Broodless colony

[Justin R]

Hi All

can’t remember whether I’ve posted an introduction here before and my profile tells me that I haven’t posted anything “recently”, but how long is recently I wonder?

Anyway in case I didn’t, I’m in Angus with 4 hives and have been keeping bees for about 4 yrs.

Now the question: I bought a colony end of July (I know, a bit late but the weather was problematic earlier) which seemed to be doing ok through Aug. but in mid september I checked them again and no brood of any kind. Also very little pollen, almost none actually. I did find the queen though.

I haven’t seen this situation before so I panicked a bit but then found out that it’s not that uncommon if there’s a dearth in Aug/Sept, which there was I think what with lots of rain and some weird September frosts. So I fed them and ordered some vitafeed pollen patty which I was able to put on last week-end, in case they would like some brood but are unable due to so little pollen.

Today I checked them and there still weren’t even any eggs that I could see, and they hadn’t even touched the pollen substitute.

So it’s october and now I’m more worried!

Any thoughts?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Pollen subs can be a bit of a waste of time - sometimes the bees think so as well. Bees often have a brood break August-September and has nothing much to do with forage availability.
I had a DASH audit on the 18th of September, myself, two SBIs and one RBI went through over thirty colonies that day and the majority of the colonies were broodless with only a couple having eggs and larvae.
Mid September was only a few weeks ago so I wouldn't be surprised if they haven't kicked in again.
You don't mention when you treated for varroa - or with what.
Nor have you mentioned what is going on with the other colonies.
It's getting late in the season to clatter around much in the hives now, and not much you can do if things have gone awry.
My advice would be to treat for varroa as a matter of urgency if you haven't already, close them down, give them a good and proper feed (a couple of gallons at least of 2:1 or invert - and piled on, not trickled to them in dribs and drabs) and hope for the best come spring.

 

[ericbeaumont]

majority of the colonies were broodless with only a couple having eggs and larvae.

Yes, I checked a couple of frames in 13 colonies today and saw eggs & open larvae in only one. Of the others, 10 had patches of sealed brood and 2 were suspect queenless. I united one and will wait a week and unite a nuc to the last.

So it’s october and now I’m more worried

Not much to do but follow JBM's advice and wait for spring; it is tough when you have only four, and the queen you saw may be an unmated late supersedure, but that's the way it goes.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Hi All

can’t remember whether I’ve posted an introduction here before and my profile tells me that I haven’t posted anything “recently”, but how long is recently I wonder?

Anyway in case I didn’t, I’m in Angus with 4 hives and have been keeping bees for about 4 yrs.

Now the question: I bought a colony end of July (I know, a bit late but the weather was problematic earlier) which seemed to be doing ok through Aug. but in mid september I checked them again and no brood of any kind. Also very little pollen, almost none actually. I did find the queen though.

I haven’t seen this situation before so I panicked a bit but then found out that it’s not that uncommon if there’s a dearth in Aug/Sept, which there was I think what with lots of rain and some weird September frosts. So I fed them and ordered some vitafeed pollen patty which I was able to put on last week-end, in case they would like some brood but are unable due to so little pollen.

Today I checked them and there still weren’t even any eggs that I could see, and they hadn’t even touched the pollen substitute.

So it’s october and now I’m more worried!

Any thoughts?

My wife has made a study of J M Barrie and that has included places connected with him. So, yes, we have been to Kirriemuir. It's good to make such connections with present and past.

 

[Justin R]

Thank you all, that is encouraging to hear.
Interesting to consider that as I rarely disturb the brood frames during the late summer/autumn it could be that my colonies behave like this every year and I wouldn't even know it.

Mr Jenkins I will proceed as you suggest, including adding more feed. Out of interest do you suggest "and piled on, not trickled to them in dribs and drabs" because of the lateness of the season or would that be your advice more generally as a feeding regime?

Ericbeaumont the queen came with the nuc and there was plenty of brood when I got it so I have fair hopes that the queen is ok.

Beekeyplayer yes kirriemuir and blairgowrie area has some of the biggest honey businesses in the country as well, though I'm a bit further up the glens myself.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mr Jenkins I will proceed as you suggest, including adding more feed. Out of interest do you suggest "and piled on, not trickled to them in dribs and drabs" because of the lateness of the season or would that be your advice more generally as a feeding regime?

always the way to go with autumn feeding, the quantity of syrup available will trigger them into a storing frenzy, they also clear it in double quick time with colonies hoovering down over a gallon in just a few days. small quantity stop start feeding can lead to them just dipping in and consuming rather than storing.

 

[Erichalfbee]

they also clear it in double quick time with colonies hoovering down over a gallon in just a few days.

One of mine took 7 litres overnight