Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Observation
Interpretation
Bees fighting at the entrance
Robbing
Pile of dead bees at the entrance
Poison
Dead bees, many still moving
Virus disease
Dead drones at the entrance or
drones being removed by workers
Period of dearth; lack of stores
Bees unable to fly or staggering/
moribund on the hive or at the entrance
Virus disease (could also be starvation)
Mummified larvae littering entrance
Chalk brood disease (see Chapter 10)
Heavy faeces-spotting on the hive
Dysentery (see Chapter 10)
Dead larvae being thrown out
but not carried away
Possible starvation
Pollen being carried into the hive
Usually indicates a healthy colony
Many bees flying at the entrance.
No fighting. Bees facing the hive
appear to be bobbing up and down
Young adult bees on play/orientation
flights; usually late afternoon
Many bees issuing from the hive in
a swirling ascending mass
Swarm emerging
A regular column of ants entering the
hive. Very few, if any, bees in sight.
Hive or nuc empty. Put your ear to the side
of the hive and give it a sharp knock.
If silent, the hive is empty. If you hear
a roar, then you have a colony in being
you need to check out.
Table 1.
Observations of the hive's entrance
