Deformed Wing Virus In My Hive's

[Jen]

My friend and I were standing out in the yard watching the hives when he noticed a bee in the grass that looked odd. He let it crawl on his finger and we examined it. NO WINGS! This is weird to me because I've been inspecting the hives every 2-3 weeks all summer. Treated once in the summer, and am finishing up my pre-winter treatment tomorrow. The hives in combination have dropped maybe 2,500 mites in the last two weeks.

And, these bees couldn't care less to sting, they didn't even attempt, and I was pushing them around assertively. They are in a hurry and anxious in the grass tho. I feel like they are frustrated because they feel okay, they know what they're supposed to do, but they can't lift off.. so sad

These are all different bees running around in my grass cause they can't fly ;(

[Gypsi]

well darn

[Jen]

Leaves my gut upset :(

[LazyBkpr]

If your mite levels are under control, there is not much more you can do. I do see bees with DWV once in a while. they come and go with the mite population usually. More of them when the mites are high, less when the mite population is low.

   Does anyone know how these bees proceed upon emerging? Do they go into the duties of house bees and work their way to foragers and find themselves crawling?    Or do they immediately leave or get removed from the hive?

[riverbee]

jen, very good photos of dwv, educational for those who have not seen this.  are these bees in front of one hive or all hives?

"Does anyone know how these bees proceed upon emerging? Do they go into the duties of house bees and work their way to foragers and find themselves crawling?    Or do they immediately leave or get removed from the hive?"

from my understanding scott, deformed adult bees wander out on their own or are driven from the hive, and also do not live long.

[Jen]

Riv- "from my understanding scott, deformed adult bees wander out on their own or are driven from the hive, and also do not live long.

     This is some good info Riv. I have read 'somewhere once' that the bees we find ouside the hive are worker bees and as their wings continue to deteriorate they can no longer fly or get in and out of their hive, so they spend the rest of their lives ouside on the ground. These bees are very active, if it weren't for the lack of wings I would believe them to be perfectly healthy.

I'll look in my Bee Biology book ~

[riverbee]

these bees are workers jen, and they emerge with the deformed wings. i would venture to say, they won't last more than 2 days.

[Jen]

Emerge as in hatch from the cell?

[riverbee]

yes jen......