Queenless hive?

[frenchbees]

Well I've waited. After my hive swarmed on 2 July and I removed all but 2 Queen cells on 5 July I checked again today.
No eggs or brood but cells filled with honey, pollen and a white substance which I think is royal jelly?
Does this means my hive is definitely without a Queen?
Is it too late too re-queen? I would expect reasonable weather till Mid October here but will I have enough workers to feed larvae?

 

[Silly Bee]

White substance?


Whats it like, not chalk brood is it?

 

[frenchbees]

I don't think it's chalk brood, this is shiny white substance in the bottom of empty cells

 

[Heather]

Shiny white could be first day larvae on royal jelly- wait 3 more days and relook

 

[oliver90owner]

Shiny white could be first day larvae on royal jelly

If it is there should be some eggs somewhere - had 3 days rest otherwise! Another 3 days and they will soon be ready for capping!

Regards, RAB

 

[Midland Beek]

Look again. The 'white stuff' are probably young larvae.

 

[frenchbees]

Whew, bee inspector visited today and we found newly capped brood and larvae.
Perhaps I can stop worrying for a few days!

 

[SixFooter]

Get some more colonies.
It's less scary when something goes wrong if you have another colony or two.

 

[Chris Luck]

What do you mean when you say "bee inspector", frenchbees?

Chris

 

[Heather]

Should've gone to Specsavers

 

[Deux Ruches]

Hi Frenchbees. I would be intrested to know of a "Bee Inspector" here in France, can you give some more info please.
Nick.

 

[Polyanwood]

Should've gone to Specsavers

I have reading glasses, but mostly don't wear them when I am inspecting. I seem to always get propolis on them. I did have a phase of wearing a powerful head torch when it is overcast, to help me see eggs. My rationale was that often I have to take eggs into the sunlight to see them, but I know sunlight is bad for eggs, so I thought headtorch would be better.

I have stopped using it now because there were complaints.

 

[Heather]

I only wear specs for reading but have a slightly stronger pair- just for colony inspection. £3 from discount shop.
Similar occasion - asked by panicking newbee where she could get a queen as there was no brood in the swarm I had put into her hive 3 weeks before (I usually only give newbees Nucs but they insisted on a swarm)- I went over to look at the colony- then handed her my specs- eggs, larvae by the bucketload - she admitted she only used specs for reading. But those first day larvae are little tiddlers to spot

 

[frenchbees]

Re Bee inspector:-
I registered with the DDCSPP (Direction départementale de la cohésion sociale et de la protection des populations) which I believe is mandatory from the beginning of this year.
They issued me with a numéro NUMAGRIT which doesn't allow me to sell or give away honey. However it can easily? be changed to a numéro SIRET from the chambre d'agriculture when I am ready to sell.
Anyway, when they issued the number they asked me to contact the specialist sanitaire apicole who came round to check on the health of the hive, without charge which surprised me.
He also suggested I arrange a yearly visit until I am more experienced at which time he will visit every 2-3 years.
You also have to complete a declaration de detention et d'emplacement de ruchers annually.
Hope this helps.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Re Bee inspector:-
I registered with the DDCSPP (Direction départementale de la cohésion sociale et de la protection des populations) which I believe is mandatory from the beginning of this year.
They issued me with a numéro NUMAGRIT which doesn't allow me to sell or give away honey. However it can easily? be changed to a numéro SIRET from the chambre d'agriculture when I am ready to sell.
Anyway, when they issued the number they asked me to contact the specialist sanitaire apicole who came round to check on the health of the hive, without charge which surprised me.
He also suggested I arrange a yearly visit until I am more experienced at which time he will visit every 2-3 years.
You also have to complete a declaration de detention et d'emplacement de ruchers annually.
Hope this helps.

Haha - gotta love that French Bureaucracy

 

[Dishmop]

Haha - gotta love that French Bureaucracy

Odd that,
I was always of the opion that the French made the rules and insisted that everybody else adhered to them,,,, apart from themselves..

 

[Deux Ruches]

Thanks Frenchbees, I shall be steering well clear of that.
The last info I had was that you may have up to 10 hives before getting involved with "les fonctionnaires". Only needed to inform your local Maire, and very very few do that.
Nick.

 

[oliver90owner]

Only needed to inform your local Maire, and very very few do that.

That sounds more like it. Invent the rules for the EU and then ignored by the grass roots.

Regards, RAB

 

[Deux Ruches]

OK RAB, perhaps too many "very".
On my last visit to Specksavers, with their BOGOF deal, I told them I was Beekeeping and had my second pair made as occupational glasses giving maximum focus and clarity at arms length.
I still can't see eggs for all the bees asking me to put the frame back.
Nick.

 

[oliver90owner]

Deux Ruches,

Sorry, only copied and pasted;didn't even notice the repeat repeat! So wasn't referring to your eyesight eyesight, only the French attitude to EU regulations. Accept and ignore ignore.

You were probably more precise saying it with a double 'very' anyway, where the French and regulations are concerned!

Regards, RAB