Central Oregon Beekeeping Association - Help with cause of death

Reply to: Help with cause of death

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<blockquote>Dennis Gallagher wrote:

Keith, My thought also is that the maggots were fly maggots. I think the freezing temperatures would have killed SHB (Small Hive Beetle) once the bees were dead, if there were any in the first place.&nbsp; You can scrape off the worst of the mess and leave the rest.&nbsp; Your new bees will clean it up.&nbsp;

Did you have an upper entrance or for ventilation? I had a hive that looked similar this year (it died) and it probably was at least partially because I didn't have an upper entrance to allow air circulation and prevent moisture from building up in the hive.&nbsp; That can be a killer too. The moisture condenses inside on the roof roof and drips back down on the bees preventing them from maintaining a livable temperature in the cluster.&nbsp; Some people use an absorbent cloth or pad, or sawdust, in a chamber above the hive bodies with some type of opening between the hive body and the upper chamber so moisture can pass out of the hive body and be absorbed. I didn't have an inner cover with a slot in it for that hive, which is what I normally do.

Dennis&nbsp; 
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