I have a puzzlement. A new beekeeper, just started this year, went into 
winter with four colonies. Two are alive and well, two are dead. One 
dead hive is a particular puzzle for me. There were lots of bees pretty 
much filling three supers. They died spread out through the hive – not 
clustered, not head in. There were abundant stores and the bees had been 
able to fly, presumably one way, as late as a week ago. This does not 
look like anything I have ever seen. No dwindling, no starvation, no 
sign of disease (at least that I am familiar with), just lots of dead bees.

All the colonies had the same treatment (as far as can be measured).

Any ideas?

“’Tis a puzzlement.”

Tom Elliott

Chugiak, Alaska

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