Missing Queen

[Macdee]

Upon inspecting my 6 hives, I have found one hive that has no eggs or larvae.
I have done two checks and used a camera to check cells in more detail.

This seems to me, with my limited experience, to indicate a missing queen.

What advice would you have at this point in the beekeeping year regarding what to do with the hive ? There are a lot of bees in the single brood box and they are pretty active inside the hive; a few are even bringing in a little pollen.

Thanks
Al

 

[For want of a better word]

Upon inspecting my 6 hives, I have found one hive that has no eggs or larvae.
I have done two checks and used a camera to check cells in more detail.

This seems to me, with my limited experience, to indicate a missing queen.

What advice would you have at this point in the beekeeping year regarding what to do with the hive ? There are a lot of bees in the single brood box and they are pretty active inside the hive; a few are even bringing in a little pollen.

Thanks
Al

Wait and check again in a couple of weeks when with any luck it will be warmer and Q has come into lay.

Then consider merging with one of your other colonies.... using newspaper between the brood boxes.... either colony on top does not seem to make a of of difference?

Chons da

 

[enrico]

Be patient!
E

 

[Amari]

Am I the odd man out? Several posts on various threads refer to 'first hive inspections'. Here it has not been above 11C apart from 10/3 briefly.
I'm waiting until temps rise to at least 15C. If I were to inspect now and find a dodgy colony there's not much I can do about it.
I just make sure all colonies have stores and if not supply fondant.

 

[enrico]

I haven't inspected but I have looked for brood and food when the temperature hit 17 degrees one day! It is so dependant on local weather conditions. !
E

 

[Millet]

Far too early for me to pull any healthy hives to bits..even if the weather hit +15C today it is still too early for me..when them temps are a few days in a row it might be a different story but a one of nice day will not get my hive tool twitching.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Far too early for me to pull any healthy hives to bits..even if the weather hit +15C today it is still too early for me..when them temps are a few days in a row it might be a different story but a one of nice day will not get my hive tool twitching.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I haven't inspected but I have looked for brood and food when the temperature hit 17 degrees one day! It is so dependant on local weather conditions. !
E

It depends entirely where you are and what the weather is doing.
I’ve only rarely been in mine ( quickly) before Welsh Convention.

 

[drex]

I remember my early days, when I could not wait to look at the bees, going in far too early and too often. Now, I ask myself what do I hope to achieve before I open a hive. I bet the folks looking are new to the hobby or living in the tropics.

 

[enrico]

I remember my early days, when I could not wait to look at the bees, going in far too early and too often. Now, I ask myself what do I hope to achieve before I open a hive. I bet the folks looking are new to the hobby or living in the tropics.

40 years new and living in Somerset. I looked for a reason and have now removed all the fondant that is not needed so it isn't going into my spring honey. I don't do anything for no reason!
E

 

[iann41]

I looked the other day in my garden hive. Just 3 frames in from the cold side and found sealed brood the size of a bull elephants testicle. That's as far as i went and sealed up the hive. I use the garden hive as an observation and test hive for my other production colonies. It's bursting with bees in the top brood box and I think i will have to watch it closely this spring for swarming. It has a lovey 2nd generation Q in there. I wish they were all as good.

 

[drex]

40 years new and living in Somerset. I looked for a reason and have now removed all the fondant that is not needed so it isn't going into my spring honey. I don't do anything for no reason!
E

I would not have thought otherwise enrico. In my early days curiosity and enthusiasm was the main driver. Nothing wrong with that, in that it was a reflection of my joy from this fascinating hobby. Pity it was not in the bees best interests at the time. Although they did benefit in the long run, as my joy and enthusiasm was increased

 

[Poly Hive]

It's the hardest lesson to take on, that less is more.

Do everything for the bees and as little as possible for your own curiosity.

I should add i have seen as much as three weeks between queens getting going. No need to be fretting yet and certainly here it's hands off weather.

PH

 

[Ian123]

If she’s not inlay by now I would put the house on the fact she’s a duff or not even there.

 

[Millet]

If she’s not inlay by now I would put the house on the fact she’s a duff or not even there.

I have had a few duff Queens come out of winter but fill the brood area with drone brood..

 

[Poly Hive]

With all respect in Aberdeenshire I have seen queens, especially in poly, take until the 3d week in March before starting to lay. We don't all live in the more balmy south.

PH

 

[Macdee]

This was the pic of the comb.

Some of the cells look shiny, is that a sign that they are trying to make them ready for laying or do they do that regardless of whether they have a queen or not ?

Al

 

[Swarm]

Polished cells are viewed as a good sign, I'd wait a few weeks

 

[Karsal]

What is the reason for opening hives so early in the year? All the damage you do when inspecting will take them days to rectify if they even can with such a small colony. If you have no queen then there is nothing you can do so leave them well alone until we get a prolonged spell of reasonably warm weather. I never open any of my colonies until April.
Patience is required when beekeeping.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What is the reason for opening hives so early in the year? All the damage you do when inspecting will take them days to rectify if they even can with such a small colony. If you have no queen then there is nothing you can do so leave them well alone until we get a prolonged spell of reasonably warm weather. I never open any of my colonies until April.
Patience is required when beekeeping.

Mind you,
You can put a small colony into a nuc box causing little disruption at all.