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Author Topic: Does this mean they're dead?  (Read 5599 times)

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Offline hamptor

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Does this mean they're dead?
« on: November 07, 2014, 12:50:37 pm »
I checked on my weakest hive last weekend, and there are bees in the top 2 boxes and some brood (not nearly as much as I'd like to see).  There was some capped honey, but I'm still working on that with feeding them.   In the bottom box, there were very few bees, some pollen in some of the frames (I have 8 frame supers) and very scattered brood ( and very little of it) only on 2 of the frames.  There were no nurse bees attending this brood.   I thought the caps looked rather old and tattered.   I actually opened 2 of them to see what was going on and pulled out one bee that didn't squirm or move  and one pupae that didn't move.   I'm really not sure if they're supposed to move when they're  in the capped cells like that.   I'm really considering removing this bottom frame before winter sets in since there's so little activity going on in it.  So if there are no nurse bees attending these few bits of brood, and the bees look like I described, are they dead or alive?   Is there a benefit to me removing the box so they have less to "patrol" or does it not matter?
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Does this mean they're dead?
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2014, 02:45:44 pm »
hamptor, we need a little more info, are these 8 frame boxes all deeps? med.supers. or both mixed together? If the nurse bees are not on the brood they probably got chilled and died. Iddee is in your area and can give you more of an idea than i can. Jack
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Offline hamptor

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Re: Does this mean they're dead?
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2014, 03:55:19 pm »
They're all medium supers.   We've had enough frost to end the growing season for the tomatoes and tender plants.  Got down to about 29 degrees one night, but nothing prolonged or severe.
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Offline iddee

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Re: Does this mean they're dead?
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2014, 04:50:09 pm »
If it were all capped, I would wait 10 days, or more. If they are still there, they will not emerge. They can be removed. We will have warm days after that when you can safely go into them before the real cold gets here.
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Offline Ray4852

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Re: Does this mean they're dead?
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2014, 06:58:02 pm »
Quote from: hamptor on November 07, 2014, 12:50:37 pm
I checked on my weakest hive last weekend, and there are bees in the top 2 boxes and some brood (not nearly as much as I'd like to see).  There was some capped honey, but I'm still working on that with feeding them.   In the bottom box, there were very few bees, some pollen in some of the frames (I have 8 frame supers) and very scattered brood ( and very little of it) only on 2 of the frames.  There were no nurse bees attending this brood.   I thought the caps looked rather old and tattered.   I actually opened 2 of them to see what was going on and pulled out one bee that didn't squirm or move  and one pupae that didn't move.   I'm really not sure if they're supposed to move when they're  in the capped cells like that.   I'm really considering removing this bottom frame before winter sets in since there's so little activity going on in it.  So if there are no nurse bees attending these few bits of brood, and the bees look like I described, are they dead or alive?   Is there a benefit to me removing the box so they have less to "patrol" or does it not matter?

 Its probably ok. Make sure you have your mites under control, good honey stores and plenty of ventilation. Your bees know what their doing. What kind of queen do you have. carniolans over winter with very small clusters. If you think you have a problem. Is your hive defensive. Does it have a deep roar. 
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Offline pistolpete

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Re: Does this mean they're dead?
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2014, 11:46:08 pm »
The brood you examined may or may not be alive.  In my experience with uncapping drone brood to check for mites, they really don't move or squirm just because you pull them our of the cell.   As for removing the bottom box, if there are no stores and no bees down there, then go ahead.
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Offline hamptor

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Re: Does this mean they're dead?
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2014, 09:37:37 am »
Thanks for the input.  I'll wait the 10+ days and see if they emerge or not before I remove the bottom box.   They're Italians and the queen is still producing some eggs/larva/pupae.   They're a very calm little hive and I'm hoping they make it through the winter.
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