50/50 chance of survival

[rossbyjove]

Just had a guy come round to help me adress what I thought was a honeybound hive.
Turns out the stores are fine it's the size of the colony that's the problem.
I seem to have a new queen who overwintered without having to lay much.
Too many drone cells and multiple eggs in cells.
There is worker brood also, reckons she may be inexperienced and just finding her feet so to speak.
Bees are on about 3 frames and the weather is stopping foraging.
She will only lay what can be fed ?
Should I get rid of most of the drone cells as they are going to be 'useless eaters' at the moment ?
I am moving them into a nuc in the next couple of days.

 

[Wilco]

If they're only on a few frames yet there are lots of drone brood I would be concerned about the possibly she's becoming a DLQ or you have laying workers. I usually only see drone brood in healthy colonies once there is a significant amount of worker brood. Have you seen the queen this year?

 

[ericbeaumont]

useless eaters

They will provide warmth to the nest.
Was the queen a late mating last year?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Too many drone cells and multiple eggs in cells.
There is worker brood also, reckons she may be inexperienced and just finding her feet

after mating last year? if there is loads of drone brood and not much expansion I'd seriously be looking at a failing queen and laying workers

 

[rossbyjove]

If they're only on a few frames yet there are lots of drone brood I would be concerned about the possibly she's becoming a DLQ or you have laying workers. I usually only see drone brood in healthy colonies once there is a significant amount of worker brood. Have you seen the queen this year?

Yes have seen the Queen and the guy said it looked like a very healthy young lady.
Another way more experienced beek came round the end of last season and said she looked very new. She may just be taking her time to get sorted?
It's not a strong colony but they are very calm
There is worker brood in there.
I will be moving them into a nuc today or tomorrow so will see if she is laying more workers.
Otherwise I will just put my name on the swarm list!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the guy said it looked like a very healthy young lady.

oh, that's alright then

 

[rossbyjove]

They will provide warmth to the nest.
Was the queen a late mating last year?

Yes I suspect she was late. I think she may be the third Queen they produced last year.

 

[rossbyjove]

oh, that's alright then

I know nothing Jenks !
He does it for a living.
He did say if it was his hive he would just tip them out on the floor next to another hive and let them join that one. He has about 80 hives and will be doubling later on in the year.
I have one so that option is not a luxury I have.

 

[ericbeaumont]

looking at a failing queen

Agree.

taking her time to get sorted?

No, she's had her chance. If they're only big enough to fit in a nuc, you might replace her - buy a queen.

 

[ericbeaumont]

If you do go down that road, cage her for a week to prevent laying and limit their options of acceptance, and then add the new caged queen,

Caging her keeps the pheromone in the hive and prevents emergency QCs.

 

[Wilco]

Yes have seen the Queen and the guy said it looked like a very healthy young lady.
Another way more experienced beek came round the end of last season and said she looked very new. She may just be taking her time to get sorted?
It's not a strong colony but they are very calm
There is worker brood in there.
I will be moving them into a nuc today or tomorrow so will see if she is laying more workers.
Otherwise I will just put my name on the swarm list!

Appearances count for little in my book- look at what she's doing. Looking big and well just means she's probably well raised, well fed and possibly relatively young. It doesn't mean she mated well. If they raised several in a short time, that would give me alarm bells that something is amiss.

 

[North End Bees]

Otherwise I will just put my name on the swarm list!

Set up your own bait hive. More convenient than relying on someone catching a swarm for you.

 

[rossbyjove]

Set up your own bait hive. More convenient than relying on someone catching a swarm for you.

I have just made upm a Nuc so may give that a go.
We do have a guy in the club who is the 'swarm officer'.
I am top of the list but will bait the Nuc as well.
They seem to be a regular occurance around here during the season.

 

[rossbyjove]

Agree.


No, she's had her chance. If they're only big enough to fit in a nuc, you might replace her - buy a queen.

Just had a look today and yeah she is effin useless.
More drone than worker brood and it's all over the place.
It was a cast swarm given to me last year and think she is the third Queen never had a decent Queen from them.
The upside is I have built a Nuc from bits and pieces of timber in the shed.