Bee hive die off - Ask Extension
I started a horizontal hive spring of 2024. Seemed healthy for a couple months but then the numbers gradually declined. By September the numbers were ...
Knowledgebase
Bee hive die off #889392
Asked November 05, 2024, 3:35 PM EST
I started a horizontal hive spring of 2024. Seemed healthy for a couple months but then the numbers gradually declined. By September the numbers were just a couple thousand and I couldn't find the queen or any eggs/brood. Actually, I only inspected the hive on 3 occasions and never saw a queen or brood.
Because of low numbers and no queen, I purchased a queen mid-September in hopes of a quick rebound. The numbers continued to decline, and the weak hive became susceptible to yellow jackets. By end of October the hive was dead.
I want to try again next spring but don't know the definitive cause of this failed hive. I live in a neighborhood where some herbicides and maybe pesticides are used. I'm 3/4 mile from the beach so it's a damp climate. Possibly I never had a queen? Diseases? Pests?
My daughter, 20 miles inland of me, has raised bees for several years in traditional Langstroth's and I built her a duplicate of my horizontal hive. Hers is doing fine.
Thank you, Allan
Clatsop County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Allan,
First let me compliment you on the very nice horizontal hive build. Looks like you did an excellent job.
This far after the fact it isn't possible to tell why your colony of bees didn't thrive. But I can give you some ideas as to why they died.
The number one reason honey bees die is from Varroa mite infestation and the viruses which they vector. The mite feeding on bees weakens them and makes them more susceptible to the viruses. As if that isn't enough damage, the mites also vector the viruses making them more virulent. The first and foremost task of a beekeeper is to keep the mites in check. The Honey Bee Health Coalition's publication, "Tools for Varroa Management" contains everything one needs to know about controlling Varroa mites in honey bee colonies.
Dr. Megan Milbrath from University of Michigan wrote an excellent paper titled, "Why did my bees die? This will also help you diagnose what happened.
Your bees might have had a queen who wasn't well mated, which then led to not enough worker bees to sustain the colony.
The bees might have had a disease of some sort. It is not possible to know at this point in time.
To get ready for next year, you need to take each of the frames that the bees used, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them for 48 hours. This will kill any wax moth eggs or larvae just waiting to make a mess of your frames.
I would also make a point of going to bee club meetings. I think the closest club is the Tillamook County Beekeepers Association. They welcome new beekeepers and will help you learn how to keep bees alive in the coastal environment.
First let me compliment you on the very nice horizontal hive build. Looks like you did an excellent job.
This far after the fact it isn't possible to tell why your colony of bees didn't thrive. But I can give you some ideas as to why they died.
The number one reason honey bees die is from Varroa mite infestation and the viruses which they vector. The mite feeding on bees weakens them and makes them more susceptible to the viruses. As if that isn't enough damage, the mites also vector the viruses making them more virulent. The first and foremost task of a beekeeper is to keep the mites in check. The Honey Bee Health Coalition's publication, "Tools for Varroa Management" contains everything one needs to know about controlling Varroa mites in honey bee colonies.
Dr. Megan Milbrath from University of Michigan wrote an excellent paper titled, "Why did my bees die? This will also help you diagnose what happened.
Your bees might have had a queen who wasn't well mated, which then led to not enough worker bees to sustain the colony.
The bees might have had a disease of some sort. It is not possible to know at this point in time.
To get ready for next year, you need to take each of the frames that the bees used, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them for 48 hours. This will kill any wax moth eggs or larvae just waiting to make a mess of your frames.
I would also make a point of going to bee club meetings. I think the closest club is the Tillamook County Beekeepers Association. They welcome new beekeepers and will help you learn how to keep bees alive in the coastal environment.
