bjosephd
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2014
- Messages
- 1,129
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- North Somerset
- Hive Type
- Langstroth
- Number of Hives
- 3
Afternoon all…
Lovely sunny day here in Somerset, bees seem busy and happy.
Double brood Langstroth for over wintering.
Noticed today that there are plenty of drones flying from this hive!
Seems a funny time of year.
Earlier in the year I (foolishly) 'vetoed' their attempts to superced until I realised what they were doing and hoped they would get back onto superseding. After that I never noticed any more attempts.
The hive seems very healthy but I don't want to go digging through really to see if I can find brood.
I pulled one frame from the top centre today (I know probably shouldn't have) to see if it would be very broody, unfortunately most of the top box is thick and heavy with stores - the only patch I saw were what looked like drone sized cells all charged with eggs.
They are also piling in the pollen big time.
Is this just avery healthy hive and with their additional feeding and no honey taken off they just think that life is awesome?
Have I drone laying queen and this hive could potentially crumble through winter?
Did they superced, but they are hedging their bets and they are carrying a new queen and and and allowing the old potential drone layer to live on?
Should I dig through this what seems to be a pretty big and healthy hive or just cross my fingers and risk losing the lot?
Introducing a potentially new ordered in mated queen would be a pain in the arse as I'd clearly have to dig through and confirm first that there are only drones being laid (20 frames in autumn) and potentially have to dispatch her before risking putting in a new queen who they might kill.
Ideally I'd shut them up now for winter and leave them well alone.
Thoughts?
Anyone else got loads drones about?
(hope I din't squish a queen with my brief look today)
They seem very happy and chilled.
Many many thanks
Please don't beat me up
Mr Ben
Lovely sunny day here in Somerset, bees seem busy and happy.
Double brood Langstroth for over wintering.
Noticed today that there are plenty of drones flying from this hive!
Seems a funny time of year.
Earlier in the year I (foolishly) 'vetoed' their attempts to superced until I realised what they were doing and hoped they would get back onto superseding. After that I never noticed any more attempts.
The hive seems very healthy but I don't want to go digging through really to see if I can find brood.
I pulled one frame from the top centre today (I know probably shouldn't have) to see if it would be very broody, unfortunately most of the top box is thick and heavy with stores - the only patch I saw were what looked like drone sized cells all charged with eggs.
They are also piling in the pollen big time.
Is this just avery healthy hive and with their additional feeding and no honey taken off they just think that life is awesome?
Have I drone laying queen and this hive could potentially crumble through winter?
Did they superced, but they are hedging their bets and they are carrying a new queen and and and allowing the old potential drone layer to live on?
Should I dig through this what seems to be a pretty big and healthy hive or just cross my fingers and risk losing the lot?
Introducing a potentially new ordered in mated queen would be a pain in the arse as I'd clearly have to dig through and confirm first that there are only drones being laid (20 frames in autumn) and potentially have to dispatch her before risking putting in a new queen who they might kill.
Ideally I'd shut them up now for winter and leave them well alone.
Thoughts?
Anyone else got loads drones about?
(hope I din't squish a queen with my brief look today)
They seem very happy and chilled.
Many many thanks
Please don't beat me up
Mr Ben