Queen gone advice needed

[manbearpig]

Hi all

Just back from first inspection today and the entire brood box is filled with capped honey apart from 2 half frames!

There are some capped drone cells and some half emerged drones (heads sticking out) that are dead.

Bees are very quiet and covering 2 frames

Location is Dublin Ireland 19.c today

What now?


MBP

 

[Midland Beek]

So, if I read right, the only brood is drone brood? If that's the case they've had it.

A queen that has failed to mate starts to lay eggs but they are invariably unfertilized eggs - they turn into drones. Perhaps you lost a late swarm last year and the new queen failed to mate? Perhaps overfeeding caused the loss of this swarm? Late swarms can be small.

 

[manbearpig]

So, if I read right, the only brood is drone brood? If that's the case they've had it.

A queen that has failed to mate starts to lay eggs but they are invariably unfertilized eggs - they turn into drones. Perhaps you lost a late swarm last year and the new queen failed to mate? Perhaps overfeeding caused the loss of this swarm? Late swarms can be small.

Thanks for reply

Only drone brood left.

The colony was only a nuc which I recieved in June of last year so was not expecting to be dealing with swarms.

Overfeeding may have been an issue but will send some bees away to be tested anyway.



MBP

 

[Poly Hive]

I have to ask this one.

How does "overfeeding" result in queen failure?

If a queen is failing then she is failing and a ton of sugar will not make a hap worth of difference.

PH

 

[Torq]

Hi all

Just back from first inspection today and the entire brood box is filled with capped honey apart from 2 half frames!

There are some capped drone cells and some half emerged drones (heads sticking out) that are dead.

Bees are very quiet and covering 2 frames

Location is Dublin Ireland 19.c today

What now?


MBP

You have just described my circumstances and what I found last night to a T! Have a look at my "the queen is dead" thread. I found my queen gone and a new one in her place, you probably have one too. Had a chat with my bee supplier last night and he reckons the colony is terminal. Doing the math I'd say it'll be gone in 3 weeks max. But I'm lucky in that I have a spare hive and he found a forgotten nuc in one of his apiaries on an inspection this morning and He's selling it to me tomorrow eve.

 

[merylvingien]

he found a forgotten nuc in one of his apiaries on an inspection this morning and He's selling it to me tomorrow eve.

He forgot he had it and is going to sell it to you? LOL

 

[Torq]

He forgot he had it and is going to sell it to you? LOL

Well up till recently he has 150 colonies and an amount of nucs and is downsizing as he's going to concentrate on his vegetable production instead. Also he'd discounting it for me on account of the loss and at full price it's still a good bit less than you pay in the UK and to top it off it's a six frame. Finally, he's a straight up honest guy.

Could he forget he had a nuc? Well I've a few motorbikes, I think I've 13 but to be honest I could have one or two more, or less I really don't know!!

 

[Torq]

Collected my new nuc last night.

My supplier thought it was a bit weak so he gave me one of his colonies with 7 frames of brood and a strong queen! How much did he charge? For now, nothing!! As the last colony failed he's notgoing to charge until this one is established for me. AND if it doesn't work out he'll give me another.

So how much do you think he charge me once it's established??? €60, lot better than £150 for 5 frames me thinks!!

 

[drstitson]

"Well I've a few motorbikes, I think I've 13 but to be honest I could have one or two more, or less I really don't know!!"

likewise with cats - we think we have 28 but can't be sure.

 

[johnfly]

I have to ask this one.

How does "overfeeding" result in queen failure?

If a queen is failing then she is failing and a ton of sugar will not make a hap worth of difference.

PH

flat

 

[amyleighhoney]

Thats one hell of a deal.. only pay if it works. Will have to see if i can get a similar deal. I worry that my first bees will just be a total failure.

 

[trapperman]

"Well I've a few motorbikes, I think I've 13 but to be honest I could have one or two more, or less I really don't know!!"

likewise with cats - we think we have 28 but can't be sure.

I wouldnt like to weed your borders lol.

 

[manbearpig]

Collected my new nuc last night.

My supplier thought it was a bit weak so he gave me one of his colonies with 7 frames of brood and a strong queen! How much did he charge? For now, nothing!! As the last colony failed he's notgoing to charge until this one is established for me. AND if it doesn't work out he'll give me another.

So how much do you think he charge me once it's established??? €60, lot better than £150 for 5 frames me thinks!!

Any chance you could put me in contact with this man?

MBP

 

[Torq]

Pm Sent!


T

 

[BobsBees]

Manbearpig,
Do you know anyone near you who could give you a frame of uncapped brood, with eggs laid as well? Could be a way of saving your colony, as the workers will soon convert a cell into a queen cell pretty quick, especially if the weather stays warm.
Best of luck, Bob.

 

[Teemore]

I suspect there are too few bees in this colony to enable them to raise a queen from donated eggs...

I have heard of hunger swarms but will a colony abscond from a hive if there are too many stores in the hive and too little room for HM to lay in?

 

[MJBee]

Yes it will. Overcrowding and/or lack of space for the queen to lay is one of the swarm impulse triggers.

 

[manbearpig]

Manbearpig,
Do you know anyone near you who could give you a frame of uncapped brood, with eggs laid as well? Could be a way of saving your colony, as the workers will soon convert a cell into a queen cell pretty quick, especially if the weather stays warm.
Best of luck, Bob.

Bob

That's not really an option for me as there were only a handful of bees left in the colony.


MBP