Dead bees

[Andrew Westbury]

Hi all,

We are noticing a lot of dead bees outside our hive. Otherwise, things seem to be fine with a lot of bees coming and going through the bee door. It has been too cold for an inspection so we are not sure what is going on. Is this normal winter die off? Thank you for any ideas.

Best regards
Drew

[Gerald Przybylski]

Are they Drones? (exclusively)
When it gets cold the drones get kicked out. (so we shouldn't expect to
get queens mated any more)
If workers, then some investigation may be in order.

It's OK to look into hives in winter if the day is warm, the sun is out,
and the wind is still.
Nevertheless, the bees might be cranky due to the weather.

[Paula Breen]

It's important to remember that more bees are dying than being born this time of year. Also I suspect that with the cold weather, especially in the mornings, the undertaker bees maybe aren't flying as far. Perhaps they're dragging out the dead and dropping them closer to the hive? I have no evidence to back this statement up but I noticed that sort of thing with my hives as well and it seems a plausible explanation.

But of course they could also be in trouble, so if you aren't sure that your mite count was under control in the past month or so, there could in fact be something that you need to deal with. The risk of opening the hive when it is cooler is outweighed by the benefit of possibly saving them. Work efficiently and get in and out as quickly as you can. If the temp is around 60+ and they are in the sun you should be ok. 

Good luck! 

 

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[Joan Houston]

Seals and Crofts shoutout:

“Summer beeees, make me feel fiiiiine…”

Until this time of year. I only ever see this on my patio; the critters nosh on them in the fields.

The annual hunkering down allows winterized bees to manage the hives more efficiently.

[andrew....@comcast.net]

Fewer yellowjackets doing cleanup.

- A -

On Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 1:01:37 PM UTC-8 andrew....@gmail.com wrote:

[Robin Chatham]

A couple of my hives had a load of dead bees scattered around.  I watch n saw housekeepers flying out with dead bees n dropping them wherever.  No diarrhea Nosema. No tongues sticking out poisoned. No deformed wings Varroa.  

Its been 40 at night n 50 daytime for a week.  Its also been foggy which feels colder n damp and sprinkling. I haven't seen bees out of the hive much.  

Im not going to inspect inside the hive because that would break the insulating propolis seal. My guess is some died from cold n wet. Also maybe a bunch aged out (end of lifespan) but instead of dying in the field they died inside the hive. 

I reduced the entrance even more. 

Anyone else have a suggestion?

Robin Chatham

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[Brain Patterson]

Hi Drew,

If there are a lot of dead bees outside the hive, it could be a sign of a few things. Sometimes during winter, bees can get weak or disoriented, and they may not make it back inside. If the hive is still active with bees coming and going, it could be normal die-off, but it’s worth checking for signs of other issues once it warms up a bit.

It might also be helpful to check the hive for any signs of pests or diseases, like mites or mold, that could be affecting them.

Best,
Patterson.

[Mimi]

When nights are extremely cold bees die inside hive as they use their own body heat to keep brood at 93 degrees.  Bees on outside of cluster die from exhaustion and exposure. They do rotate who is on the outside but still a number of bees die.  Cleanup crew drag out dead and dying bees in the morning.   To lower amount of dead bees, insulate your hive.  

Mimi 

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On Dec 7, 2025, at 6:50 AM, Brain Patterson <patterso...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Andrew Westbury]

Thanks Patterson! We did an inspection yesterday and everything looked great! However we tested for mites and found an overwhelming amount. Maybe 70 per 300 bees. I did a formic acid treatment but worried about removing the bee door due to the cold. I understand that is recommended with formic because they need ventilation. Any recommendations would be great! 

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On Dec 7, 2025, at 6:50 AM, Brain Patterson <patterso...@gmail.com> wrote:



Hi Drew,

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-alameda-county-beekeepers-association/74057df4-9121-4da1-bb83-a1904ea20ca1n%40googlegroups.com.

[real...@aol.com]

Same here ! 

No yellow jacket go do the task of undertaker , yellow jacket prefer live be in my observation on interesting thing many bees flying at night ??? 

Blue jay having a banquet. 

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