New/used hive, advice please

Mogs1 · Jul 3, 2023

Ive Bought a swienty hive off a local chap that has recently moved in to his house, hes never handled bees so was glad to get rid of it.

Brood box, QE and 2 supers all full of drawn out comb, when i picked it up it turned out that a swarm had moved in so bonus.

Now ive had it home for 2 weeks, left it alone and decided to have a look today.

Top super was empty with a few bees, 2nd super was heavy filling nicely with honey.

The brood box was quite different, outer frames had a bit of honey and pollen, next frame was completely empty frames not even brood on them then a frame with a nice brood pattern and a queen cell building on the top, another frame with a queen cell building and a bit of brood and a few empty frames.

What is happening here please?

Is it a case of too much space?

What are my options?

Thanks

user 819 · Jul 3, 2023

Swarm arrived with an old or failing queen, brood (if worker brood) means a queen is in situ. Superscedure is more then likely the scenario occurring so one can just leave them to it .
Going by the shape of things you will better placing all the bees and brood in a nuc to help build up for the winter, forget about the honey crop and concentrate on building them up so they can get thru the winter and have a good start in 24.

Ian123 · Jul 3, 2023

Had the guy been into the hive ad rotated foundation up against brood nest?

Mogs1 · Jul 3, 2023

I dont think so he was sh*t scared of the bees

Mogs1 · Jul 3, 2023

If they are superseeding (excuse the spelling) could i try and split a few frames off and make a nuc with them? Like in a 2in 1 poly nuc, a small 3 frame one?

jenkinsbrynmair · Jul 3, 2023

Mogs1 said:
If they are superseeding (excuse the spelling) could i try and split a few frames off and make a nuc with them? Like in a 2in 1 poly nuc, a small 3 frame one?

I wouldn't, they are superseding because the queen is failing so therefore the whole colony is compromised, you don't want to weaken it further by splitting and risking both failing.