Hive robbed out?

Popparand · Sep 28, 2019

Two hives side by side. One rammed with bees and the other with few bees, little stores, bees lethargic and dead bees on box runner shelves. Also big hole chewed out in one of the brood frames. I am assuming this is the result of robbing, as all this has happened over the past 20 days. There is still some capped and uncapped brood.

I am wondering if there is any other reason other than robbing
I plan to put a rapid feeder on asap and try to build up their stores or maybe fondant?
Or shall I just give them up? It would be a shame because they had a new Buckfast queen this summer.

All a bit depressing because they were doing well before all this started.

Bee Boys · Sep 28, 2019

Combine with other hive if possible and choose which queen is laying best then squish the other queen.

Beefriendly · Sep 28, 2019

errrhum...the usual scenario if you put two queens together in one hive is one will kill the other in pretty short order.

enrico · Sep 28, 2019

I would like to think he means squish the queen before combining!!!

Ian123 · Sep 28, 2019

I looked through a site of 15 today all had been left with plenty of stores at the last inspection. Today 1 was pretty much stripped of stores it happens. Simply donated a couple of frames of stores and will return with some feed during the week.