No brood, larvae or eggs

[Lesley Hoppy]

I have two hives, both with this years queens. During inspection today, one hive had no eggs, larvae or brood. There was plenty of pollen and uncapped 'honey' and plenty of empty cells. I saw the Queen and the the colony was calm. By contrast, the other hive had plenty of eggs and BIAS. Queen spotted and hive calm.
I treated with MAQS two weeks ago - maybe that has made the one of the Queens stop laying? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
(I am feeding syrup at the moment...)

 

[Arfermo]

Be careful that you do not overfeed and block cells the queen might lay in. Did you heft the hive first? The other point is that the ivy is about to come into flower and the bees will need room for the pollen and nectar from that. As for being broodless, queens can be put off laying for a while by treatments. Assuming treatment is now finished, just be patient. You can't do much about it anyway and the bees usually know best.

 

[Illo]

I was in exactly the same situation, and opted to feed, watch and wait after taking the MAQS strips out at the end of the treatment. Took advantage of the good weather today to go into those 5 hives that either had been broodless or of uncertain status a couple of weeks ago. all queens present and correct today, and all colonies with new eggs or unsealed brood.

Lots of others in many areas of the UK have been reporting broodless periods in the last couple of weeks. There is evidence of a queen in both your colonies; my guess would be your non-laying queen will get going again with a few days of nice weather/ivy flow/bit of feed. Arfermo speaks sense. I spent the best part of ten days worrying about mine when the bees new best all along!

LJ

 

[beeno]

I have two hives, both with this years queens. During inspection today, one hive had no eggs, larvae or brood. There was plenty of pollen and uncapped 'honey' and plenty of empty cells. I saw the Queen and the the colony was calm. By contrast, the other hive had plenty of eggs and BIAS. Queen spotted and hive calm.
I treated with MAQS two weeks ago - maybe that has made the one of the Queens stop laying? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
(I am feeding syrup at the moment...)

Hi Lesley,
I know time is running short as weather can change suddenly! I think you are probably going to be OK. However, if you feel like doing anything you could steal a frame of open brood from the other colony. Some say, that might get the queen starting to lay, it worked for me, but it could have been coincidence of course. Like to know if others have experimented with this.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I had one colony supersede after MAQS and all stop laying for a while, one for three weeks.
I would hang on in there and leave them to it.
I like MAQS but will use it earlier next year if needed, July maybe.

 

[taff..]

I found that one of my colonies had completely removed all brood when on MAQS, as Erichalfbee said, if I use it again next year it will certainly go on earlier in the year but I did leave things Very late this year

 

[jd101k2000]

I used MAQS this year. Both colonies were broodless following the treatment. One was in a right mood, and no pollen going in. I thought they had become queenless. The other was calm and pollen going in. After a few days there were eggs and new brood in the calm hive. The other was in an even worse mood and received a new, mated queen.

If I use MAQS next year, I will do it earlier so that there is time for remedial action.

 

[youngyoungs]

Lots of others in many areas of the UK have been reporting broodless periods in the last couple of weeks. There is evidence of a queen in both your colonies; my guess would be your non-laying queen will get going again with a few days of nice weather/ivy flow/bit of feed. Arfermo speaks sense. I spent the best part of ten days worrying about mine when the bees new best all along!

LJ

 

[Lesley Hoppy]

Thanks all for your most reassuring posts - will leave them be for a while and have a peek in next week....as you say, they usually know best.
They are all on 14x12 frames so plenty of room for laying and stores at the mo....