A mystery

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2
0
North Hokianga
Experience
Hobbyist
I have had a hive - just 1 - for 3 years. It was going well, langstroth, 2 strong broodboxes, with a honey box on top so they could gather supplies for the winter, after I harvested the manuka and kanuka frames at New Year.. They were varroa-treated with strips.
I had a plastic container with 5 frames of honey waiting to be extracted in a nearby shed. The container got knocked, leaving a corner of the lid up. Over a week my bees removed all the honey and returned it to their hive.
It appears other bees also joined this raiding, and when the supply finished turned to my hive. I was ill during that week, and recovered to find my bees were no longer there, and every bit of honey, brood, everything was gone. There were very few dead bees in the hive boxes, and none on the ground outside - unlike the battle-scenes of previous robbing we had.
But when I dismantled the hive I found 2 brood frames in the bottom box, centrally placed, had about 10cm long area of of melted plastic at their base, deformed about 3cm up into the frame. Yet the frames on either side had no such melting.
I have not used any equipment or substance that could melt plastic. The plastic sheet I had slid in beneath the base grill was not marked. The frames were not like that when I put them there. What on earth could have caused this?
 
8,865
5,295
maungaturoto
Experience
Commercial
was the wax melted?
if the hive gets to hot the wax in the hive will melt well before frames will.

if wax is ok, then the frames are probably not yours. someones stolen your hive and given you their crap frames to try and make it look like its not been taken.
 
2
0
North Hokianga
Experience
Hobbyist
The wax was melted in a half moon about 15cm around the melted plastic. The hive is visible from my kitchen window. I am away at work a few days a week, so I suppose what you suggest is possible - but why the brood frames from the bottom box? Hardest to get to. Many of the other emptied frames are mine, I have them marked. Thanks for your suggestion.
 
8,865
5,295
maungaturoto
Experience
Commercial
the other thing i can think of is there was a big clump of bees at the entrance blocking the air flow, especially if a bit of robbing going on. that might explain the melted frames/wax. but you normally see it melted everywhere and i would have expected a lot of dead bees.
 

Alastair

Founder Member
Platinum
8,753
9,966
Auckland
Experience
Semi Commercial
Could somebody who you don't know was doing it, have treated your hive for mites with an oxalic vaporiser?

I do know of a case where a guy who knew his neighbour was not treating for mites, and didn't want the mites to spread to him, was sneaking into the neighbours property and giving his hive oxalic vapour treatments. Best I know, the neighbour never found out.
 

Mummzie

Staff member
1,284
1,161
Tasman
Experience
Hobbyist
Sorry to hear of your loss, and such a mystery.
For the plastic to be melted indicates a high temperature at that location, and the heat radiation outward would explain the melted wax.
A combination of the theft/replacement and a vaporiser involved somewhere seems plausible.

Any chance of some photos?
 

tommy dave

Gold
BOP Club
230
263
mostly wellington, sometimes dunedin
Experience
Hobbyist
The wax was melted in a half moon about 15cm around the melted plastic. The hive is visible from my kitchen window. I am away at work a few days a week, so I suppose what you suggest is possible - but why the brood frames from the bottom box? Hardest to get to. Many of the other emptied frames are mine, I have them marked. Thanks for your suggestion.
Photos would be good. Steal brood frames as that's what's needed to establish the hive elsewhere
 
  • Agree
Reactions: AdamD
25
44
Gizzy
Experience
Commercial
The wax was melted in a half moon about 15cm around the melted plastic. The hive is visible from my kitchen window. I am away at work a few days a week, so I suppose what you suggest is possible - but why the brood frames from the bottom box? Hardest to get to. Many of the other emptied frames are mine, I have them marked. Thanks for your suggestion.
Not from having a hot smoker sat on it?
 

Jhah

BOP Club
11
6
kawerau
Experience
Hobbyist
I think its from a vaporiser some well meaning person has left one in a little too long. this is classic damage from these things( electric vaporiser)
 


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