Dead hive - Need Answers Please!!

[annette]

Had a hive swarm out on me March 28 and then fly right back into the hive. I took the opportunity of making 2 splits right away. The splits were doing fine, then we had lots of rain. Got up there finally today to check on them.

  One of the splits had absolutely no activity, except for a few bees flying in and out. I opened it up this afternoon and was shocked by what I saw. Frame after frame of capped brood and lots of emerging brood half in and half out of the cells, lots of honey still left, open nectar not yet capped. No bees to be found on the frames.

On the bottom board hundreds and hundreds of dead bees. On the ground in front of the hive, hundreds and hundreds of dead bees.

The hive sitting right next to this hive, seems to be having a problem as well. They also have hundreds of dead bees on the ground, but they are a strong hive and during the day, many bees were orienting in front of the hive. They seem to be throwing out sick bees every now and then. Otherwise, this hive looks very good from the outside.  I need to get inside this hive on the weekend and see what is up.

Any ideas from anyone on what caused this hive to die out????

Thanks Annette

[tillie]

The first hive sounds like maybe a pesticide kill.  Are they located near any fields that might have been poisoned?  I think it is characteristic of pesticide kills to have hundreds of bees on the ground right outside the hive as well as what you found inside.

Speculating,

Linda T in Atlanta

[Michael Bush]

Pesticides are a possibility.  I guess I tend towards robbing.  But both could explain it.

[annette]

 They are on 20 acres with nothing being sprayed, but of course they can go much farther and who knows what they pick up.

If they got robbed out, why is so much honey left in the hive??

I appreciate the answers.
Annette

[Joelel]

They were saying on the news a couple of nights ago the same thing is happening across the country.They are trying to find the problem.

[JP]

Annette, this is looking more like pesticide poisoning to me, perhaps overhead spraying?

Maybe check with your state/county to see if any spraying was done lately.


...JP

[greenbtree]

Hi!  Here in Iowa you can register the fact that you have bees and the state won't spray during bee flying hours within a certain distance of your hives.  They will also inform and (theoretically) prevent private pesticide users that have to apply for spraying permits from doing it as well.  For the future you might want to see if California has a similar program.

Jan

[annette]

This county doesn't do overhead spraying. I have contacted the Dept of Ag several times to ask questions like this.

These two hives must have gotten into something, somewhere. There are residential neighborhoods within 1/4 mile from my hives. Anything could have happened.

Anyway, hopefully I will not lose anymore. Thanks for all the concerns
Annette

[John Schwartz]

Learned anything more, Annette?

[Sparky]

I have to wonder if the neighborhood area that you speak of , possibly had their lawns treated for pest.

[Michael Bush]

If there was honey, then I'm back to pesticides.

[annette]

Yes there was lots of honey left in the hive. Around this neighborhood you don't see to many fancy lawns, but who knows.

Bad news today.  The other hive that was throwing bees out that were sick, well I got into them today to find they were queenless. She probably got poisoned along with the many that died.  There seems to be a good population still left in this hive so I am going to introduce a queen that I will purchase.

Thanks everyone for caring so much.

Annette

[Tucker1]

Annette: That's terrible news. I'm sorry this happened. You put a lot into keeping these girls safe and happy. Hopefully, this will stop and you'll not have any additional losses.  Like the others, I'm guessing that something poisoned the bees. This took place so quickly.  It's a shame.

Regards,
Tucker1

[Scadsobees]

Any chance of a neighbor or a stupid kid spraying pesticide on the hives directly?  I hope not but.... :'(

[annette]

They are hidden at the top of this knoll away from the eyes of everyone (except my friends who know) on lots of acreage.

I still have 2 good hives left.

Tucker1 thanks for understanding, as I am sure everyone does, how much love and care and energy goes into taking care of these little girls. I admit I was feeling like getting out of  beekeeping after this happened. But we are a tough breed and just keep going.

[luvin honey]

Oh, that is really, really too bad. I am losing my own favorite fighter hive right now, so I know how crappy this feels!