Are they dead?

[Judith]

Help! First winter with bees. Only one hive which I started in summer. Treated varroa and have been feeding with solidified sugar bags and a fondant strip. Had been listening to the hive humming away every week but they have suddenly gone quiet. Had a quick peek yesterday and only some dead bees on top of sugar sack. Dont want to stress them out by poking about any further. Should I just leave them alone or pop a warm sugar solution on top?
Judith in Lewis

[POPZ]

Judith, I am not experienced enough to give any advice. But you have come to the right place and one of our more experienced beekers/gurus or whatever, will be along shortly.
I am also anxiously listening to my first colony, so will follow this thread with interest.

Good luck - POPZ

[bizzy]

Hi Judith With the very cold northerly wind we have had over the past few days the bees have gone back into a tight cluster. Have a quick look again once the temp comes up abit.

Hopefully everthing will be fine.

[rourkie]

Hi judith hopefully they are in a tight cluster, what ever you do dont be tempted to look, if they are fine you will do more harm than good,Check the wieght of hive make sure it got food ,bee patient , let us know how it goes.Regards rourkie

[Judith]

Hi guys, thanks for the reassurance.
I checked the bee keeping manual and have quickly slipped in a clean floor and
put the varroa board back in to insulate the hive a bit better. The area the hive is in
is quite sheltered from the wind but it also sheltered from any sun. If they survive
I must rethink that site.
How many dead bees should you have on a floor at this point?
I dont see anything obviously wrong with them apart from the fact they are dead!
No sign of a dead queen so I will remain hopeful.
Judith

[gavin]

Hi Judith

The others are right - leaving them alone as much as possible is the best policy. As you have been adding sugar on top there is nothing that they need, and any disturbance just stresses them further. The likelihood is that they have clustered tightly in the cold, but if it is more than this then there is not much you can do about it. Check for flying the next warm day. Hang on to the freshest of those dead bees if you like (dry and cool), and if the colony is in trouble then it might be worth looking into it a bit more.

all the best

Gavin

[Calum]

As you have been adding sugar on top there is nothing that they need, and any disturbance just stresses them further.


Hi

I read alot about adding sugar and candy.. Does feeding in this form not stress the bees? Surely they need water additionally to work it, and the old bees don't really have it in them at this time of the year??:- Is not feeding 15-18kg of sugar solution in the autumn enough to keep them through the winter?

[beeanne]

Hi guys, thanks for the reassurance.
How many dead bees should you have on a floor at this point?
Judith

This is my first winter with bees, too. I could see under the mesh floor from outside the hive (with some difficulty!) and was worried that I had a lot of dead bees. However local beek came up with the solution in about half a second: mouse guard set up so that the bees struggle to bring out the dead because the holes are too high up. D'oh!
I only hear mine buzzing in milder weather, I guess they are clustered together when is colder.
Despite this, am sure (for the moment!) that mine are alive, as have seen them out in sunny weather in milder spells recently.

[b.lambert]

I was getting a bit worried myself but took my stethoscope out and found that to be very reassuring to hear the buzz! they have been out and about today although conditions are somewhat cloudy its not unpleasant

[Neils]

Was just about to suggest sticking your ear up to the side of the hive as a non intrusive way of listening out for signs of life, a stethoscope is even better, might have to mug a doctor later.

[gavin]

I got mine from eBay for just a few quid last year. Interesting, but I haven't yet arrived at any great theories to explain all the sounds you can hear. I know a physicist with a big curiosity about bees who would like to analyse the noises. For example the 'dorso-ventral abdominal vibration signal' might be detectable, and that is usually a 'get lively' message.

[honeylover]

Hi Judith,
Just a word of caution.
Leaving the v floor in may cause a build up of debris and allow v back up into the hive, it could produce fungus, encourage 'things' you don't want, it would in all probablity retain unwanted moisture too. My bees came through the winter in Stirlingshire with an omf alone and a wooden restricted hive entrance, no mouse guard.
Regards
Honeylover