Millions of bees and no honey

[Birnambeekeeper]

one of my hives was double nat brood with three supers two filling and one full so i took one it off. Went back just now and all the honey is pretty much gone (one or two frames with some uncapped). In the brood boxes there is at least 10 frames of capped brood and eggs and larvae everywhere. Not a trace of any honey in the brood boxes. The odd queen cup but nothing else.

The weather for at least 2 weeks has been bad so i guess this is the reason.

My question is could i use some of the capped brood to strengthen a weak nuc or is this bad idea and also is this strain of bee i have no good? They are very light yellow bees - very quiet and calm - queen now in her second season at least.

Your help appreciated (hopefully all this hasnt been asked before)

 

[Polyanwood]

i have moaned about bees liKe this before...

beautiful golden yellow Italians... and they were tricksters... some colonies made 7 supers of uncapped honey. On double Langstroth brood..... but as soon as it got a bit cloudy, they rested up and ate all the stores.. they never capped any of it. I was gutted.

I have now killed all but one of the Italian queens... they might be the calmest and quietest bees, but they are not pets. I want some return from them.

The other bees I have actually give me honey.

( i imported Italian queens from New Zealand... but you can get these bees other places too)

 

[oliver90owner]

By all means, if healthy, move some across. Better if it is hatching brood as the emerging bees will take on house duties that much sooner and the nuc bees will not have to keep the extra capped brood warm for long. Add one frame at first and then another as the bees hatch, but remember they will not be foragers for a couple or three weeks and the colony stores will need watching...

With regards to your strain, I don't know. Perhaps you know their origins? Some can brood at the expense of storing honey and then you have loads of bees and no forage. Those ten frames of brood were tiny eggs less than 3 weeks ago; now look at their size! Possibly bees from a warmer climate. Could keep laying like crazy until Christmas and use up too much stores. Italians were often blamed for those traits.

Regards, RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

i have moaned about bees liKe this before...

beautiful golden yellow Italians..... but you can get these bees other places too)

yes most likely yellow italians, with a nice yellow queenie...ok in good season but will not fly in poor weather....eat themself out of house and home over winter and italains need fondant early feb here in London

one of my hives, is italians and i am thinking to requeen with a black mongrel local to my area next year

but they are calmer thans my other bees

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

Thanks for the advice - they were sold as carnolians! Turns out they are most definitely Italian strain. Just when I thought things were going well! I'm trying to get my honey production going so can't have the bees eating it all. I think I must have every problem known to beekeepers.

Will move them over one frame at a time to the weak nuc.

Are carnolians bees ok? - I did order 2 earleir in the year and thet are in the nucs

Thanks

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Birnam.

Carnies build up fast yet can be swarmy.

My advice is to always try and get local queens if you can.

 

[Poly Hive]

Excellent advice Admin.

The trick is to identify the BIBBA person who can supply.....

PH

 

[susbees]

Hi Birnam.

Carnies build up fast yet can be swarmy.

My advice is to always try and get local queens if you can.

Local bees adapted to local forage and conditions is excellent advice. We see the occasional yellow stripe in the mix down here but cant afford bees producing tonnes of brood then eating all the stores and then starving when it rains.