I had a hunch that there weren't any bees in one of my hives and opened it today-the bees were indeed dead and in a pile, as if they'd just fallen off the combs. I had put a piece of fondant over the feed hole-did I suffocate them? There is also a lot of mould on and around the bodies. Very painful to see!
I'm using national hives with mouse guards. I didn't see (I was away), but we recently had a lot of snow - could that have blocked the entrance and helped to suffocate the bees.
I was also using a glass quilt-maybe that contributed?
There is lots of sealed honey-should I destroy the combs and disinfect the frames? Or can I use the honey to feed the other hives?
Thanks for any help.
Andrew