On 31/03/2013 5:17 AM, Mike S wrote:
> >Location is 1/2 way between Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama.
>
> A two deep body hive was active a week ago the owner says.  Found it as a dead out this morning.  Going through it I found some very unusual signs.  There was about 40 to 50 pounds of capped honey in the top hive body.  There was capped honey on the outer, upper corners of the outer three frames, total of six frames, in >the bottom hive body.  There was NO uncapped honey in any of the frames.

It sounds like it did not get a queen away.  In our experience here, (or 
perhaps I should say my experience) since small hive beetle this 
description is common.  Hive can appear fine if you only lift a lid say, 
and a day or so later may have gone.  The lack of live SHB adults and 
larvae is a puzzle though.  What is the weather like there.  In our sub 
tropical locale SHB will stay in a deadout if there is still brood or 
pollen, but even in our relatively mild winter are likely to leave to 
find warmth of nearby hives.

Geoff Manning

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