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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rick" data-source="post: 259953" data-attributes="member: 13">Hard to say really. I went out last Friday to change the syrup jar and noticed there were only a couple bees around despite it being 55 degrees. I tapped on the hive and was met with silence. Finding this odd I opened it up even though I had to leave in a few minutes. No bees inside. I noticed some yellow jackets just causally walking into the hive. So I sealed the opening to protect any honey.Next day I took it all apart. There were some dead bees but not that many so I think they just left. They didn't starve because I extracted a gallon and a half of honey that day which is more than they need around here for the winter. There was some evidence of American foulbrood so I sent some brood samples off to the USDA. They do free tests in case you didn't know.I also did a mite count and the mite load was very high. I believe the varroa got them this time of year which isn't uncommon. Even though this hive was nearly four years old and never had a problem for whatever reason it took them down this fall. Sad because I had a lot of bees just days before this. I'll be getting a new hive this spring.</blockquote>