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I have 4 dead hives this spring and am not sure why I lost all. Hives have honey onboard and fondant paddies on top were untouched. Most dead bees were on the bottom board, not in a cluster or in comb cells (as with starvation) No signs of dysentary/nosema and all hives were treated with Formic-Pro twice last summer & fall. Two hives were new packages last year, 2 were over-wintered last year and seemed to be in good shape going into winter. I would like someone to look at the 2 still standing hives (2 have been disassembled in prep for new packages coming in May) to help me know why these hives were lost. I'm in Mount Holly, VT. Please call/text at 781-307-0394.
Sorry about your lost colonies. Have you considered sending sample dead bees to the UVM bee lab ? You can google them for details on submissions. There is no charge, except for mailing or delivering the samples.
I suspect your colonies died due to Varroa caused viruses. Formic Pro is not always the best treatment. Did you do any mite counts over the summer ? Especially before and after the Formic ? Formic is also very temperature sensitive and if used at the wrong time (temperature) may cause queen deaths, which will eventually end the colony, especially in the Fall.
Looking at your hives will only show that you have dead bees....it will not determine why. Sending samples to UVM might solve the cause.
Also, we all have many dead bees in the bottom of the hive in Spring. Normal situation.
Good luck and really consider sending samples to UVM.
Peter.
I suspect your colonies died due to Varroa caused viruses. Formic Pro is not always the best treatment. Did you do any mite counts over the summer ? Especially before and after the Formic ? Formic is also very temperature sensitive and if used at the wrong time (temperature) may cause queen deaths, which will eventually end the colony, especially in the Fall.
Looking at your hives will only show that you have dead bees....it will not determine why. Sending samples to UVM might solve the cause.
Also, we all have many dead bees in the bottom of the hive in Spring. Normal situation.
Good luck and really consider sending samples to UVM.
Peter.
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