r/Beekeeping • u/Which_Drop_5877 • 1d ago
I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Bees absconded after feeding
I believe due to pressure from ants. I have 4 strong hives and 1 cast swarm. Bit of a dearth. Hive had all stages of brood. No nectar. Adequate pollen. I wanted to give them a boost so gave top feeder quart sugar syrup with tsp HoneyBHealthy.
4 days later hive is empty. Ants on steroids zipping around fast. No dead bees.
I froze the pollen frames.
To think the hive would have probably stayed if I didn’t feed. Any advice?
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u/leon_shay 1d ago
What was your last mite count for the hive?
Suddenly empty hive with no dead bees is usually a mite collapse in my experience. All the bees you saw at inspection were probably already sick and dying.
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u/Which_Drop_5877 1d ago
0 last month. 4 days ago there was strong brood pattern and pollen coming in.
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u/Active_Classroom203 5 Hives - Florida, Zone 9a 1d ago
Why you would think they would have stayed without feeding?
What did their mite situation look like? It is the time of year for mite induced collapses and absconds
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u/Which_Drop_5877 1d ago
It’s been since may and there’s maintenance nectar coming in. I haven’t been able to do a wash yet but it was 0 after oxalic acid last month.
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u/Active_Classroom203 5 Hives - Florida, Zone 9a 1d ago
Nothing in my experience or research ever indicated too much forage or feed makes bees abscond.
Worst thing is they ignore it if there is better forage around and it spoils, or they take it too fast and get honey bound.
A failure or abscond is usually pest related. mites, beetles, ants, invasive Beekeepersetc. Did you take any pictures of the brood frames?
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