Hi,
 
We arre novice bee keepers in Hayward, California, USA.  We have one hive
of very nice Italian bees with two hive boddies and one super that is
rapidly filling during our long, late early autumn (It was 80 degrees F)
this weekend!
 
Our question:  One day lst week I went out to the hive and found many bees
that had been otorn into pieces there was one that only had a thorax, and
was bravely walking around on the gournd, another couple with no wings, and
some that were landing upside down --  on the ground below the hives there
were more bodies -- the hive did not sound particularly upset, and later
in the morning things were calmed down again.  It looked liked there had
been a fight, but with whom?  There was one bumblebee body, andd we have
seen them attempt to enter the hive at times, but they usually lose without
killing the apis.  We also have some type of wasp that flies at gras level,
smaller than the honeybees, and they eat the dead bees that are dumped off
the landing zone.  They do not seem to bother the honeybees, and never fly
as high as the front of the hive.
 
If anyone has any suggestions, we';d like to hear them -- things have been
calm, but we are still uncertain about the mystery of the dead and wounded
-- it did look like a battlefield after the battle.  There were about 20-25
corpses and wounded bees.  I saw them about 0900.
 
Thanks for any assistance.
 
Richard Foote
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