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.  (Read 2240 times)

Offline van from Arkansas

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Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« on: May 22, 2019, 07:46:06 pm »
I need a bit of help.  As the subject matter stated the problem is a pile of dead bees in front of one hive.


Establish gentle hive with a three year old marked queen.  Langstrof 10 frame, with 3 deeps and a screened bottom board.  Full of honey and brood chamber is beginning to be backfilled.  One of 15 hives and the ONLY hive with dead bees.   Unique to this hive is an insane amount of honey for this time of year, more than double other hives.


Five percent of the bees on the entrance are quivering, shaking and acting like they are rubbing something off their body, disorientated.  A bee I picked up was shaking her head side to side, just quivering uncontrollably. Dead bees had their tongue extended.  Kinda of weird as most of the bees appear normal, calm and going about business as usual.

Thank you for your reading and comments.

Upon inspection: 70 percent bees, 7 out of 10 frames full of bees.  The brood is pearl white, capped larva has no pin holes and appears very healthy.  Screen bottom board is normal, absolutely no dysentery.  Bees are very acting normal, very calm so I did not use smoke, no need.  A good healthy looking hive on the inside.  I treated for varroa with Oxalic acid vapor three days ago.  Very little mite drop.  No odor, seen one hive beetle.
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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: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2019, 07:53:51 pm »


Pic of the entrance and dead bees.
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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 iddee

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2019, 07:55:23 pm »
Find the neighbor with the whits garden. It's covered in sevin dust.
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Offline Nock

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2019, 08:18:41 pm »
Sorry to hear. Hope you find the answer. When did you look at this hive last?
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2019, 08:55:03 pm »
I look at the hive just prior to posting, like an 2 hours ago.

What ID said makes a lot of sense as the bees act as if they are rubbing off something.  I assume sevin dust burns or causes an uncomfortable sensation.

I need to split this hive or give more room as the brood is being backfilled but I am unsure what to do with all the honey.  All stages of brood does appear healthy.
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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 BeeMaster2

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2019, 09:16:58 pm »
Van,
Most of the time when bees pile up in front of the hives it is due to poisoning.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2019, 10:28:32 pm »
Sorry for you misfortune Mr Van.  I do not know, but I trust iddee and Jims judgement.
Phillip
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2019, 11:03:31 pm »
Quote from: Ben Framed on May 22, 2019, 10:28:32 pm
Sorry for you misfortune Mr Van.  I do not know, but I trust iddee and Jims judgement.
Phillip

Agreed.

Mr. Ben, not going to lose this hive, still has lots of bees.  To lose 5,000 bees out of 25,000 hurts, but the hive survives.
Blessings
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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 The15thMember

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2019, 12:33:17 am »
Poor girls.  :cry:  That sevin dust is the worst.
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2019, 12:35:47 am »
Glad to hear they are going to make it ok Mr Van. Sounds like a really good queen in that hive.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2019, 12:39:16 am »
Quote from: The15thMember on May 23, 2019, 12:33:17 am
Poor girls.  :cry:  That sevin dust is the worst.

We always used it in our garden when I was at home. I do not want my bees to find any of it that is for sure.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2019, 06:22:28 am »
As I have mentioned before, I removed a hive from a truck tool box that was full of seven dust. Somehow the bees developed a queen with the genetics to be able to break down the poison and live in that box with the poison.
amazing little creatures.
Jim Altmiller
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2019, 08:08:13 am »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 23, 2019, 06:22:28 am
As I have mentioned before, I removed a hive from a truck tool box that was full of seven dust. Somehow the bees developed a queen with the genetics to be able to break down the poison and live in that box with the poison.
amazing little creatures.
Jim Altmiller
Wow, that?s incredible!
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2019, 09:56:48 am »
Mr Van, I am curious, what is the status of this hive a week later? Thanks,
Phillip
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #14 on: May 29, 2019, 01:22:58 pm »
Mr. Ben, I just inspected this hive.  All appears normal.  The bees on the entrance are wash boarding and fanning.  No sign at all of sevin or any kind of poison.

I believe ID nailed this one and answered in a single sentence.

A good ending.
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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 Ben Framed

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #15 on: May 29, 2019, 02:49:05 pm »
Quote from: van from Arkansas on May 29, 2019, 01:22:58 pm
Mr. Ben, I just inspected this hive.  All appears normal.  The bees on the entrance are wash boarding and fanning.  No sign at all of sevin or any kind of poison.

I believe ID nailed this one and answered in a single sentence.

A good ending.

Yes he did !
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Pile of dead bees in front of a hive.
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2019, 06:05:40 pm »
My concern was that more bees might return to that same location. Getting into more seven?
« Last Edit: May 30, 2019, 07:00:20 pm by Ben Framed »
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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