Double brood, loads of honey, little brood, QCs

[44Whitehall]

I had a peek into my hives today for the first time post winter. One hive is doing well but the other is causing me concern.

It is a national hive, currently configured as a double brood without supers. The upper box is pretty well full of capped honey and there is a reasonable amount of honey and pollen downstairs. Brood is in short supply, with a high proportion of drone brood and four QCs built centre frame on two or three sides.

I did not see young brood nor did I see eggs. I frequently struggle to locate the queen and today was no different but I am slightly concerned by the high proportion of drone brood and the QCs.

I'm thinking of doing one of two things:

1. putting a super between the brood boxes with the stores up top to relieve the pressure on space.

2. re-ordering the boxes to put the stores at the bottom and the mixed-use box above it, with a super above a QX to give space for new stores.

Any thoughts would be most welcome.

Many thanks to all.

Rob



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[BMH]

EDIT - sorry, I see you mentioned no eggs.

 

[BMH]

Queen cells either mean swarming or supersedure so action is required.

I assume they arent emergency cells??

 

[BMH]

Any noticeable drop in bee numbers??

 

[BMH]

Sorry to say but it sounds like your bees have swarmed, or more likely you have a drone laying queen or poor performing queen who is being superseded.

Its too early for any queens (even imported) so my opinion would just to leave them be and pray for scorching hot weather!

 

[Heather]

Think queen failure, as bit early for a swarm. Too early for a mating as drones v immature. Combine with a queenright colony- dumping queen cells being built. As soon as eggs etc and drones in abundance you can split again.
IMO.

 

[BMH]

Think queen failure, as bit early for a swarm. Too early for a mating as drones v immature. Combine with a queenright colony- dumping queen cells being built. As soon as eggs etc and drones in abundance you can split again.
IMO.

Ooh if you have another colony definitely combine.

I assumed you just had the 1.

 

[44Whitehall]

Interesting. Thanks very much. I'll do as you recommend.


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[Eyeman]

It is a national hive, currently configured as a double brood without supers. The upper box is pretty well full of capped honey and there is a reasonable amount of honey and pollen downstairs. Brood is in short supply, with a high proportion of drone brood and four QCs built centre frame on two or three sides.

I did not see young brood nor did I see eggs. I frequently struggle to locate the queen and today was no different but I am slightly concerned by the high proportion of drone brood and the QCs.

We could do with a bit more info.
1. Are there any worker bees if so how many frames?
2. Are there drones if so what proportion of drones to workers?
3. What was your

varroa management last Autumn and overwinter? Are there any workers with deformed wings.
4. What is the pattern of the drone brood- regular or patchy? Check again to see if any signs of a laying queen - ? Drone layer.
5. Did the queen cells have larvae in them or were they capped or empty?

I wouldn't think of combining until you came up with the extra info.
You first need to make sure you haven't got a drone laying queen before combining
You next need to make sure the colony isn't diseased- high varroa levels and possible nosema.
You next need to make sure you will have some healthy worker bees to combine with the other hive.

 

[Millet]

Sorry to say but it sounds like your bees have swarmed, or more likely you have a drone laying queen or poor performing queen who is being superseded.

Its too early for any queens (even imported) so my opinion would just to leave them be and pray for scorching hot weather!

 

[BMH]

Swarming isnt unheard of this time of the year, you know.

Unlikely yes. Unheard of, no.

Like I said, much more likely to be a drone laying queen

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Ooh if you have another colony definitely combine.

I assumed you just had the 1.

Definitely not.
Shake them all out is the only way forward here

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[BMH]

Interesting.

I can see the logic if there isnt any worthwhile brood.

Would you suggest adding space to the remaining hive?

 

[dpearce4]

Sounds to me that the queen has gone drone layer and what workers that are left are trying to supersede her. but I might be wrong.

 

[dpearce4]

Interesting.

I can see the logic if there isnt any worthwhile brood.

Would you suggest adding space to the remaining hive?

No.

 

[Jthebeek]

Hi no ones mentioned transferring brood from the good colony. It will at least buy you time until you can re-queen. One frame of brood on a warm day (t-shirt weather) and make sure your quick. Just another option to save looking for queens disease etc. Until it warms up.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If I found queen cells at this time of year in such a situation I would assume they were making them out of desperation and they would be non viable. I would shake them out on the next nice day. At least those bees will find something to do in the last few weeks of life.

 

[domino]

I often find torn down cells this time of year, it is almost like a few days of sun and forage makes them do practice runs.

 

[mbc]

Definitely not.
Shake them all out is the only way forward here

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[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi no ones mentioned transferring brood from the good colony. It will at least buy you time until you can re-queen. One frame of brood on a warm day (t-shirt weather) and make sure your quick. Just another option to save looking for queens disease etc. Until it warms up.

You haven't got the time to buy - winter Bees on their last legs, a hive jam packed with drones and you're going to deprive another colony of brood which they also desperately need for their spring buildup just to prop up a verloern hoop ?

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