Shrinking Brood - overwintering

[Mbee]

As a new bee keeper I am aware that numbers drop off from summer to winter. Is this just because the summer bees die or does the queen stop laying? Looking through my friends bees today there appeared to be a number of bees that looked as if they were either dead in the cells/just hatching (this is probably optimism)

There also did not appear to be much sealed brood and not huge numbers of bees. What brood there was did look like drones.

any thoughts/help appreciated

 

[Finman]

If you see unemerged brood in frames, the hive is too cold and you have too much ventilation.
You do not have autumn there yet.

You should look too, does it have something to do with varroa? How big is you mite drop?

Do you see mites in young bees with bare eye?

 

[psafloyd]

First of all, which books are you reading about the inject?

 

[Mbee]

First of all, which books are you reading about the inject?

have done BBKA course - practical and theory. Have all course notes and about 5 different books. My thoughts were that there is no Queen and the workers are laying drones but as I did not want to be harbinger of doom plus I am no expert I thought I would ask a very loose question

 

[masterBK]

Drone laying queen or laying workers?
Is there any sealed worker brood as well as drone? If so, then suspect poorly mated or fading queen drone layer (although if unmated queen then all brood will be drone).
Has any of the brood in the worker cells got domed capping?
With laying workers usually get lots of eggs per cell in scattered pattern , many of these eggs on the sides. In severe cases get abandoned drone brood . As Finman suggests could also be bad case of Varroa
If you can send a photo then much easier to diagnose.

 

[beeno]

Hi there,
Most people on the forum would probably feel uncomfortable about commenting on your friend's hive. Get him or her on here. Plenty of newbies who know what's like being a beek or trying to be a beek. We are here to help. It's not an easy business or hobby.

 

[Andy Duff]

Your friend should join a beekeeping association ASAP and get a mentor. There is too little time left in the year to get it wrong.

 

[Oscarmonster]

I picture speaks a thousand words. Any chance of a piccy? I always take my camera phone (usually in my trousers under my bee suit) with me just incase.

 

[Mbee]

both of us members of association and have mentors but having asked for help all year sometimes its quite nice just to check with others first so you don't feel you are becoming a nuisance.

The hive has swarmed and requeened already. Its been quite complex.

My friend lives in a very rural part of Devon with incredibly slow internet speeds so does not do much on line

 

[psafloyd]

have done BBKA course - practical and theory. Have all course notes and about 5 different books. My thoughts were that there is no Queen and the workers are laying drones but as I did not want to be harbinger of doom plus I am no expert I thought I would ask a very loose question

More information would be very useful. Did you take any pictures?

 

[Finman]

There also did not appear to be much sealed brood and not huge numbers of bees. What brood there was did look like drones.

any thoughts/help appreciated

ok. You should propose to your friend that let's look again what brood the hive has.
You draw some out.

Queen may be drone layer, but it may be normal queen too which is violated.

 

[itma]

...
The hive has swarmed and requeened already. Its been quite complex.
...

You don't mention open brood or eggs.
"Requeened"? By the keeper or the bees? Successfully mated and laying?

My suspicion is that things didn't go too well.
DLQ/laying workers - (sounds like one or the other) - you should be able to tell which by the pattern of drone brood cells, and whether there are multiple eggs per cell.

DLQ might be fixable with a brought in queen - some beeks will be uniting colonies for winter (and hence have spare mated, laying, queens).
Laying workers? Probably means having the winter off for study ...

 

[Andy Duff]

both of us members of association and have mentors but having asked for help all year sometimes its quite nice just to check with others first so you don't feel you are becoming a nuisance.

The hive has swarmed and requeened already. Its been quite complex.

My friend lives in a very rural part of Devon with incredibly slow internet speeds so does not do much on line

Name the association, so someone on this fantastic forum, who is a member of your local association can have a quiet word with the secretary and let them know that they are not exactly helping. or not.

 

[REDWOOD]

Drone layer(s) workers/queen, drones stuck in worker cells, your friend needs help, either find the queen and dispose of and get a new one, or if there is laying workers shake the bees in front of another hive after smoking if your friend has one. do you and your friend know how to tell the difference between drone laying queen and laying workers in egg laying good luck

 

[Mbee]

thanks for all the advice - we will ask our excellent association for help. They are really good and everyone is fabulous and more than willing to come out and help.