No queen no brood

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milkermel

Field Bee
Joined
Oct 29, 2009
Messages
768
Reaction score
20
Location
left of launceston right of bude!
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
6
Yes I know this meens that Hive has not been checked before anyone chirps in!

I went in to do an inspection on Friday and found that brood has gone last check was just over 2 weeks ago and due to work issues I havent been able to get back into this hive.

Queen was this years and had been doing really well but I went in to treat for varroa and found that the brood box is devoid of all but a few capped brood, couldnt find marked queen. So I have got something wrong here!

Weather still isnt bad down here in cornwall my other 3 hives seem to be doing well with eggs etc. so what should be my next plan of action?

I am presuming that queen is no more - should i put in a test frame - if so is this just a case of frame with eggs from one hive into the other?

I have a small collected swarm (6frames)that i could unite with, but have never done this so could someone point me in the right direction/link
 
I would unite your swarm with them as it's a little late in the year to get your queen mated once she has emerged.

Double check you don't have a queen again and if not unite using news paper. Place the stronger colony on top. Leave them three days or so and then swap your frames about to make one good box with stored and brood.
 
definately no eggs, but could there be any other reason for no brood?

stronger ie largest is the queen less one. presume that I have entrance to both boxes open?? or do I have top one closed and bees eat through paper?

Sorry like i said never united before!
 
I would use a test frame first.

You could have a non laying queen that could kill the laying queen in the other hive.

When I unite I make a few slits in the newspaper and dont use a top entrance.
 
Many colonys can have no brood or eggs at this time of year for a short while,thymol can stop some from laying,but even with no thymol treatment many just stop,especially on the heather.....ivy pollen usually gets them laying again.
 
I would use a test frame first.

You could have a non laying queen that could kill the laying queen in the other hive.

When I unite I make a few slits in the newspaper and dont use a top entrance.

ok thanks for that presume that I should check in a week and see what happens to frame if queen cells being drawn would your advice still be to unite?

If no QC then my queen has gone duff as she was laying well, double check for queen then remove her and unite?

If I unite I presume I should remove test frame and then put non queen box on top of swarm box

Thanks again for all your help. life very mad down here in cornwall and I am sure someone had stolen at least 10 hrs from the usual day!!:svengo:
 
Was this brood lack after Apiguard or similar?. Queens can go right off lay- leaving this gap- once thymol gone she kicks in again.. be aware - she may be there.
Do you have a couple of spare brood boxes or Nucs?? Are bees content or anxious?? Anxious and running- it sounds like you have a queenless colony.. If calm then split the ?queenless colony into 2 boxes, leave for 2 hours. If one becomes noisy and anxious- then you may have queen in quiet box. Gives you less to sort through.
 
As your last inspection was just over two weeks ago you may have damaged the queen on that inspection and you may have a young virgin in the hive.

Just another option and worth a thought

The test frame is the way to go first then decide.
 
Feed thin syrup at the same time as the test frame is in - this should encourage a non laying (but capable) queen to show her colours. Also theres no need to wait a week - a couple of days should be enough for you to read the 'results' of the test frame. If emergency cells started then unite over newspaper with no top entrance . I usually put the queenless box on top but it seems to work fine either way
 
varroa treatment was going to be started on this inspection, but havent in case it caused more confusion. bees seem happy enough, few bums in air on entry but nothing major.:banghead::banghead:

Will check test frame mid week and let everyone know, my other hives on same site all have brood etc. just one has to give me headache!!
 
Using local newspapers

Friend of mine had a colony at St Columb, just down the road from you that he swore didnt have a queen as there was no brood and he couldnt find her. When I checked I couldnt see her either so we put in a test frame and fed, by the end of the week the queen was back laying.

If you wish to unite make sure they are queen- place West Briton or Cornishman with pin pricks in paper over the receptive hive and place queen- hive on top. Leave a week then all should be well. Just completed one of mine and works fine.

Cheers
S
 
ok so its been a long day, my aga has gone out, cows hated me in the parlour tonight (nearly succeded in a full green covering from one misserable witch!) so now I am going out when all i want to do is sleep - Have ambrosia so will put a load in now and see what happens!

Hope these girls realise how much i think of them!
 
Just stuck my nose intothe hive today and first panic was that I could not see the frame of eggs that I put in! Ok frame was there, but couldnt spot the eggs??? moved?? so grab next frame to have a look and low and behold there was my girl!

She was the hardest to find in the begining and looks like she is still trying her old tricks!!

No sign of supercedure cells going on so hive must be happy I guess.

:hurray:Stress over I HOPE!!

Time for a cuppa tea its been a long day, cows didnt like me that much this morning, and decided to decorate the whole parlour green!

they had moved nearly all of the feed I put on a couple of days ago, so I have put a bit more on.

Alls well with the world!
 
I must admit that more than a few times I have just shut the buggers up and left them for a week only to find everything is fine 7 days later.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to leave the bees to it..
 
I remember those days Milkermel - Spring grass - a cough and colour me green:(

Glad all is well with your bees - it still baffles me how her majesty can become invisible for weeks on end:smilielol5:
 
I remember those days Milkermel - Spring grass - a cough and colour me green:(

Glad all is well with your bees - it still baffles me how her majesty can become invisible for weeks on end:smilielol5:

Tell me about it!! Off topic but what is the weather like over in france at the mo? we are planning to head over in acouple of weeks for a while. First time abroad for our two dogs
 
Today blue sky all day calm and +24C:hurray: Getting a bit chilly at night though +11C let me know when you are coming over and I'll check the 10 day outlook. Where are you heading for in France?
 

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