No eggs/brood, loads of stores

[M_lo]

I'm rather puzzled about my bees.
Last month it looked like I had a drone laying queen, so I removed her and inserted a frame of eggs from another hive.

About 12 days later all the eggs had been sealed up but there were no queen cells. Which seemed odd. Local advice was to leave well alone for a couple of weeks in case there was an unmated queen.

So 2 weeks later I went in again and the hive brood box and super is rammed with honey and nectar. But there's no brood or eggs.

The colony was really well behaved, I didn't have to smoke them at all.

So my question is whats going on? Have they lost the queen, or is it possible that they have just filled up the hive with stores whilst the queen was waiting to be mated and now there is no where for her to lay?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[drex]

Test frame indicates queen present. patience perhaps?.

 

[M_lo]

But do I need to make space so that she has somewhere to lay?

 

[bushman1872]

This is going to sound daft but what exactly did yo do with the old queen? Also are you 100% certain that you have no eggs at all because that would probably dictate what you did next. If you have laying workers there would be no point in intoducing a new queen but if there is absolutely no sign of any brood whatsoever then pherhaps think about re queening after triple checking you have no queen present.

 

[bushman1872]

Test frame indicates queen present. patience perhaps?.

but if the guy is saying that the old queen was destroyed and the frames was put in to make an emergency queen from exisiting un capped brood. I agree logic would say that no QC's meant a queen was present but if shes dead then what the hell is going on?

 

[M_lo]

The old queen is no more. I'm sure she was a drone layer (and 2 other local and experience keepers agreed).

I'm 95% certain there were no eggs (from a queen or laying workers). I may go in again over the weekend and have a good look for the queen.

 

[bushman1872]

you could try shaking over a queen excluder this might make life a little easier for you. Keep us updated as I am intrigued to see if somehow a queen has appeared. Best of luck

 

[Poly Hive]

Put horse before cart here.

If there are no eggs or open brood then please try another test frame.

Two reasons. One. Check queen status. Two, presence of open brood will stimulate a recently mated queen to get going.

When you have a laying queen then lets worry about the lack of space.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

So 2 weeks later I went in again and the hive brood box and super is rammed with honey and nectar

Does this not suggest another super is needed? At least exchange some full frames for drawn comb/part filled from another colony - or even foundation?

Another test frame would cost very little. Resolving that problem seems to be simply time to mate/come into lay or arrange a new queen. They will have collected loads of honey because the nectar is now not needed for brood.

Seems queenright, but who knows - it may not have been good weather for mating lately. She may even miss her mating 'window' (this is the UK and only just into May).

With multiple(?) colonies you are not too pressed to resolve the issue, just keep adding the frames of eggs/brood to avoid laying workers if Q-.

Regards, RAB

 

[M_lo]

Unfortunately I've not got ready access to another test frame. I have this colony and a 5 frame nuc. The last test frame came from a friendly local beekeeper.

I think it unlikely that a new queen may have missed her window, my hive was teaming with drones (from the drone laying queen) and the weather has been very dry.

So since they've run out of space to for stores I think I may put another super on, that way even if the colony is a lost cause I can at least get some honey from them.