Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Where did they go?  (Read 3001 times)

Offline babyphatt455

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 24
  • Gender: Female
Where did they go?
« on: March 31, 2008, 01:14:45 pm »
We went out to our hive the other day and there were only a couple dead bees in it nothing else.
Do you think they swarmed or died?

This was our first hive so we are clueless.
We did look at the frames and there was still honey on a couple. (we only had one brood box; no supers)

Offline bassman1977

  • "King Bee"
  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Gender: Male
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2008, 01:31:11 pm »
Any bees in front of the hive?
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(''')_(''')

Offline babyphatt455

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 24
  • Gender: Female
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2008, 01:47:37 pm »
No, nothing unusual outside the hive.


There was some dead ones on the bottom of the hive but alot more decayed that I think built up over the winter...it wasnt alot though.

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19929
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2008, 09:16:19 pm »
Sounds more like CCD.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline bassman1977

  • "King Bee"
  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Gender: Male
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2008, 11:31:34 pm »
Quote
Sounds more like CCD.

That's what I was thinking too...

If it were me, I'd get some samples to a lab or at least call someone at Oregon State Ag.
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(''')_(''')

Offline Scott Derrick

  • Expert Bee Handler
  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Gender: Male
  • Go Gamecocks!!
    • Honeybee Removal Expert Serving South Carolina, Charlotte NC and Augusta GA
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2008, 12:34:50 am »
Babyphatt,

Was there any honey in the hive?
My Bee Removal Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/109455718186385256142
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/rsderrick

"You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole."
                                              Billy Graham

Offline babyphatt455

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 24
  • Gender: Female
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2008, 05:17:30 pm »
yes there was still some honey, not a whole lot but there was some in there.

Offline bassman1977

  • "King Bee"
  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1788
  • Gender: Male
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2008, 06:23:11 pm »
Could be starvation but I would think there would be a lot more dead bees in the hive.  That's been my experience.
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(''')_(''')

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2008, 10:37:33 am »
Sounds more like they absconded. They didn't like where they were living for whatever reason and bolted.

It happens. Was this a new package?

Sincerely,
Brendhan
The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Offline CBEE

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 353
  • Gender: Male
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2008, 11:12:51 am »
Went to our associations meeting last night and one of the older beeks there said he had around 12 hives  out of 60 that did the very same thing. He said there were like 10 live bees in each hive with plenty of honey and the rest of the hive was clean as a whistle. No dead bees no nothing. Beats me and no one else seems to have any answers. :roll:

Offline Understudy

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 4641
  • Gender: Male
    • http://www.understudy.net
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2008, 11:24:22 am »
With CCD the queen is still in the hive and all of the honey is in the hive. if there is no queen and only some honey it is much more likely they absconded.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19929
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2008, 08:40:59 pm »
>it is much more likely they absconded.

In the winter?
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Kathyp

  • Global Moderator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 20454
  • Gender: Female
Re: Where did they go?
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2008, 10:19:22 pm »
where she is, there have probably been enough warmer days that they had a chance to take off.  not all of us live in the snow :-).  we have had an awful lot of rain this year.  they would have had a small window in which to flee.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.