A tad conceerned about lack of brood

[ShinySideUp]

I went through my hives yesterday for the last time this year as I had to put in some Apivar (varroa not responding to previous Apiguard treatment) and there are no eggs (that I could see in the bad light), no larvae and no sealed cells; I didn't look for the queens. I think it unlikely that all three hives are suddenly queenless but I didn't notice this behaviour last year at this time.

I shan't bother inspecting again this year as if they are truly queenless then there is nothing much I can do anyway since a uniting obviously wouldn't help.

Is this non-laying to such an extent normal, or at a least a natural possibility?

I might add that the bees are busy bringing back pollen so I'm somewhat hopeful.

 

[domino]

I found two of my hives in a similar situation. The Ivy has flowered I'm going to check next week to see if that gets them laying.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I went through my hives yesterday for the last time this year as I had to put in some Apivar (varroa not responding to previous Apiguard treatment) and there are no eggs (that I could see in the bad light), no larvae and no sealed cells; I didn't look for the queens. I think it unlikely that all three hives are suddenly queenless but I didn't notice this behaviour last year at this time.

I shan't bother inspecting again this year as if they are truly queenless then there is nothing much I can do anyway since a uniting obviously wouldn't help.

Is this non-laying to such an extent normal, or at a least a natural possibility?

I might add that the bees are busy bringing back pollen so I'm somewhat hopeful.

That’s why you’ve been getting high drops then? Nowhere for the mites to hide. One vape or trickle now and you’re done.

 

[For want of a better word]

Possibly all the chemicals that have been introduced into the colonies have put HM off lay... some of my natives took a bit of a break but are back into full winter bee producing mode with the tons of ivy available... perhaps it is something in the ivy.. stinks horrible IMOHO!!

Chons da

 

[Jonnyl]

Shouldn't you only leave apivar in for 6 weeks?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[ShinySideUp]

That’s why you’ve been getting high drops then? Nowhere for the mites to hide.

Yes, that's what I was thinking because yesterday when I put the Apivar in the mite drop had fallen to almost nothing, so much so that I was thinking of not putting the Apivar in at all. I don't have a vape device so I've just done the Apivar and I'll not trickle at Christmas time now unless the mites start falling again.

Shouldn't you only leave apivar in for 6 weeks?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Yes, six weeks. They say you can leave it for ten weeks if you take it out, scratch it and put it back in a different place but I'll probably not do that. They do say not to leave it in over winter though so as not to breed resistance. I'll open them quickly at the end of November and whip the strips out before the bees know I'm there.

 

[beeno]

Winter bees are the bees that emerge in September/October. Have you had any?

 

[ShinySideUp]

Winter bees are the bees that emerge in September/October. Have you had any?

No way of knowing as my inspections have been sporadic and cursory since end of August. I'm pretty philosophical about it now as I have been to this evenings meeting of the local Beek Association and others have said they have nothing at the moment. So unless there is an alien spacecraft abducting bee queens I shall assume that it is quite natural and that everything will turn out ok.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is this non-laying to such an extent normal,

Yes

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Winter bees are the bees that emerge in September/October. Have you had any?

winter bees are the ones that are laid in late September/October/November

 

[Millet]

winter bees are the ones that are laid in late September/October/November

And so on from past experience.. i hear of brood breaks here and there which has never been the case here.

 

[beeno]

No way of knowing as my inspections have been sporadic and cursory since end of August. I'm pretty philosophical about it now as I have been to this evenings meeting of the local Beek Association and others have said they have nothing at the moment. So unless there is an alien spacecraft abducting bee queens I shall assume that it is quite natural and that everything will turn out ok.

Well, that's the way to go, normal in your locale at the moment. My hives are hot, the bees are on the ivy flow and brooding.

 

[Swarm]

If you weren't going through colonies in October, you'd have far less to worry about. Mine were gathering lots of propolis at the end of July, preparing themselves for the cold and wet months ahead. Why would you lift frames now?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you weren't going through colonies in October, you'd have far less to worry about. Mine were gathering lots of propolis at the end of July, preparing themselves for the cold and wet months ahead. Why would you lift frames now?

I've hardly cracked a crown board since the end of August unless there was something specific that needed doing.

 

[Eyeman]

If you weren't going through colonies in October, you'd have far less to worry about. Mine were gathering lots of propolis at the end of July, preparing themselves for the cold and wet months ahead. Why would you lift frames now?

Last inspection was to put Apivar strips in on 22nd Aug and remove QE's and any supers not overwintering.
Next opening of the hives will be around 29th Oct to remove strips and do a final mite count using an alcohol wash. Will then use my alcohol wash data alongside how the colonies overwinter to see if there is any correlation.
All colonies apart from those on the Urban Manchester roof tops are at their prewinter weight without the need for any supplementary feed.
Time to sit back and enjoy autumn.

 

[beeno]

I always make sure my queens are laying worker brood after treatment before I close up. Found two drone layers this year and used up the two nucs I was meant to overwinter. That's what I call good management practice even if I say so myself and happy bees going into winter.

 

[Eyeman]

I always make sure my queens are laying worker brood after treatment before I close up. Found two drone layers this year and used up the two nucs I was meant to overwinter. That's what I call good management practice even if I say so myself and happy bees going into winter.

I like to get final supers off mid/late Aug then varroa treatment on. Final inspection is after treatment is done. This can be after 1 week with MAQS
to 10 weeks with Apivar.