Queen failure spring plan

[enrico]

This thread went slightly off topic. Alot if people have presumed that the bees are indeed sick, queen less or fated in some way. I agree with RAB although I might not have been that harsh to a beginner in that you must learn not to be impatient looking into your bees. You are making presumptions that no one here can possibly substantiate that your bees are failing. They will do all they can to live, that is nature, and all you are doing by opening the hive and lifting frames out is giving them lots of repair work and loss of much needed heat. Just wait and see what happens in the spring, and by spring I mean late March on a WARM day. There is nothing you can, or need, to do at this time of the year. If indeed they have a failed queen then you can deal with it then.
Please learn to be patient. The bees will benefit from it and may well surprise you!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It doesn't help the beginner that some on here are hellbent on encouraging them to go in and fiddle instead of hanging on and waiting for a time when some action may be possible.

 

[Martimart]

It doesn't help the beginner that some on here are hellbent on encouraging them to go in and fiddle instead of hanging on and waiting for a time when some action may be possible.

As a beginner you have to shut that voice up in your head that keeps suggesting "have a little look". This is my first winter, 2 hives on 14x12 in Derbyshire. One hive has capping of food and brood on the floor suggesting bee's over 4 frames, One has very little. I can see that both hives are flying. Yes there's a huge temptation to pop 'em open and have a little look. I'll keep my eye on what's flying and keep checking the floors and lifting the hives. Hopefully in a month or so I can have a little peep.

 

[enrico]

As a beginner you have to shut that voice up in your head that keeps suggesting "have a little look". This is my first winter, 2 hives on 14x12 in Derbyshire. One hive has capping of food and brood on the floor suggesting bee's over 4 frames, One has very little. I can see that both hives are flying. Yes there's a huge temptation to pop 'em open and have a little look. I'll keep my eye on what's flying and keep checking the floors and lifting the hives. Hopefully in a month or so I can have a little peep.

The secret is to say.....why am I going in.....and what can I do if I find that thing I am going in to look for! If the answer is .... Nothing at all. Then don't go in! Wait until summer inspections to gain your experience.

 

[LeaBees]

You have both wasted your time and not helped the colony.
When will new beeks get the message and stop interfering with colonies at this time of the year?
No brood mean nothing. Yes, NOTHING. At this stage of the year it is quite possible that the queen is not yet laying.
Further there is no indication of your location - could be south coast or way up in Scotland (if even in the UK).
The one thing where you were correct. It was that of “guessing”. There is no place for making wild guesses on virtually no good evidence.
I would advise to wait until spring

From a hive that had cbpv last summer and seemingly recovered (thanks to insight from the forum), sealed queen cells in mid/late October (for reference I'm in Wilts), almost no activity compared to the others in the apiary and now hefting very light, as a beginner I felt an impulse to have a quick look (on a day that all other hives were strongly flying - as I've noted many other more experienced keepers doing on the forum) to see if worth adding fondant to a potentially duff colony. Constructive elements duly taken and appreciated - early morning berating tone was somewhat unnecessary though - nearly spat out my porridge. I'd hope, should I put as many years in this arcane art of beekeeping under my belt as you have, I'll have a different tone to a newbie following impulses probably all beginners have had.

 

[pargyle]

From a hive that had cbpv last summer and seemingly recovered (thanks to insight from the forum), sealed queen cells in mid/late October (for reference I'm in Wilts), almost no activity compared to the others in the apiary and now hefting very light, as a beginner I felt an impulse to have a quick look (on a day that all other hives were strongly flying - as I've noted many other more experienced keepers doing on the forum) to see if worth adding fondant to a potentially duff colony. Constructive elements duly taken and appreciated - early morning berating tone was somewhat unnecessary though - nearly spat out my porridge. I'd hope, should I put as many years in this arcane art of beekeeping under my belt as you have, I'll have a different tone to a newbie following impulses probably all beginners have had.

Others have said it more gently but the advice remains valid ... you've got through your first season so it's time to seek out the good advice and take heed of it. Too early to be bee fiddling, nothing to be gained and every chance you set them back, stress the colony and potentially damage the queen.

 

[drex]

I remember my early years, when I could not wait to get in a hive. However I have learnt that my curiosity is not in bees best interests. I agree with the above advice but not necessarily the way it was given.
Today I ask myself why I am going in, what am I looking for, and what can I do about it if I find it? The third one is probably the most important ( and comes from my medical training) . No point in opening if I can do nothing about the situation.
At this time of year all I need to know is are they secure? Have they enough food, none of which needs opening to answer.
A good book is " at the hive entrance " by ? Storch, free on the net.

 

[Sanntos]

Old men getting their kicks by sneering at beginner beekeepers is sadly a facet of our hobby that never seems to go away.

However when I read the posts before, this reply #18 by a little grumpy oliver gives the best advice

 

[Boston Bees]

However when I read the posts before, this reply by a little grumpy oliver gives the best advice

Nothing that hadn't already been said

 

[ForageFlight]

Coming to conclusion that one of my hives has gone through winter Q- or with a failed Q following a very late attempt at supercedure/swarming. When I come to confirm this in spring what should i do with the remaining bees? Shake them out or something else?

Thanks

Find the drone laying queen and do away with her and add the other bees to supliment another week colony useing the newspaper method. if its the end of March and the bees are still on 4 to 5 frames a frame of brood can be added. The bees wil raise a new queen but may be of inferior quality but can be requeened later in the season. A little feed at the same time of introduction of the new brood frame would help. I have saved a few colonies using this method and the colonies tend to be more native as well. Good luck with it.

 

[Sanntos]

Yes, you are right, Jenkinsbrynmair and Erichalfbee said the same thing

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Old men getting their kicks by sneering at beginner beekeepers is sadly a facet of our hobby that never seems to go away.

The advice to stop poking about in hives at this time of year is sound. Suggesting otherwise is not going to help anyone.

 

[Boston Bees]

The advice to stop poking about in hives at this time of year is sound. Suggesting otherwise is not going to help anyone.

Obviously. But, given that I didn't suggest otherwise, this is not relevant to my post

 

[Beegarden]

If you don't have one already, might I suggest Leesbees, that you buy a polycarb crownboard ready for the new season; this will allow you to have the occasional peak, without having to let in cold air. Hold tight and fingers crossed for your first inspection.

 

[oliver90owner]

Old men getting their kicks by sneering at beginner beekeepers is sadly a facet of our hobby that never seems to go away.

Perhaps it is time for you to provide some good solid advice, instead of your seemingly usual carp and sniping from the sidelines?

A softly, softly approach clearly does not work for a lot of beeks. Other new beeks read a lot of useless posts that do not make it totally clear as to the stupidity uselessness of their interference at this time of the year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Right gentlemen. Can we draw a line under this please.
Can I suggest that reporting a post should be sufficient without adding explosive to the fire as you go.
Report it and let the mods deal with it

Thank you.

 

[Antipodes]

I'm curious as to how long (generally), after the shortest day your queens over there start laying? It has been said here, in cool climate Tassie, that the queen will begin to lay three days after the shortest day of the year.
I'm not sure what part of the UK LeaBees is in, but I think it is England.

 

[elainemary]

Being a beginner is a strong memory as only 5 years ago. Excitement, fascination, itching to know what’s happening and most important WHY? I’ve found so many times whether books or advice from other beekeepers there’s lots said about what to do but not enough on why. I agree what others have said, ask what could you do at this time of year if anything was wrong - unfortunately very little.

The 4 things that helped me to learn what’s going on :
1. Use a clear crownboard - no guessing or sneaky peaks to see how big they are and how they’re doing. I’ve even seen a queen ambling along the top bars in winter.
2. Buy a very good LED torch - can use through the clear crownboard, can see if the bees are deeper in the nest and if there are capped stores on the edges
3. Keep varroa board in (clean regularly). Tells you a lot about brood and stores uncapping and varroa drops (shouldn’t be many at all in winter)
4. Watch the hive entrance, compare and contrast behaviour to other hives

Can’t wait til the end of March and a nice warm sunny day!

 

[oliver90owner]

I'm curious as to how long (generally), after the shortest day your queens over there start laying? It has been said here, in cool climate Tassie, that the queen will begin to lay three days after the shortest day of the year.
I'm not sure what part of the UK LeaBees is in, but I think it is England.

It may have been said, but it is simply not true.

The queen is controlled by the workers. It depends on the weather, not the date or the day length. One colony I inspected on Feb 20th one year (when daytime temperatures had been over 20 degrees every day for a week) had no brood. Three weeks later a check revealed brood in abundance.

 

[enrico]

Deleted by me