Hi all...
 
I've got a first year newbie problem and need some advise.  I
went out this evening to take a quick peek at my two colonies in the
backyard as is my custom every night.  I just like to watch them. :-)
 
Tonight I got a shock.  In front of the Buckfast colony there were a lot
of dead bees.  I would guess about 2 good size handfuls of bees.  The
majority of the bees were in a large pile was immediately in front of the
entrance. (The hives are up on cinder blocks.)  Other bees were scattered
in around the hive with the highest concentrated fanning out from the
entrance.
 
There was quite a bit of activity on the landing board.  Much of consisted
of bees carrying out the dead bees.  All the bees were Buckfast as far as
I could tell.  (My other colony is Italians, so I don't think robbing was
going on.)  All this time forgers continued coming and going.
 
I quickly pulled off my honey supers, which I was planning to do tomorrow,
to look inside.  By the time I got the supers off, everything at the
entrance was back to normal.  If it weren't for all the dead bees outside,
I wouldn't know anything had happen.
 
As I was losing the light, I couldn't give as thorough a look as wanted.
From what I could see, activity inside the hive appeared normal.  Nothing
appeared unusual.  Although, being a newbie, I could easily overlook
something.
 
When I looked in on the 'girls' around noontime, they were actively
forging.
 
Yesterday, it rained very heavily, was very chilly (50s) here in New
Jersey.  Some parts got about 6 inches of rain.  Last night was the
heaviest rain with a lot of wind.  I do have the hives tilted slightly
forward so the water doesn't run into.  Is it possible weather had
something to do with the dead bees?
 
BTW, the Italian hives is a normal in all appearances.  No pile of dead
bees.  They are actively foraging also.  I wasn't able to look inside,
other than to quickly pop the cover off.
 
Any suggestions on what I should look for to determine the cause?  I live
in a suburban area, so farm spraying isn't a concern (those folks like to
load their lawns with the usual chemicals. :-( I'm not sure where the bees
are going for the nectar, but they are doing it in large numbers.
 
I could use some advice.  I'd hate to lose one of my colonies my first
year; especially since they given me 3 supers of honey.
 
Thanks!
        Bob
--
Bob Billson, KC2WZ                                email: [log in to unmask]
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