dead brood identify reason

[Cuckmere couple]

anyone know what this is?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Neglected, infertile, drone in worker cells, laying workers, buggered.

 

[mbc]

Neglected, infertile, drone in worker cells, laying workers, buggered.

Aye, shake em oot and start agin

 

[coffindodger]

Taken with your other post, you have laying workers. The supercedure may have been a 'king cell'. I've seen a few this year; thankfully not mine, and this morning have to sort out another for a friend who thought that they too had supercedure cells until we looked inside one to find a very large drone. What has happened this year to give so many people this problem?

 

[GillianS]

I have also had the problem of laying workers and it seems that over the last couple of years it has been more difficult to get virgin queens mated properly. Watched a you tube clip from Mike Waite, the beeman, where he noticed a dramatic drop in the number of his queens getting open mated this year in particular. Might just be weather related, but would be interesting to know if other beeks have noticed any marked difference.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks all

re the laying worker colony then

the queen was doing really well and they produced two supersedure cells which should have hatched 3-4 weeks ago and i have now found what seem to be laying workers

it is around 6 seams of bees

if i shake them out a few hundred yards away...i need to put another colony for them to return to with a reduced entrance so the guards can keep out whatever is laying....ive done this twice before

however....the only colonies i can put there are two smallish nucs on 2-3 frames bia (and would benefit from a bolster of bees) and not sure if these would be over powered by these bees

any suggestions?

 

[jeff33]

I would suggest as MBC and HM. For a hive to get that neglected it means that it is not viable, too small and is a lost cause.

I have lost track of how many issues you have had with your bees this season. At this stage, I would take stock of what viable stock I have (ie-strong hive with a good laying queen) and combine the rest with the strong hive(s) or shake out and let them beg their way.

You want to ensure that you only have strong hives going into the winter with viable queens. I would also try to assess if all of the swarming you have had is due to poor stock or newbees mistakes in management. If the former I would replace queens this year to ensure I don't start the next season with the same headache.

My first 3 years were really hit and miss and mostly stressing out about continuous swarming, splits and Q- hives. The last 3 have seen real improvement, no stress, no swarm and descent honey crop. You will get there but ensure that you have a decent stock.

 

[jeff33]

Put the 2 nucs next to each other about a foot away and check the other bees out 10m away, no need to go too far. They will return and split between the 2 nucs.

QUOTE=Cuckmere couple;680669]thanks all

re the laying worker colony then

the queen was doing really well and they produced two supersedure cells which should have hatched 3-4 weeks ago and i have now found what seem to be laying workers

it is around 6 seams of bees

if i shake them out a few hundred yards away...i need to put another colony for them to return to with a reduced entrance so the guards can keep out whatever is laying....ive done this twice before

however....the only colonies i can put there are two smallish nucs on 2-3 frames bia (and would benefit from a bolster of bees) and not sure if these would be over powered by these bees

any suggestions?[/QUOTE]

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I would suggest as MBC and HM. For a hive to get that neglected it means that it is not viable, too small and is a lost cause.

I have lost track of how many issues you have had with your bees this season. At this stage, I would take stock of what viable stock I have (ie-strong hive with a good laying queen) and combine the rest with the strong hive(s) or shake out and let them beg their way.

You want to ensure that you only have strong hives going into the winter with viable queens. I would also try to assess if all of the swarming you have had is due to poor stock or newbees mistakes in management. If the former I would replace queens this year to ensure I don't start the next season with the same headache.

My first 3 years were really hit and miss and mostly stressing out about continuous swarming, splits and Q- hives. The last 3 have seen real improvement, no stress, no swarm and descent honey crop. You will get there but ensure that you have a decent stock.

Seems to be a situation where the op needs a mentor on hand. While asking in here is useful it can never be as effective as someone with boots on the ground.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes shake out
By the way, the laying workers will be allowed in. I don’t think the bees can tell?
They will stop laying or have their eggs eaten by the house bees.

 

[Bakerbee]

I left a vq six weeks to get going with no results so had to buy one in theyre doing well now but it depleted my numbers in that hive waiting and have had to take frames of bias from other hives to support them. Such a shame as she was a lovely large queen.

 

[coffindodger]

I have also had the problem of laying workers and it seems that over the last couple of years it has been more difficult to get virgin queens mated properly. Watched a you tube clip from Mike Waite, the beeman, where he noticed a dramatic drop in the number of his queens getting open mated this year in particular. Might just be weather related, but would be interesting to know if other beeks have noticed any marked difference.

I wonder if the 'let's kill of the drone cells' method of varroa control could have had an influence?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I wonder if the 'let's kill of the drone cells' method of varroa control could have had an influence?

I don’t kill drones but I doubt the practice by those that do would make much difference. I think the problem lies with DWV affecting their fertility?

 

[Beefriendly]

d it seems that over the last couple of years it has been more difficult to get virgin queens mated properly. Watched a you tube clip from Mike Waite, the beeman, where he noticed a dramatic drop in the number of his queens getting open mated this year in particular. Might just be weather related, but would be interesting to know if other beeks have noticed any marked difference.

Yup, there probably is the nub of the. matter. No problems early season, with good weather, terrible success rate in early June (it pissed down) Late June-early July queens now all laying for England.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Seems to be a situation where the op needs a mentor on hand.

thanks all for the advice

i thought i would just try to reassure a little that im not yet a complete disaster though it may sound like it....ive got 6 hives doing great (3 over wintered and have increased)

i do tend to ask a lot as i like to hear a range of opinions and then to choose what i feel is hte best course

these ;last two posts were odd behaviours from swarms (which are not with my good hives)

my part time mentor has just come back and advising to leave the possible laying worker colony in case its a newly mated q.....its been 5 weeks since the supersedure cell was capped in this colony...and not to combine with my decent nuc anyway as many of the bees ill be trying to unite with it will be getting passed their best anyway, so not much to save

i DO really appreciate the advice and i know i ask a lot of questions...only when i see new stuff

 

[eltalia]

"only when i see new stuff "

A suggestion on "style"... for your edification only, wholly optional.
Only report exactly what you do see, leave the speculative scenarios
as to cause and/or rectification to those you are asking the question of.
Throwing in your own version of "what if" simply feeds those not at all
equipped to help you sort whatever out.
You are posting into this part of the site - I would surmise - in hoping n0t
to attract newbie opinions/comments, fine... yet in writing up your own
solution you invite being told what will n0t work. In a deluge of trash, I note.

I trust there is some light ahead for you.

Bill

 

[Cuckmere couple]

fair point

i try to post more into beginners section, unless it has a complexity which would benefit from the (often more numerous) brains in this section

i tried to understand delineation when first joined

6 hives going great...2 swarms causing the issues and im as interested to learn as bothered at losing

 

[eltalia]

"i tried to understand delineation when first joined"
You're not alone there. The two forums for airing general b'keep questions
do not appear to own any true deliniation, in either scope of
question or quality of discussion.
Still it is what it is.
/shrug/

Bill