18th May - Inspection

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
No 1 Hive has larvae in both the brood box and super. Following inserting a q/e I noted the larvae in the brood box are smaller/younger than those in the super. Couldn't see eggs in either but if the larvae are younger I'm hopeful the still unfound queen is now in the brood box and a few weeks will see the super clearing of larvae and brood.
No 2 Hive is busy and the queen cell in the middle of the frame has opened. The marked queen is missing but lots of bees present in the hive. Supercedure seems to be in progress.
No 3 Hive is filling with nectar both in the brood and super. Can't find eggs or larvae but still much capped brood. Considering giving this hive a frame of brood from no 1
No 4 Hive still weak, no expansion at all. The bees forage and a few larvae and capped brood cells are present. Still unable to see the queen. No drone cells or queen cups in this hive. I have dribbled some Thymol syrup mix onto the seams of bees between the frames. Seriously considering culling this colony.
Left the AS hive alone apart from a glance through the clear crown board to see plenty of bees in the seams and observing traffic at the entrance.
The small cluster found in the hedge last week are in a brood box with dummy boards. Don't know if they are enough to be worth saving but they have a slight chance.
 
Back
Top