How many frames of brood is 'normal' at this time of year?

[BabyBee]

basedin scotland (Fife) and got first lot of bees this time last year.

they made it through the winter and i think the Q isn't very good.

checked them today and only have 3 frames of capped brood - and one of them wasout my neighbours hive a couple of weeks ago!

any ideas or suggestions?

 

[susbees]

Three frames capped brood? What about larvae in all stages and eggs? How many seams of bees?

 

[BabyBee]

not sure what a 'seam' is, but have 3 frames that have scattered brood and larvae over them

 

[oliver90owner]

Certainly not good, I would have thought, even for up there.

If laying pattern is poor I would suspect excessive varroa as the first enemy, but could be other nasties, or she is just not cutting the mustard.

Suggestion is to get an experienced local beekeeper to check them and offer an opinion.

RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

To be honest, pathetic comes to mind.

By now they should be on 8 frames, and a seam by the way is the bees between two top bars. So 8 frames of brood would have at least 9 seams.

Me thinks you need a new queen a bit quick.

Although now in the southern climes I have had most of my beekeeping time in Aberdeenshire.

I have colonies here on 18 frames of brood.

PH

 

[gavin]

Up here (not very far from Fife) many colonies are doing well but there are a proportion which came through the winter very weak and are slowly picking up. Sounds like yours had one of these near-death experiences.

If it is your only one (and even if not) be nice to it, keep it warm by reducing the area it keeps warm, and feed with light syrup.

G.

 

[roymichaeldean]

Gavin is OK

Hi

I would agree with Gavins advice....feed light syrup....for the next month......then take a look....don't keep looking at them......let them sort out the situation....just keep an eye on how many bees are buzzing around when it's sunny and see if they are bringing in pollen or not.......if not after 1 month then maybe time to get another colony, still plenty of time...don't panic, don't rush any decisions, give them a chance..!!!

roy

 

[Finman]

.
It means too that are those frames brood from corner to corner or round patches in frames.
Corner to corner may have 3 fold amount of brood compared to patches.

Lets look a schedule. What the queen lays now, those workers are foragers after mid of June. 6 weeks ahead from laying.


Ps . I wonder where from that green face came

 

[BabyBee]

thanks everyone, i thought it was too low, but never having had bees before i wasnt sure. my neighbours have many more than this.

i will ask our local mentor to come and see if 2-3 weeks and see if she can help me out. hopefully one of my neighbours hives will swarm soon and then i will have 2 hives - a much better situation to be in me thinks!

 

[bushman1872]

Rule out disease or extensive varroa damage before splashing out on a new queen. Try a shook swarm into a spare brood box with new foundation if you have one and then pop a feeder on top and monitor them closely for the next few weeks if queen is still not performing well then get rid. How was she doing last year out of interest and how old is she?

 

[oliver90owner]

Try a shook swarm

Not likely! If the colony is that weak a shook swarm could be the end of it.

Get local advice first.

Probaly could do with some more history of the colony for a long distance assessment.

Regards, RAB

 

[BabyBee]

been on holiday - hence delay in replying.

history is that this was a AS last year with a sealed QC. 3 frames in total.

some of you will remember that i was traumatised that i had lost the Q at least 3 times!

she was obviously not! had her mating flight and all seemed well by end of the summer.

tucked them up for the winter with fondant, which they took all winter to take down. only finished it beginning of last month (April that is).

becuase they werent doing much, i added 1:1 syrup to help them out; also added another frame of sealed brood from neighbours overflowing hive and kept insulation on roof to try and help them stay warm.

other than that, not done anything.

did check the front of the hive entrance today (too windy/too soon to go in) and seemed like there were a few more flying bees than last time (at least 20 instead of the usual 10!!!)

planning to investigate end of this week (around the 20th) but not really sure what to do if still only the 3 frames of brood........

 

[Peter Cox]

To be honest, pathetic comes to mind.

By now they should be on 8 frames, and a seam by the way is the bees between two top bars. So 8 frames of brood would have at least 9 seams.

Me thinks you need a new queen a bit quick.

Although now in the southern climes I have had most of my beekeeping time in Aberdeenshire.

I have colonies here on 18 frames of brood.

PH

Never heard the term seam either but I too have a couple of hives that are on 18 frames of brood.
What do you do at that point?
We're still in the middle off the longest, coolest, wettest spring I've ever seen in in New England, was very used to them in childhood in the UK! Apple, pear peaches etc. in full flower and Linden is just about to flower. I'm worried about swarming but no sign of queen cells so added honey supers last week. Wondering whether I should have added a 3rd langstroth deep instead and tried to boost their population and then split them and pick up autumn honey on double the hives instead.