Author Topic: Am I losing a hive?  (Read 1019 times)

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Offline joeybrowne

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Am I losing a hive?
« on: April 09, 2017, 05:02:21 pm »
Hey,
I just started beekeeping.  I have two hives in my front yard and I'm seeing a different scenarios for each hive.  Hive#1 seems to be eating well (I have 1:1 sugar syrup and pollen patties for both hives).  The bees from that hive are quite active and not many dead bees are showing up outside the hive. 
Hive  #2 is a different story.  I noticed there were signs of dysentery near the end of winter which seemed to be quite bad.  Now, there seems to be less activity in that hive and dead bees are appearing at the entrance every day.  Tonight, I noticed some bees at the entrance that were dying but not quite dead yet (one or two were flapping there wings rapidly but not going anywhere).
I'm worried that I may be in the process of losing this hive.  If dysentery is an issue, is there a way I can treat them quicker than adding the fumagilin to the sugar syrup?
I'm not ure if this makes a difference but all the dead bees I scrape out from the entrance are covered in yellow and white.

Offline tedh

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Re: Am I losing a hive?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2017, 06:45:28 pm »
I've read that you put the fumigagelin/syrup mixture in a spray bottle then spray it on the bees. They apparently consum it quicker cleaning each other.  Check weather constraints before doing this.  Ted
Share that which you have an abundance of.  In doing so both the giver and receiver are enriched.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Am I losing a hive?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2017, 07:32:35 pm »
Hey Joey. It sounds like something might be going on, and tomorrow is supposed to be a super nice day, so I would have a quick peek in there and see what's what. Take a few pics if you get the chance.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
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Offline joeybrowne

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Re: Am I losing a hive?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2017, 07:48:01 pm »
Thanks Guys,
I just realised that the white dots all over the bottom board may be sugar from the sugar candy.  Now that I am giving them sugar syrup, they may be trucking out the sugar candy piece-by-piece.

Offline Perry

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Re: Am I losing a hive?
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2017, 07:49:19 pm »
It can be that or granulated honey in the cells, I've seen that before as well.
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
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