dead bees

[protheroe]

i walked up the garden this morning to find what looked like thousands of dead and dying bees.Just checked in the hive and theres six frames of healthy capped and uncapped brood and five frames of stores either side of the brood,there seems to be plenty of bees still there and no signs of nosema.The hive was treated last summer and again in january for varroa.Any ideas?

 

[susbees]

Neighbour spraying greenfly? Any herbicide etc when it's this dry and they suck it off leaves or grass?

 

[Luminos]

Are you able to post a photo?

 

[protheroe]

i walked up the garden this morning to find what looked like thousands of dead and dying bees.Just checked in the hive and theres six frames of healthy capped and uncapped brood and five frames of stores either side of the brood,there seems to be plenty of bees still there and no signs of nosema.The hive was treated last summer and again in january for varroa.Any ideas?

Also just noticed dozens of bees walking around, unable to fly but their wings look fine

 

[protheroe]

Are you able to post a photo?

No sorry ,broke my camera

 

[garyballdy]

same thing happen to one of mine yesterday.Also seen lots of bees grooming on the landing board, that's why I thought they had been sprayed with something..

 

[protheroe]

same thing happen to one of mine yesterday.Also seen lots of bees grooming on the landing board, that's why I thought they had been sprayed with something..

Same here,lots on landing board looking really aggitated.I hope its just the flying bees and not the whole hive,if it is spray or some other poisoned water source, thats done it

 

[alanf]

i walked up the garden this morning to find what looked like thousands of dead and dying bees.Just checked in the hive and theres six frames of healthy capped and uncapped brood

Just a suggestion but some of the hives in the association apiaries produced piles of dead bees a few weeks ago (further south). When the rest of the hive is healthy they were put down to clearing out the accumulated litter and dead bees from over wintering, perhaps after removing a mouse guard.

 

[protheroe]

Just a suggestion but some of the hives in the association apiaries produced piles of dead bees a few weeks ago (further south). When the rest of the hive is healthy they were put down to clearing out the accumulated litter and dead bees from over wintering, perhaps after removing a mouse guard.

cleared the floors a couple of weeks ago and peeked in last week ,everything was fine until this morning,dead bees everywhere,i couldnt see the mesh of the floor for dead bees,landing board covered, and the ground infront of the hive.Theres still lots of bees alive,i just hope they will be ok.This is the only hive affected.

 

[justme]

cleared the floors a couple of weeks ago and peeked in last week ,everything was fine until this morning,dead bees everywhere,i couldnt see the mesh of the floor for dead bees,landing board covered, and the ground infront of the hive.Theres still lots of bees alive,i just hope they will be ok.This is the only hive affected.

Protheroe. if you are a member of association, let your spray liaison officer know. In any case, pack up as many bees as you can into a paper bag or cardboard box and contact your seasonal bee inspector. Think they have started work now.
May not come to anything but may at least push the SLO to advertise or something?

 

[MJBee]

You used to be able to send a sample (50 or so) of dead bees for analysis to find out if it was a spray that killed them. It is so long ago (early 80s) that I cannot remember where they were sent or to whom. Does anyone know if this service is still available?

In my case it was OSR that had been sprayed in full bloom contrary to the instructions. My mentor and I lost all the foragers on a total of 6 hives Armed with the lab report we claimed and were awarded £50 per colony

 

[protheroe]

Protheroe. if you are a member of association, let your spray liaison officer know. In any case, pack up as many bees as you can into a paper bag or cardboard box and contact your seasonal bee inspector. Think they have started work now.
May not come to anything but may at least push the SLO to advertise or something?

phoned him up,but he is on a course at the moment,so i have boxed some of the dead bees up and put them in the freezer.Hope the wife does not notice or i will be joining the bees.

 

[Moggs]

Quite a large sample of bees is needed for spray testing - minimum 300 - as the bees are subject to several different tests.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thing is - in this area there are no arable crops and I've never heard of anyone spraying here ever - lot of wild fires up your end Protheroe, wonder if that may have an effect?

 

[protheroe]

Thing is - in this area there are no arable crops and I've never heard of anyone spraying here ever - lot of wild fires up your end Protheroe, wonder if that may have an effect?

I meant to say it was the regional bee inspector i phoned but he is away.
I first thought it might be some sort of plant spray[garden]but its way too early to be spraying for aphids and other bugs,so i am now thinking it might be a contaminated water source.I will check again as soon as it gets light and am hoping its just the flying bees.

 

[protheroe]

Just looked into the hive from underneath through the mesh.Live bees across 5 frames with none dead on the mesh.Looks like i have lost the flying bees but i think the rest will be alright[hopefully].

 

[Into the lions den]

Suggest the following possibilities (most of which previously raised by others)

1. Pesticides use nearby
2. Herbicide use nearby ( bees in dry conditions have been known to drink this and bring harmful substances back to the hive, Paraquat poisonings were commonplace many yearsd ago in droughts.)
3. Varroa damage
4. Paralysis virus (probably in tandem with acarine infestation)

Factors you have described, couple with our own previous experience, means you should think about item 4 as a possibility. Look for any of the crawlers having 'K' wings.

 

[gavin]

Worth getting them tested for pesticides - doesn't have to be from arable farming.

http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/guidan...rcement/prosecution-following-honeybee-deaths

G.

 

[protheroe]

Suggest the following possibilities (most of which previously raised by others)

1. Pesticides use nearby
2. Herbicide use nearby ( bees in dry conditions have been known to drink this and bring harmful substances back to the hive, Paraquat poisonings were commonplace many yearsd ago in droughts.)
3. Varroa damage
4. Paralysis virus (probably in tandem with acarine infestation)

Factors you have described, couple with our own previous experience, means you should think about item 4 as a possibility. Look for any of the crawlers having 'K' wings.

there were some crawlers with k wing and a lot of bees amongst the dead that could hardly move but were alive.Treated in september and january for varroa.All these bees just dropped overnight and the problem seems to have gone as quick as it arrived

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe it's those windmill fellas causing more devastation on the mountain - have you tried Ade Bowen the SBI if Frank is away?