Starvation

Signs or indications

A dead colony in early to mid spring that was alive in winter through early spring.

Description

Normally, spring colonies expand with the pollen availability and as the weather becomes warm and dry enough for bees to forage. However, in early spring, there is an imbalance of older workers with fewer younger workers to do the hive tasks. If the weather turns cold and wet and bees are unable to get out to forage fresh pollen, older-aged workers will continue to die (as they need to heat the brood area), but replacement workers are not emerging in sufficient numbers to replace those dying, resulting in colony starvation before the weather improves. Dead bees will be in cluster position (over brood) and piled on bottom board.

Key to diagnosis is the weather and a colony that doesn't have food available close to where the dead cluster is located.

Most closely resembles

adult bee depopulation, deadouts, parasitic mite syndrome, pesticide poisoning or damage

Resources

The Apiarist. n.d. Spring starvation. The Apiarist. Accessed 2023. https://www.theapiarist.org/spring-starvation/

Bee hive monitoring s.r.o. 2019. Blog, Honeybee starvation. Accessed 2024. https://beehivemonitoring.com/en/blog/post/honeybee-starvation.html

Burlew R. 2018. Did your bees die of cold or starvation? Honey Bee Suite. Accessed 2024. https://www.honeybeesuite.com/bees-die-cold-or-starvation/

"Beekeeping | How To Keep Your Bees From Starving In Spring" YouTube, uploaded by David Burns. 2 April 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skmAhLQ9l_Q

 Dead bee cluster likely from winter starvation; no honey stores; photo by Ana Heck
Dead bee cluster likely from winter starvation; no honey stores; photo by Ana Heck
 Dead bees on bottom board; likely from starvation; photo by Dewey M. Caron
Dead bees on bottom board; likely from starvation; photo by Dewey M. Caron
 Dead bees on bottom board; photo by Dewey M. Caron
Dead bees on bottom board; photo by Dewey M. Caron
 Dead bees on bottom board; photo by Randy Oliver
Dead bees on bottom board; photo by Randy Oliver
 Honey bees head-in to cells beneath a dead cluster (no longer there) suggests starvation or deadout; photo by Dewey M. Caron
Honey bees head-in to cells beneath a dead cluster (no longer there) suggests starvation or deadout; photo by Dewey M. Caron
 Dead capped brood on frame in spring deadout, likely from cluster moving away from brood; photo by Dewey M. Caron
Dead capped brood on frame in spring deadout, likely from cluster moving away from brood; photo by Dewey M. Caron
 Spring deadout due to starvation; photo by Dewey M. Caron
Spring deadout due to starvation; photo by Dewey M. Caron