2nd week inspection- clueless beginner

[daveyowen]

Hello, I have a national hive with just a brood box which has ten frames in it with about 7.5 frames covered with either honey or larvae after just over two weeks from a 6 frame nuc (from SIPA). Although everything is looking healthy I noticed on one frame that there are two large balls, which I am guessing are queen larvae that are growing.

Is it possible for someone to confirm this? And do I have to kill / destroy them which will be difficult with many thousands of bees on one frame ?

What would the consequences of not taking prompt action as I don't want to disturb them too much ?

Many thanks, David

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have a look at these and tell us which you have

Queen cup



Drone brood



Queen cell



The first two require no action. The third does

 

[daveyowen]

That is extremely helpful. It is the top one but without a hole at the bottom and the two of them are not near each other.

 

[drex]

So, it looks like the top picture, a queen cup, but no hole at the bottom, so it is sealed. This could be an emergency queen cell, the only picture that Dani has not posted that could be relevant. Can you see any eggs? Is the queen marked? Can you see her?
I would advise you do nothing until you can give further information and get given more advice.

Your hive could be queen less and they are trying to make a new queen. If that is the case you are in a perilous position without further advice

 

[Swarm]

Probably two random capped drone cells.

 

[enrico]

Probably two random capped drone cells.

I would suggest nothing to worry about but you need to get some good books. Try something easy like.....bees at the bottom of the garden.....which you can read in a couple of days and will give you some ideas. Let's hope that one of the forum members near you will offer to show you a hive and all you through the different cells and what you might find
????!!!! E

 

[Cole lynch]

Why only 10 frames in your brood box? They usually hold 11 & a dummy board
As far as the cells you e found. They sound like drone cells. Google pics of them n make sure. There’s tons of good videos on YouTube to learn from

 

[daveyowen]

Thanks all. The queen was marked and i saw her last week. I will leave it until the next inspection as it does not look too serious at the moment. I purchased the hove from Caddon and they said that the broodbox and supers should only hold 10 frames. I tried to put one in mid week but there is so much honeycomb that I could not fit it in within crushing the bees.

 

[drex]

Whatever. You would certainly benefit from some experienced eyes and advice. If in doubt, my motto is to leave it to the bees and they will sort it out, as ultimately they want to survive. At the worst you could lose a swarm, but would likely still end up with a viable hive.
i agree that you need to get some good books or you could contact your local association.
Good and bad videos on you tube. Those from Norfolk honey company are ok for beginners

 

[pargyle]

Thanks all. The queen was marked and i saw her last week. I will leave it until the next inspection as it does not look too serious at the moment. I purchased the hove from Caddon and they said that the broodbox and supers should only hold 10 frames. I tried to put one in mid week but there is so much honeycomb that I could not fit it in within crushing the bees.

Are your frames pushed up against each other - the protruding bits on the edge of the side bars should touch the next frame - this gives the bees double bee space (so two bees can pass each other on the face of the comb). If you give them more space than a bee space they willl build free comb in it.

From the number of frames you have in the hive and the amount of comb you have in there I suspect you may have your frames spaced too widely apart.

You should also have a dummy board at the end of the frames - you can take this frame out easily when you start your inspection and then you have space to ease each frame back into the space you have made by removing the dummy and there will be less chance of crushing (rolling) bees.

You do need to read a book like Bees at the Bottom of the Garden (soon !!). You may admit to being clueless and we all start out pretty clueless - but you need to get into the language and common requirements of keeping bees .. fast. It's a steep enough learning curve when you know a bit ...without any knowledge it's a bit like climbing the North face of the Eiger after a life spent in Norfolk !

 

[Heather]

Sometimes, bees just practice, and make what looks like the beginning of a queen cell (top picture). But if no white creamy substance in, just bone dry.. these are ... lets wind up the bee keeper' cells. Nothing to worry about.

Only if there is something in, do you need to think..they want to requeen- why?, is she there, is she laying poorly so they need to replace. do they want to swarm (unlikely in your scenario). That's when you grab a mentor and chat it through.

 

[daveyowen]

Hello, bees at the bottom of the garden book is arriving Tuesday. After 5 weeks I have all frames in the brood box covered in honeycomb (no supers, just one brood box), with larvae, empty cells needing the queen's attention or honey. Do I need to add another brood box ? Sadly, I cannot get hold of a mentor and may call SIPA who I purchased a six frame nuc frame for advice. So any help will do. No idea on the number of bees but guess 20,000. Many thanks in advance, David

 

[captain666]

Dave, 'Bees at the bottom of the garden' is a pretty good book for a beginner but ignore the 'matchstick-under-the-crownboard' part.

It'll only cause a chimney effect and the bees will try to close the gap with propolis*

* The amber sticky stuff.

 

[beeno]

Have you got eggs or queen?

 

[daveyowen]

Eggs

 

[beeno]

Have you still got your marked queen? If not there is time for you to have had a newly mated queen in there. Just trying to ascertain whether it was emergency QC you saw as they are short and stubby.

 

[daveyowen]

Yes, those two I think are drones. Definitely, not QC from the pictures.

 

[enrico]

Don't add another brood box. Your bees should not need it this year. If you have loads of nectar being stored in the brood box then a queen excluder and a super might be worth it just so they can start to draw the foundation out. I seriously doubt you need that either though. Remember the queen lays eggs every day but every day some sealed cells emerge so room will be having made for new eggs every day too!
E

 

[madasafish]

Really you need experienced help.
It is late in the season and screw it up now and your bees may not survive winter. Contact your nearest Association and ask for help/a mentor..

Seen it far too often. Ask - help is usually willingly available and free... and worth £100s at this time of year.

 

[beeno]

As a matter of interest, have you still got your marked Q. Seems very normal to me as long as the Q new or old has somewhere to lay.