I have a few pictures of a colony which recently succumbed.
The previous fortnight had been cold with maximums of 5c or 6c
This was what I found, small cluster with the marked queen present. This was a 2011 queen. There was a similar sized cluster on the other side and another similar cluster on the adjacent frame.
failed-colony-queen-present.jpg
When the bees were shaken off the comb there were very obvious signs of isolation starvation. recently uncapped empty honey storage cells and brood present
failed-colony-isolation-starvation.jpg
There were stores present, but not right beside the cluster
failed-colony-brood-queen-stores-present.jpg
This was the problem, brood still present and the cluster would not leave it.
failed-colony-brood-present.jpg
Close up of the brood. the brood looks a bit ropey but had been dead for a while probably due to chilling and the bees had started to tidy up.
failed-colony-brood-close-up.jpg
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