Dead bees after hive check

Beekeeping - Basics
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Hi there, I am in NE Texas. I have one hive that set up shop two years ago in some old hives in the barn. An Old Bee keeper came out, took them home, and then resettled them back at my place. I have been a terrible keeper since then and am just now starting to learn. So Easter I checked the hive. and it looked bad (mice, beetles, ants). I took off the bottom hive body which they had abandoned. I gave them one 1:1 sugar water to see if I could help them. three days later I put hive beetle traps in the hive body, I could see new comb and worker brood. This morning there are dead bees on the ground and entrance! I am feeling so guilty that in helping I might have killed the hive (which was doing ok without me) There was a sudden temperature change last night–45 degrees or so. But I can’t figure out what I did. Any ideas?

Feeling bad :frowning:

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A handful of dead bees at the entrance is normal. It means the undertaker bees are doing their jobs by carting out the dead bees.

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Thanks for the reply. I was feeling like a super evil person.

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You should fit a slide down gate at the entrance to the hive and buy a beetle trap to control the beetle problem so there is two of your problems solved at you local bee keeping shop or maybe you old bee keeping mate can help you out. I am not sure of the name but the entrance gate I use is slid into end pieces that come with the gate and screwed to the hive, in one position it is to stop large insects and creature getting inside and reversing it it is used for moving the hive and fully shuts the entrance.
Place the hive on some sort of stand with legs on it and place the legs into used fruit tins or similar, bet you have something laying about, then in the tin pour in some water then add some kerosene to add about a 1/4 inch to the height in the container. Ants love honey so you need a barrier against them, they will not swim across the kerosene, now the bees may be able to kill of what ants remain or they will die out anyhow in about a month.
Hope that helps your hive issues, there is lots of help available in this Forum or ask your ‘old bee mate’ that will make him feel good to pass on his knowledge.
Regards

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Great, Thank-you. I will see if I can find a stand with legs. Right now it is on cinder blocks 2 high with a mat underneath.

I plan to go to the local bee keeper chapter this Monday. They meet once a month.

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Make good use at the bee keeping chapter. No question or concern you don’t have the answer to is stupid and even the most learned member began learning and had the same concerns and questions.
The same goes for this forum, there is a huge amount of help here, but you must always sort out what is best for your climate and conditions.
What I did with hives about 800 miles (1100 klm’s) away is so different from where I am now I am learning it all again.
Welcome to the forum.
Regards