Newbie from Cleveleys

[chrisb]

Looks nothing at all like a drone, although not that good looking a queen either - zoom right in and you can see what looks like the odd fleck of white paint though.
Just because the queen in the photo is not marked doesn't mean it's not the one supplied with the hive - bees have a habit of cleaning off the paint. Had at least two this year, well marked but now without a scrap of a mark left.

My feeling is she's gone and the cells are emergency queen cells - you need someone to have a look with you ASAP.

like I said im crap with photos

 

[vampmeister]

newbie

I have been in touch with my local beekeeping association but still waiting for a reply.

 

[vampmeister]

New Hive

At my last hive examination I noticed that the Bees have eaten some of the foundation from one frame and left big holes in the foundation.

 

[wessexmario]

they do that, different reasons why.
Some say they like their "dance floor" to vibrate, foundation secured on 4 sides doesn't vibrate like natural hanging comb, and bees communicate a lot by touch and vibration.
Others say it's to make short cuts between combs. Again, if you look at naturally built comb it has wax edges not strips of wood, maybe some bees prefer the former and just don't want to go around those end bars when traversing from comb to comb.
Or they could be ripping out the worker cells to put drone cells in, again, they know what they want, leave them to it.

 

[vampmeister]

Thank you for your reply it is much appreciated

 

[vampmeister]

Poly Nuc

I have recently had my hive inspected by the NBU and he advised me to relocate my colony to a poly nuc for the winter because he thinks that they are not strong enough to last in the hive they are in. I have purchased a 6 frame poly nuc but don't know when is the best time to move them into the nuc.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

ASAP really