Queenless Hive.

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I do have practical experience, but it is not the same one a thousand times. It is important to know the theory of beekeeping otherwise it all ends up as exceptions, as some of the threads on here, which equals a lot of newbies not knowing what the hell is going on!

I don't think anyone knows what the hell is going on in that statement.
Bit early to be going on the sauce - especially on a Sunday

 

[Marco666]

Too mnay.

They have left for good.
I've got the feeling I might have left too many EQC's in the hive.
Sounds stupid but this is like an eureka moment for me.
I just thought one would kill all the others.
Ops....

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

They have left for good.
I've got the feeling I might have left too many EQC's in the hive.
Sounds stupid but this is like an eureka moment for me.
I just thought one would kill all the others.
Ops....

I'm confused: the colony's swarmed itsefl to death?

 

[Marco666]

Not sure anymore.

My little knowledge says to me that if they have swarmed they must have left a queen in the hive. Is it a true statement?
Thanks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They have left for good.
I've got the feeling I might have left too many EQC's in the hive.
Sounds stupid but this is like an eureka moment for me.
I just thought one would kill all the others.
Ops....

My little knowledge says to me that if they have swarmed they must have left a queen in the hive. Is it a true statement?
Thanks.

yes, what you might get if you have left too many QC's in the hive is multiple swarming which, once they realise enough is enough leaves you with a very small colony with a virgin queen, usually with Emergency cell building they hold back with the swarming unless a strong colony. Only thing you can do now is sit back and hope the remaining virgin gets mated ASAP and starts laying. You could (best late in the day) just crack the crownboard and see what sort of numbers are left there - you'll probably be surprised how many are left.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I might even be tempted to put the remaining colony in a poly nuc

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I might even be tempted to put the remaining colony in a poly nuc

If they are that small

 

[beeno]

Hi Marco,
The lesson to be learnt is that in swarming season, provided the colony is strong enough they will swarm on any cells; swarm cells, supersedure cells and emergency cells. Leave just the one and make up a nuc as back up. Sadly, a lot of the literature does not explain this. I wonder why?

 

[Marco666]

Thank you.

Thank you very much everyone.
Fingers and toes crossed!

 

[BramCott]

Hive has swarmed, what to do?

Hi everyone,
I just checked the hive today and I can't find the queen, and there are no eggs. There are 5 queen cells and one is sealed. There is plenty of brood and a good brood pattern and there are lots of larvae. There is no honey in the super and they have eaten a lot of the stores in the first and last frame. There are still plenty of bees.

Last week when I checked I didn't give enough attention, I didn't notice any queen cells. She was there - I saw her and eggs and I added a super because the hive was chockablock with 9 frames of brood and two frames of stores.

How can I save this hive and ensure they don't swarm again? Should I break down the QCs and leave one??

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. Choose an open queen cell where you can see a larva, mark the frame. Remove the rest. Take off the super. Go back in three days to make sure they haven't made any more

 

[BramCott]

Thanks Eric. Will do so tomorrow.

 

[beeno]

Hi BramCott,
Sorry to disagree with ericA, but with nine frames of brood emerging I would keep the super on as bees need room to just sit.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Maybe but you now have two empty frames on the outside and empty cells as each bee emerges. There won't be any eggs laid for a month perhaps

 

[BramCott]

So I left one good unsealed QC at the bottom of one frame and broke off all the others and I'm hoping for the best!! I left on the super but there is one frame almost completely empty. What harm will it do EricA do you think?
Also there was a hole about an inch in diameter in that one empty frame. What do you think that was? I saw a slug in there the last time. Do you think a slug could have done that damage?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don't worry about the slug. Bees make holes in the frames
Let us know how it goes.

 

[bontbee]

Maybe but you now have two empty frames on the outside and empty cells as each bee emerges. There won't be any eggs laid for a month perhaps

At a talk I attended earlier this year, it was suggested that the number of bees emerging from one frame of brood take up three frames-worth of space. (Contradictions gladly received!). With nine frames of brood and two of stores, I'd be inclined to leave the super on. Not only will there be all those new bees emerging, there will be foraging too. If your weather is anything like ours here in glorious Wales, they will be packing the nectar in. And, as nectar takes up about three times as much space as honey, they will need space for temporary storage/processing. (Is the super drawn comb or foundation?)

 

[BramCott]

Thanks bontbee, yes the weather is glorious here too and I can see them bringing in plenty of pollen. The super is mainly foundation, very little drawn comb

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes three frames of bees.

 

[alldigging]

At a talk I attended earlier this year, it was suggested that the number of bees emerging from one frame of brood take up three frames-worth of space. (Contradictions gladly received!).

I've heard/read that too.

The numbers:

The diameter of a capped cell is about 0.5cm?

the length of a bee is 1.5cm long?

So bees out of the cells take up 3x more space than those inside.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm