At the beginning of the week, I carefully put organic MiteAway Quick Strips into the hive ( into both of my boxes) per the instructions. I was told that honey bees need to be treated for mites in the spring and fall. If I don't treat them, it's almost a given they won't survive the winter. I chose Mite Away Strips after some lengthy research and recommendations.
Following, the strips being inserted into the hive, my bees began bearding in extraordinary numbers. I thought the bees may have been getting out into the fresh air for a while because the strips might have been irritating. I could only guess; I didn't know anything for sure.
Following, the strips being inserted into the hive, my bees began bearding in extraordinary numbers. I thought the bees may have been getting out into the fresh air for a while because the strips might have been irritating. I could only guess; I didn't know anything for sure.
Scooping bearding bees.
When they were bearding in a large mass, I sat down to play with them. That day, my bees were unusually cozy staying on me after I scooped them. Typically, when I scoop them, they buzz around on my hand and will soon, one-by-one, fly off. That day, they just wanted to stay on me. I spent an hour or so with them.
I was scooping up enormous numbers of bees and they would buzz in my hand without a care. It was the most amazing day I'd had with them all summer! I felt so incredibly connected to them. They seemed to love my company more than usual.
Some of the bearding bees were piles of drones.
Almost all drones.
This pile was almost exclusively made up of drones.
My "mitt" of bees!
By late afternoon, it seemed as though nearly half the hive was on the outside of the box.
My bees were bearding a lot today.
On all prior days, as the sun starts to go down, the bearding bees always go back inside the hive, but this time - the day of the Mite Away Strips - they didn't. They stayed on the outside of the hive. The temperature was dropping and the day was getting darker, yet the bees did not go back inside. As it began to get very close to dark, I went back out and quickly scooped up a handful of them to put them back inside the hive. This was disruptive to them because I worked quickly and bees don't like to be rushed. It resulted in getting some stings, but oddly the stings didn't swell or hurt. I felt a soft prick and then nothing ever happened. I could see the stinger and I rubbed it off, but I had zero reaction.
When I put the handful of bees back into the hive, I took off the two Mite Away Strips. The bees were a bit frantic at this point, so I couldn't gather up anymore and the last of the sunlight was completely gone. I just had to hope the bees on the outside of the hive would somehow survive.
But by morning, it seemed like half of my hive was gone. The top box was all but empty of the once thriving activity. A few scragglers remained of the thousands that had been there. It was devastating.
A small huddle of bearding bees was on the outside of the box and I scooped them up and put them back in the top box and closed things up. I still have no idea what happened. I called the company where I bought the strips and they said nothing like my experience had ever been reported.
Since then, the top box has filled back up with about a quarter of the bees that had been there. I have no idea if my hive is large enough to get through the winter. If anyone has any ideas about what happened, I'd love to hear from you. I'm completely puzzled and very sad.
When I put the handful of bees back into the hive, I took off the two Mite Away Strips. The bees were a bit frantic at this point, so I couldn't gather up anymore and the last of the sunlight was completely gone. I just had to hope the bees on the outside of the hive would somehow survive.
But by morning, it seemed like half of my hive was gone. The top box was all but empty of the once thriving activity. A few scragglers remained of the thousands that had been there. It was devastating.
A small huddle of bearding bees was on the outside of the box and I scooped them up and put them back in the top box and closed things up. I still have no idea what happened. I called the company where I bought the strips and they said nothing like my experience had ever been reported.
Since then, the top box has filled back up with about a quarter of the bees that had been there. I have no idea if my hive is large enough to get through the winter. If anyone has any ideas about what happened, I'd love to hear from you. I'm completely puzzled and very sad.
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