I'm always amused by bee people who write about mice (rats???)
getting into their hives.
A properly constructed bottom board has a deep side and a shallow
one. If you run the shallow side up year round (yes, I know the old
argument about <ventilation> but I don't think it's valid here),
you'll never get mice into a living hive.
Many beekeepers run the deep side up. Come cold weather, they
have to put in entrance reducers--extra work and extra expense.
I avoid both by running shallow sides about year 'round.
Suum cuique!
 
On Thu, 12 Feb 1998, Garth wrote:
 
> Hi
>
> As regards this, my gut feeling would be that something disturbed
> your bees.
>
> In my area it never gets cold enough for bees not to be able to
> defend themselves, but  I have had rats come in and chew frames out
> of weak/cold beehives. When their brood is disturbed they become a
> bit odd at times.
>
> What shapes were the white things in the cells between capped brood?
> Are you sure they were not eggs which had undergone shape changes
> from desication etc?
>
> Another possibility is that your hive lid was slightly lifted for
> some reason and the bees were then 'frozen' slowly, as to me it seems
> unlikely that they would die so suddenly if hit by varroa.
>
> I have had nuc attacked by rats on a number of occasions. young rats
> (that have not been taught about bees yet) crawl into a hive with too
> little brood to be aggressive and eat brood. The bees then just crawl
> away. In my case they abscond. In yours I would think the cluster
> would move up into the honey higher up. Honey is quite a good heat
> sink, and warming the new living area may have been impossible
> leading to them freezing??
>
> Just some ideas
>
> Keep well
>
> Garth
>
> ---
> Garth Cambray       Camdini Apiaries
> 15 Park Road        Apis melifera capensis
> Grahamstown         800mm annual precipitation
> 6139
> Eastern Cape
> South Africa               Phone 27-0461-311663
>
> On holiday for a few months     Rhodes University
> Which means: working with bees 15 hours a day!
> Interests: Fliis and bees
> Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post in no way
> reflect those of Rhodes University.
>
 
**John Iannuzzi, Ph.D.
**38 years in apiculture
**12 hives of Italian honeybees
**At Historic Ellicott City, Maryland, 21042, U.S.A. (10 miles west of
   Baltimore, Maryland) [9772 Old Annapolis Rd - 410 730 5279]
**"Forsooth there is some good in things evil
   For bees extract sweetness from the weed" -- Bard of Avon
**Website: http://www.xmetric.com/honey
**Email: [log in to unmask] [1jan981031est]