- Joined
- Jul 11, 2009
- Messages
- 2,324
- Reaction score
- 62
- Location
- Kernow
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 50+
I called out to look at a friend’s bees earlier this week as he said that he had no brood and the bees were really lethargic. This was a swarm I gave him in June to start bee keeping with and as his only colony it had been building really well, he was at one time talking about adding a super. Anyway after quizzing him it sounded as if they had swarmed and he was now left with a much depleted colony. I took a frame of brood and eggs with me thinking that a queen check would be all that is needed and a possible re-queen next week.
On checking his hive there was really no brood.....not a single cell was occupied. The hive didn’t have eggs and absolutely zero stores but has approximatly 3 frames of bees.
I was a little shocked as he lives and has this single hive in what appears to be a really good area on the outskirts of a small town were there should be plenty for the bees to gather from.
I put in the frame of brood and eggs I had taken with me and we put some syrup on and I told him to keep the feeder topped up.
He was gutted at my diagnosis and asked if the colony is doomed, I must say that my initial reaction is that they are stuffed but said I would try my best to remedy the situation.
I did think that maybe I could give him one of my smaller colonies and combine but if here really is a shortage of forage for the bees this may just be throwing away another colony.
Apart from taking some more brood from my hives and leaving mine short I am at a loss on what to try next?
Any thoughts more than welcome????
On checking his hive there was really no brood.....not a single cell was occupied. The hive didn’t have eggs and absolutely zero stores but has approximatly 3 frames of bees.
I was a little shocked as he lives and has this single hive in what appears to be a really good area on the outskirts of a small town were there should be plenty for the bees to gather from.
I put in the frame of brood and eggs I had taken with me and we put some syrup on and I told him to keep the feeder topped up.
He was gutted at my diagnosis and asked if the colony is doomed, I must say that my initial reaction is that they are stuffed but said I would try my best to remedy the situation.
I did think that maybe I could give him one of my smaller colonies and combine but if here really is a shortage of forage for the bees this may just be throwing away another colony.
Apart from taking some more brood from my hives and leaving mine short I am at a loss on what to try next?
Any thoughts more than welcome????