Dearth

Yesterday morning as I lay in bed watching the garden through the window, I noticed the bees didn't seem very active. Much later, when we returned from breakfast in High Springs, the early afternoon sun was bright, and the air balmy, but still--little activity. I put my ear to the hive: very quiet. Not silent, but quiet.
One of the reasons we drove all the way to High Springs for breakfast was that I wanted to visit Dadant Bee Supplies, to buy a veil and smoker, maybe some of that essential oil mi for varroa mites--but it turns out they're closed weekends. The last couple of times I'd opened the hive I felt the bees were a little testy, and I did get stung once or twice, so I'd decided to get some gear before I bothered them again. But observing them, they seemed lethargic, maybe even weak. I opened the hive commando style. Once guard bee did try to spook me by getting in my face, but the the others were dazy and reluctant to fly.
Here's what I found inside:
Fewer bees. I hesitate to pick a number, but I almost feel we're down to the original population level of about 10,000.
1 bee crippled by a fat mite (looked, but didn't spot any others)
4 hive beetles
All of the honeycomb that had slumped to the hive floor, which used to be full of honey, is now empty.
The one brood comb I pulled had a small amount of honey stored at the top, but the brood cells were empty, empty.
The whole back of the hive, though it has a little comb built on it, has only a tiny amount of capped honey storage. The rest of the comb and bars are empty, empty.

With the honey stores gone, I must conclude the bees aren't finding enough forage and have consumed most of what they brought in this spring. The mite and the beetle suggest the hive isn't defending properly; since a colony's behavior is its immune system, it means weakness.
I have more research to do, but I'm responding as if what's going on is dearth. I can easily imagine the combination of heavy, daily rains and the hot high summer season means less forage and the less flying time to find it.
I put the feeder out with a heavy syrup (1:1 1/2) dosed with lemongrass and peppermint. I tested a few drops on bees last night and they ate it off my fingertips eagerly, but this morning it's been raining since dawn and the poor bees are still huddled inside, unable to fly. I slid a plate with a shallow pool of syrup under their roof--emergency rations.
additional: I checked on them before leaving for work, and saw a couple of workers coming in with full pollen baskets. so they are managing to fly a little, despite the rain. Hopefully they'll start taking the syrup today once the weather clears.