Good morning everyone,
Over the last few days when I checked the hive I’ve found 12 dead bees and then 13 another day. Is this too many dead bees within a week? I have found a couple here and there over a long time but not this many within a week.
There are no bugs, ants, wasps etc in or near the hive.
Thanks, Carol.
Hi @Carol2 its a tough one to comment on without more info, what do the dead bees look like ? Are you able to add some photos ? In the meantime a quick brood check might ease your mind.
I would not worry about a dozen dead bees in a healthy hive. Bees die all the time and the queen lays hundreds of eggs a day to replace them. You never really see the true number of dead bees as they are all over the place. If your hive is healthy I would not worry about a few dead ones near the hive.
Cheers
Rob.
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Thankyou I may just have a check on them
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Yes it is healthy. I’m pleased to hear this is normal. There only 4 dead today so that’s better.
Hi @Carol2, glad everything is looking normal now. I had a larger amount of dead bees outside the hive last year, they had their tongues out but it was Springtime and plenty of forage. I will probably never know for sure, but tongues out point to starvation or poison (neighbour with pesticide spray), when the dead bees don’t have much fuzzy hairs on their backs, which makes them look darker or/and wings that look a bit battered, that may point to older bees. As long as the bees don’t look young, deformed and dead, then alls well.
Happy bee-ing
Saraj
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