Author Topic: Hive Autopsy #1  (Read 1544 times)

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Offline Some Day

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Hive Autopsy #1
« on: February 11, 2017, 02:01:18 pm »
We had an above 50 degree day today so I decided to go through a hive that I know is dead out.  My theory is that they were a small hive going into winter and on one of our warmer winter days they broke cluster and went to different frames to get groceries. Then we had a cold snap of below zero weather for a couple of days and the separated bees could not get back together and froze out.  I think I see a couple of hive beetles also, but no evidence that they created a problem for this hive.

Any advice or opinions from the experts?






Offline Some Day

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2017, 02:06:33 pm »
I guess I posted a photo of another hive exterior in original post.  That photo is from today and I am assuming they are not dead.





I think these are the photos I wanted to add in first post.

Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2017, 02:20:22 pm »
Some day,  look's alot like mine. Was told cluster was to small. My pics on page 2 under lost hives.

Offline tedh

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2017, 03:12:52 pm »
Was gonna say that I'd take that top deadout off your hands, help you out, being neighborly and all. :D  I don't think I've ever seen a SHB before.  I'd like to keep it that way.  I know we have some here but not like down south.  Is that one on the second pick second post?  I don't mean to pry, but will anyway, where abouts in Iowa are you located?

About the deadout, I can't help much there, but I'm sorry for the loss.  How many hives do you have?  Man, this was a worthless post, no help at all.  Sorry, Ted
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Offline Some Day

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2017, 03:38:27 pm »
Ted,

I am about 40 miles west of you.  I'll be at the bee meeting in Mt. Pleasant at Pizza Ranch on March 6th.

As of today we have 7 hives that have bees going in and out.  I had 2 small hives that are dead outs.  The second one had a very lucky field mouse in it.  I had my digital camera in my hand instead of a hive tool, other wise she would have gotten wacked.


Offline Some Day

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2017, 03:43:00 pm »
Ted,

Yes, I think that is a small hive beetle in the second photo in post 2.  Also one in pic 2 of first post to the right of "Clusters Last Stand".  It is on the capped honey.

Offline tedh

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2017, 04:13:16 pm »
What time does the meeting start?
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Offline Some Day

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2017, 04:50:49 pm »
The meeting starts at 6 P.M.  Andy Joseph will be the key-note speaker. As you may or may not know he is the State Apiarist for Iowa.

Offline Riverrat

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2017, 05:20:50 pm »
Looking at the photos I think you had to few bees to reach critical mass and they couldn't generate enough heat to warm the cluster
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Offline Perry

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2017, 05:31:17 pm »
Looking at the photos I think you had to few bees to reach critical mass and they couldn't generate enough heat to warm the cluster

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Offline riverbee

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2017, 06:39:36 pm »
what rat and perry said.........not enough bees some day. 

another observation, stores are pretty non existent.  with that said, i think you had a problem that caused a great reduction in your bee population; loss of queen, failing queen, mites and/or disease, etc. 

shb in iowa?  not sure about this for your area?  i think scott would know or could provide better info.  it is hard to tell from your pic, it is very small, and difficult to tell.

it's discouraging to lose hives, but don't give up!
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Offline tedh

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2017, 08:01:17 pm »
I was surprised when LazyBkpr showed me what he thought might be a SHB last year (?).  This past spring our state apiarist told me that we do have them (SHB) here in Iowa. (Insert roll of thunder)
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Offline Riverrat

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2017, 08:11:11 pm »
There is a beetle that is just a hair smaller than the SHB we have here that is of the sap  beetle family .  When we first discovered SHB in Kansas a few of the samples came back and was identified as a Sap beetle they look almost identical to a SHB but as said just bit smaller.  We was told they was harmless to a hive but if you look sap beetles are a family of beetles and the SHB is part of that family.  So I am unsure if some of the samples we sent in was labeled at first as a sap beetle to keep it quiet the SHB had made its way to kansas or if indeed there is a smaller beetle in the family that looks similar
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Offline Some Day

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Re: Hive Autopsy #1
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2017, 08:19:18 pm »
We had one hive that was a cut out last spring that had SHB in Comb.  Talk about a mess in Hive body after a week.  That hive swarmed, but we were able to retrieve it and place in new equipment, on new foundation only.  They then took off and have made through to this point.  SHB make a slimy ugly mess.  And yes this is in Southern Iowa.  The 2 beetles in the dead out hive could very well be sap beetles.