Lost Queens

[BoutBees]

I bought two new nucs last July. The winter was long and harsh with snow, hail and rain lasting until May. The bees were unable to build up, now the queens have gone. The first super is untouched. I discovered a couple of decent sized queen cells in one and I offered a queen cell from that hive to the other today. Absolutely disappointed so far.

Have I done the right thing? Or should I unite the two?

Any practical advice welcomed!

 

[jeff33]

If they have not built up I would probably unite at some point, what's the point of 2 strugglers! Leave them for the moment until queens have mated, pick the best one and unite. Have they swarmed?

 

[oliver90owner]

If the queens are gone, either one left recently (to leave queen cells) or those cells are useless. Yes, split them between both colonies IF they are really Q-.

You have no real idea if these cells are viable, so a check in a few days to see if they have emerged.

Winters are often long and harsh, but good, strong colonies with adequate stores happily survive, so a bit of a red herring there?

I can't say, but suspect you will be buying in a queen.....

 

[Teemore]

O90O/RAB's comments are spot on.
Your description of colonies not being able to build up does not match with my personal experience of colony build up in 2016 and that includes a number of overwintered Nucs which I had to put into full hives shortly after St. Patricks day. I had two slow starting clonines overwintered in full boxes (2015 queens) and both have superceded and have new, mated and laying queens in them. They will be ready to take advantage of the Summer flow but completely missed the Spring flow which has been excellent.
Advice to you will vary depending on the state of your two colonies.
How strong are the two colonies at this time i.e. how many frames of brood, eggs and larvae? How many frames covered by brood? I realise you have queen cells so at this point there may well be no eggs or larvae.
The other thing I'll ask is, which county are you in? There was a lot of AFB and EFB around last year and the pattern with AFB is continuing this year. I had a visit from the Bee Inspector a couple of weeks ago because of a repeat "problem" with a beekeeper within flying distance of one of my out apiaries. I was glad to see him and have a second opinion of my bees and their health. As I had hoped, I received a confirmed all clear.

 

[BoutBees]

Thanks for your replies and advice. I live in Co Dublin. These hives were fed fondant in February, and syrup in jam jars in May. Spring examination at end of May, queens present. The hives are bringing in pollen, 1 hive is full of pollen and stores and capped brood, no eggs. The other has frames of capped brood no eggs or larvae. Queens were marked and clipped but now gone. If this is my fault where did I go wrong?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Queens were marked and clipped but now gone. If this is my fault where did I go wrong?

I think your answer is here:

fondant in February, and syrup in jam jars in May.

hive is full of pollen and stores and capped brood, ?

Packing them full of stores (what is this obsession with spring feeding) combined with loads of brood, no room for the queen to lay - they've swarmed

 

[Erichalfbee]

sounds like you over fed them.

 

[Teemore]

Agree with posts 6 & 7