I have received several phone calls and e-mails from beekeepers worried
about dead bees. I see them myself in front of many of my hives. While
starvation, varroa mites, or pesticide misuse in the area can cause dead bees,
once these factors are eliminated as possibilities, there is no need to worry.
 
  These are the bees that went through the winter and have exhausted
themselves in the early brood rearing.  It is quite common at this time to see
a "flush" of loss. Northern beekeepers will probably see it a bit later.
 
    As long as your hives are brooding up well, and the total strength is
increasing, you should not be concerned about the dead bees.
 
    Watch out!  Bees that are starving on March 20 will be making swarm cells
on March 21.  (=More or less --Dates may vary according to the year.) We are
starting some splitting, and expect to do a lot more next week. It is always
amazing to see how fast we have to shift gears.
 
    Yellow jasmine affects brood, not adults. They die in the pupal stage. As
long as there is a nectar flow or supplemental feeding, yellow jasmine seems
to not be a problem. If there is a real dearth, bees will go to jasmine, and
brood loss can be severe.
 
[log in to unmask]     Dave Green  Hemingway, SC  USA
The Pollination Scene:  http://users.aol.com/pollinator/polpage1.html
The Pollination Home Page:    http://www.pollinator.com
 
Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop    (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles)
http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm