Double 12x14 brood problem.

[Markthebuilder]

So moved into new house end of June and moved my 3 hives there , they were doing extremely well to say I had pretty much left them to there own devices for a couple of years went on holiday first 2 weeks in August and when I came back robed them of 5 heavy suppers
Above said there was a lack of eggs or grubs just a fair amount caped brood and a lot of drones in all 3 hives one having a caped queen cell
I’ve left alone 14 days 2 now have Lava and in 3rd queen cell open but couldn’t see any eggs or brood still plenty of drone. I have put a test frame just in case not much on it but believe there is something they can use or not.

On basis there is a young mated/or virgin in there how long should I leave it alone.
If there isn’t what do people think chances of any queen grown now will have or should I cut losses and combine— I assume box with known queen on top and let Queen less hive move up then strip back down to one 14/12 before closing up for winter
any thoughts advice welcome.

 

[Erichalfbee]

On basis there is a young mated/or virgin in there how long should I leave it alone.

Check the test frame in three days
Are you treating for varroa?
Do the colonies have stores?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

if it was less than 14 days since the queen emerged from the QC I wouldn't expect her to be mated and laying for some time yet

 

[Markthebuilder]

Check the test frame in three days
Are you treating for varroa?
Do the colonies have stores?

I planned to sugar role this weekend to get a base line for numbers and then start treating.
I am concerned about the level of stores they are still bringing in honey and back filling the empty brood but there isn’t a lot of pollen / bread any suggestions or can they do ok on just honey

 

[Erichalfbee]

I planned to sugar role this weekend to get a base line for numbers and then start treating.
I am concerned about the level of stores they are still bringing in honey and back filling the empty brood but there isn’t a lot of pollen / bread any suggestions or can they do ok on just honey

Have you Ivy in your area? There is good pollen there.
If the bees really have little pollen and the chances of ivy are slim I would get some pollen sub on pronto.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

So moved into new house end of June and moved my 3 hives there , they were doing extremely well to say I had pretty much left them to there own devices for a couple of years went on holiday first 2 weeks in August and when I came back robed them of 5 heavy suppers
Above said there was a lack of eggs or grubs just a fair amount caped brood and a lot of drones in all 3 hives one having a caped queen cell
I’ve left alone 14 days 2 now have Lava and in 3rd queen cell open but couldn’t see any eggs or brood still plenty of drone. I have put a test frame just in case not much on it but believe there is something they can use or not.

On basis there is a young mated/or virgin in there how long should I leave it alone.
If there isn’t what do people think chances of any queen grown now will have or should I cut losses and combine— I assume box with known queen on top and let Queen less hive move up then strip back down to one 14/12 before closing up for winter
any thoughts advice welcome.

A virgin queens needs 5 - 6 days out of the queencell before she is mature enough to mate. If she then has a few days of decent weather, then she should mate OK. Most do. If you have North Easterlies for days on end, that's not good weather for mating! [Quickest I've had is 8 days from emergence to laying]. It can be a couple of days minimum (for small colonies) before she starts to lay after mating. It takes longer with a large colony. As pointed out, a test frame with eggs/small larvae will tell you whether there is a queen in the hive. Queencells tells you that the hive is queenless.
If you see an area in the middle of the brood nest where there are polished cells where you would expect to see brood, that's a good sign a queen is present; she's just not ready yet. (Harder to see if there's not much forage coming in).

 

[Markthebuilder]

Thank you all for comments,
Haveing thought it through I decided not to sugar role due to probability of young unmarked queens only just starting to lay and 1 pos virgin.
I have started treatment with apigaurd and started to feed one QR hive
The poss virgin /QL hive was a bit feisty and I was in my work suit rather than a bee suit so just closed them up after outing AG tray . Will try have a look wed/ Thursday if dry