# Sickeningly "sweet" hive smell



## Hokie Bee Daddy (Apr 1, 2011)

I have two nucs that I have been trying to build up since early July and would like to carry them through the winter. Over the last few weeks I've seen a few bees crawling away from them that haven't been able to fly. I assumed it was nosema and started to feed fumigillin. About that time goldenrod started blooming and they slowed down taking syrup so I haven't been able to give them much medicine.

I went into the two nucs last Thursday evening. One smells fine - like a bee hive should smell. The other has a sickeningly sweet smell. I've smelled it before when I've had dead outs or really weak hives that were close to dying and when I've smelled it there has always been wax moth or SHB damage in the hive. I didn't see anything unusual on Thursday so I decided to go back in today to see if there were any changes. Again, I didn't see anything unusual. I saw the queen and it looks like she has started laying again after stopping for a few weeks. There were no slimed frames or air bubbles in the stored honey. Tonight I counted about 20 crawlers in front of the nuc. As a precaution I installed two beetle traps when I inspected today.

I'm at a loss for what is happening to this hive. Does anyone have suggestions on what disease is affecting this nuc and how I should treat?

Thanks for your advice.


----------



## fish_stix (May 17, 2009)

Varroa?


----------



## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

ya bees crawling you probably need to treat for varroa.


----------



## Jpoindexter (Oct 22, 2010)

Are you smelling the golden-rod?


----------



## Hokie Bee Daddy (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks for the responses. I don't think this is goldenrod because the other three hives beside this one don't smell this way.

Regarding varroa, I had read on another thread that varroa wasn't a problem for nucs. I'll treat though and see if that brings them around. Any other thoughts on the cause of the smell?

Thanks again.


----------



## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Maybe some robber bees got in & uncapped a bunch of honey.


----------



## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

sickeningly sweet smell was a way AFB was described to me


----------



## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

The bees are working on something other than what the other hives are.


----------



## Hokie Bee Daddy (Apr 1, 2011)

Well here's a follow up. I've checked the beetle traps the last two days and caught three of the critters. I think the smell was from the start of some hive beetle damage going on. The sweet smell has gone away and I've set out baited cd case hive beetle traps to try to catch more of the beetles.

I'm holding off on the varroa treatment for now. The crawlers look normal (no DWV) except the abdomen looks larger than normal. I also noticed more spotting on the outside of the nuc yesterday and did a fumadil-B drench (as honeyshack recommended in an earlier thread). Crawlers are still there but reduced. Will try another drench and feeding method this week to try to get more medicine in the hive.

Thanks for the responses. I'll let you know how things turn out.


----------



## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

If we were voting, I'd vote for Snapper. First time my bees were ripening Goldenrod, whew! I thought they had killed a mouse and it was still in the hive. Fermenting dirty socks is another description I like IMO, the smell and the DWV are different issues. I have several hives that have "crawlers". Seems the most show up when a large group do their first orientation flights. My guess is they can do all the hive duties till it comes time to become a forager. The DWV seems to manifest itself to different degrees. I have seen some that the wings are just twisted wisps. Others, only one rear wing is affected. Sometimes only minor, but they still can not fly. They seek elevation and rub their abdomens with a swirl motion. Some have no apparent defect. Still can't fly. So, my "thoughts" are, the DWV can affect the musculature and show no obvious defect. Still can't fly. Any other thoughts on this would be welcomed as this is just my "wonderings". As far as treating, I can not advise. I do not treat. IMO, DWV is a bee malady the is exacerbated by mites, not caused by them.
Good luck with what ever path you choose.


----------

