MJBee
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2008
- Messages
- 1,812
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Dordogne 24360 France
- Hive Type
- Commercial
- Number of Hives
- 16 a mix of Commercial, National, 14 x 12, Dadant and a Warre
I have a colony that overwintered well as a 5 frame nuc. It was transferred to a Commercial brood late April and gradually increased to 11 frames using a dummy board. With bees on all frames it was given a super 10 days ago.
An inspection today showed bees on 7 frames only, masses of open honey (the acacia is in full flow) very little brood - an area about the size of a saucer on both sides of 2 frames. The queen (2009) was seen and eggs and larvae are present BUT the ratio of sealed drone:worker is about 40:60 The super is completely empty.
It looks as if the queen is running out of steam but why is this colony quite happily heading for extinction without trying to supercede? Comments and potential solutions welcome Mike
An inspection today showed bees on 7 frames only, masses of open honey (the acacia is in full flow) very little brood - an area about the size of a saucer on both sides of 2 frames. The queen (2009) was seen and eggs and larvae are present BUT the ratio of sealed drone:worker is about 40:60 The super is completely empty.
It looks as if the queen is running out of steam but why is this colony quite happily heading for extinction without trying to supercede? Comments and potential solutions welcome Mike