Starvation plus varroa.  Colonies heavily infested with varroa often  don't
break cluster, move to over head honey stores.  I saw this in a major
study we did with mites in the 80s.  2nd story full of honey, colonies with
highest levels of varroa  starved.

This can also happen in very long period of cold - if the bee cluster in
the lower boxes is shifted laterally, so that the honey  in the second  story
is not directly above the cluster.  Cluster doesn't break enough to  shift
from side to side.  Starves.

Jerry

In a message dated 4/1/2013 8:46:38 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> I  don't think so, I found several frames with capped honey immediately
>  surrounding cluster in bottom box.
Bill:  That is still consistent with  starvation.<<

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