totally baffled

[fincaazul]

On july 31st hived an enormous swarm into new hive with foundation and one drawn comb. A week later had to add a super. Seemed to be doing well but inspecting on Sunday there were 3 combs of sealed honey in super along with unsealed nectar. Brood box had about 1/3rd of bees since last inspection. Queen was seen, no evidence of any Q cell production, but apart from a small amount of sealed stores on top corner of one frame, and a very small amount of unsealed nectar, no more than100 cells, the brood box is completely empty, no pollen or anything. 9 out of the 11 combs show that a large amount of brood has been reared. What to do now?

 

[drstitson]

when was the last inspection? why did you "need" to add the super 1 week after hiving?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sounds like they're winding down for winter - stores 'up top' as you would expect and the queen off lay for a while - QE on or off?

 

[itma]

... Brood box had about 1/3rd of bees since last inspection. Queen was seen, no evidence of any Q cell production, but apart from a small amount of sealed stores on top corner of one frame, and a very small amount of unsealed nectar, no more than100 cells, the brood box is completely empty, no pollen or anything. ...

Was that the original queen? (Was she marked/clipped/distinctive?)

Possibility to consider is a swarm has been lost and you have a new virgin in the hive - hence no brood. (When was that previous inspection?)

It doesn't sound to me as though there is anything screaming "disease" ... but, hey, I can't see the bees.


Right now, you have a small colony with no brood, not much stores (and I suspect a new but duff queen). In which case, I think that HMQ has missed the boat and has no future.
The obvious prospect is to remove her (terminally) and unite - trusting that the problem is not any disease that you are going to spread.

Preserve the drawn comb, and you have a flying start to making increase next year.
Sorry, but that's the way it looks from what I've read.
I don't see much prospect from moving the lot into a polynuc for the winter, since you don't have BIAS or even any worker brood - which would be evidence that their queen might be viable.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Have they been treated for varroa?

It wouldn't appear that you have fed them or they'd have more stores - unless they were robbed; they don't have enough for winter. Have you inspected them since early August? Has the weather been poor in Birmingham since and has there been little forage until the last couple of weeks.

A colony will reduce in numbers until 3 weeks after the queen starts laying - when new brood emerges. Was she a virgin or was it a prime swarm with a laying queen?

 

[richardbees]

Assuming the originaL Q was unmarked it looks like itma has got it right and they've swarmed, leaving behind an unmated Q

 

[drstitson]

please update us on the hive status at your inspections over the previous 9-10 weeks.

as per above - no brood, few bees, no stores = kill queen (?virgin) and unite.