# I lost a strong hive.



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Yep, it is dead. Totally.

I had noticed that there were not as many bees coming and going on the few warmish days that we have been having, but I blamed it on it's being in a more exposed location. 

Not!

I opened it up to remove the apistan strips, and it is DEAD!

And, it had 5 MICE inside!!!!! GRRRR...... The honey was all gone but there was still pollen present. There were no dead bees: the mice had probably eaten them. GRRrr....

I am now worried about the other 2 hives in my yard, which have always been weaker. I will get into them as soon as we get another mildish day. It is a LOUSY time of year to be tearing apart hives!


----------



## Timber (Jun 15, 2003)

Terri, It sounds like the colony went queenless, the bees ran their normal life span and died. Then the rodents found empty nest, and the bounty. 
Was there some capped brood when you put in the stripes?

Timber


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I honestly don't know. It is very hard for me to squat, so I didn't go through the lower box very well. I just noticed that the hive was strong and had plenty of stores, put in the apistan strips, and closed it up.

But, the other hives were winding down their brood rearing, so it seems unlikely that the bees died of old age. The fall bees live all winter long.


----------



## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

Did you have an entrance reducer/mouse gaurd?


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Beeman said:


> Did you have an entrance reducer/mouse gaurd?


Not on THAT hive, because I thought that a traffic jam would bother the bees. On the last warm days of fall they were still gathering pollen. I DID eventually reduce the entrance, but only 2 weeks ago.

Live and learn, I suppose.


----------



## Oregonsparkie (Sep 3, 2003)

Same thing happened to me.. My strongest hive all died. A few bees on the bottom board and honey still left in the frames.... just no bees


----------

